"DANGERS" OUT-OF-CHURCH?
Posted by: prophetic <prophetic@...>
Date sent: Mon, 13 Oct 2003 03:46:08 -0400
[A Response to the original article - "Are There Dangers in the
'Out-of-Church' Scene?"]
-John Glaze writes:
I think some assumptions have been made that your article was directly
equating returning to church as crossing a river. I believe Hollie Moody
addressed this issue in her most recent email. Some are called to go
back into the houses to call others out. Some are currently out of the
church institution but are grumblers. Some are becoming happy with where
they are and have forgotten we are actually going somewhere. But I
believe there are many who are on terms with the Lord and are playing a
slightly different role than those who must go back to the institutions.
I would be one. But I believe you were addressing the disposition of
one's heart toward God, not the disposition of a person's back-side to
what bench they happen to occupy on a Sunday Morning. I respect your
depth and your level of discernment far more than to believe you were
just telling people to go back to the places they have come out of after
so-and-so number of years. Just thought you might want to re-address
that for clarity's sake. Might be worth the time.
**************************
Moderator Responds:-
Yes, you are absolutely right to say that the "heart" issues
were the ones I was looking at. In a lot of ways, if the 'heart'
is right then it matters a lot less where people find
themselves physically - whether "In-church", Out-of-church
or whatever. So long as there are no 'strongholds' in their
hearts (-which prevent them from "joining" or knitting-in), then
I am fine with whatever journey God is leading people on.
Some people are in a 'wilderness' that is entirely ordained
by God. But others are out there because they have issues
in their hearts that have made them "chronic non-joiners".
Sometimes it is a mixture of both. But I tell you - any such
issues desperately need dealing with. These are the key
things that will make any Wilderness experience either a
success or a failure. It is truly possible to "die" out there.
I am tired of meeting Out-of-church people whom I know
are tremendously gifted by God - but they can never
use their giftings properly because they have absented
themselves from the "Body" for years and years and years.
(-I am not speaking of 'house-churches' here, but rather
those who are right outside everything).
It really concerns me that some people we know have now
been Out-of-church like this for 20 years. These people are
not "Moses". It is not some 40-year calling. They have simply
got comfortable out there. And if they are not careful they
could waste their talents and God will be angry because they
"buried it in the ground". There is little sign of change with
some of them. And often you can tell that they still have
heart-issues over the matter of "church".
It is not hard to discern people who have a slight tinge of
bitterness or personal anger when they discuss a particular
subject.You can tell that they have "issues" in that area.
But I have noticed that many Out-of-church people are SO
persuasive and sure of themselves when they discuss the
failings of 'Babylon' and why it is essential to "come out" of
today's church system. My answer is simple - if there are
people anywhere who truly love Jesus and walk with Him,
then we have a duty to treat those people as brothers and
sisters. And if they are in deception then we need to reach
out to them somehow. Cutting ourselves off is not the option
that Jesus would choose. People, PLEASE deal with these
heart issues before they get to the point of 'disqualifying' you.
As I said, all this is "heart" stuff. That is why "RENOUNCING"
is so powerful in dealing with these strongholds.
So yes, that is what my original article was about. It is not a
matter of the "boxes" that people are in. It is all about their
hearts.
God bless you all!
Kindest regards in Christ,
Andrew Strom.