Comments on: Escape From Churchianity

By: Chip Brogden

Chip Brogden — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 16:10:20 +0000

Good thoughts, Timothy. In my experience the revelation of deeper truths causes a person to be ostracized by the rest out of fear of the unknown. I don’t think anyone starts out desiring to separate from others. At least I didn’t. But the Truth is a sword that divides Light from Darkness. May God unify us around His Son.

By: Timothy

Timothy — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 15:30:04 +0000

Thanks for your imput, my wife and I have been out of the church for a while now, and whenever we try to go somewhere we are unable to stay for any lenthy time. Some of the questions that I aked you in the earlier post are questions that I ask myself, and much to my dismay am without an answer. Yes I am a little confused, thankfully I think that I have gotten past the point of being rejected by my christian peers. The most difficult part for me is that I amgoing to bible college for ministry, and I dont even know what real ministry looks like, so this journey is a walk of faith. However God is good and I trust Him to direct the path that He has put me on. I do not advocate unity with a false doctorine/antichrist but if they are christian and are lost they need light to lead them out. What I have seen in a few groups is that when people get a higher amount of revelation than the general christians, then they look upon the rest of the body like their idiots, they call themselves the bride or remnant and tend to form an alietest sepertast doctorine that seperates themselves from the mulltitudes. The very truth that God has entrusted to them to bring to the entirebody, they horde to themselves and their little group. In doing this they have forsaken the the first commandment which calls them to love. Love trumphs any revelation that we have. Its mybelief that God has onebody, not little fragments here and there. But thats what I have seen in my observation of things, were word of faith people, or we are thirdwave people or we are river people, or what about this one we are really prophetic. So great we have alot of sepertist now in the body that cannot rightly relate to eachother because we only stick with our own. So ya that about raps it up. So just pray for wife Jessica and I on wisdom to understand the season that we are in. Its easy for us to want to go back to church because” thats the good christian thing to do”. I hope that I did not go onto to much of a tantrium. Thank you Chip.

By: Chip Brogden

Chip Brogden — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 10:57:50 +0000

You’re wondering? Wonder no more. I am pretty clear about where I stand in relation to Organized Religion. I encourage you to keep reading. You still seem to be confusing the “system” with the Ekklesia. The physical gathering together is not the issue. I don’t care where you meet or what you do when you meet. But when the physical gathering together serves to bolster a counterfeit system and a false priesthood that Jesus never intended, one that nevertheless portrays itself under false pretenses to be the true “church,” then people with discernment are led to forsake that particular mode of gathering together. The answer to your last question is no – we are not instructed to be in unity with that Antichrist spirit that claims to represent God when it is actually taking the place of God. If only you could see that the Ekklesia is about relationships and not about “meetings” then I think it would go a long way to helping you see correctly. Love transcends time and place. Thanks for writing, I hope this helps to remove any wonder about where I stand. The real question is how to come to believe so strongly about these things… that is a clue that may assist you in your journey as well.

By: Timothy

Timothy — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 06:48:12 +0000

Hi Chip, I have readlots of your articles and do enjoy them. However, I was wondering are you against church? I do not mean church that makes up the body of Christ or in better words eclessia. The church that I am speaking of is the four walls. Is this the system that you are opposed to? Even the apostles broke bread and taught the apostles doctorine going from house to house, so in essence they were the church going to church, were they not? Some apostles some pastors some teacher some evangalist were given to the church for the equiping of the saints. Regardless if teachers teach inside of an airconditioned building or in a cave, this constitutes a meeting establishment better known as a church, correct? I do understand that I am the church, and you are the church(the living tabernacle). So where should the disciples be discipled at ? I guess it would be pretty cool if we could all have outerbody experiences and meet each other in the Spirit and then we would never have to locate a physical location to meet with each other. But untill that day arives what do you suggest? Personally I am not impressed with the currant church/ priesthood. We have many Eli’s that are fat and lazy raising Hophni’s and Phinehas’ but they are still the church and I am instructed to be one in unity with them. Am I not?

By: germaine Possi

germaine Possi — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 01:14:08 +0000

Alleluiah brother ….the ABC gospel will never give life….only JESUS CHRIST gives life…this message is such a blessing !

By: sherman coe

sherman coe — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 00:18:25 +0000

I f following is not about merely following rules an proper conduct how do you meet him ?I’m used to earthly relationships I have no idea how to hear his voice and I s it real relationship or abstract?

By: Alice Liu

Alice Liu — Thu, 01 Apr 2010 02:09:27 +0000

Sadly, it is undeniable that many go to “church” and have no experience with the Lord, and surely there is no Life apart from Him nor can anyone find it through an intellectual exercise, but I would caution people against judging all who take part in organized religion, as being disqualified from being part of The True Church or from looking with disdain upon those who participate in church but have not (yet) a personal relationship with The Lord.

I don’t think that is the message of this article but I fear that the tone, particularly that of the imaginary scenario given above, as illustrative and poignant as it may be, might be encouraging a dangerously negative and judgmental, and might I say prideful attitude.

The Lord has recently been convicting my heart particularly of my own personal judgmental and condemning attitude, my lack of mercy and compassion. I think this came from having “high” and selfish expectations from church, being disappointed that it fell short of “The Church.”

I have come to see that as long as I am on this earth, I am to be His servant, to do the work that The Father is doing. Everywhere is a mission field in some respect (I know I am not technically using the term correctly)– can we say even churches — since there are non-believers there, weak believers, new believers, etc. I am grateful that “even in” organized religion/churches there are also co-laborers, those in whom the Spirit is active and working. I would hope that the latter would at least be in the majority, since I don’t expect that we can fairly expect perfection until we reach Heaven, when only then will we be able to surround ourselves with The True Church.

May we take this article as a caution and wake-up call to our own faith and worship and not let it harden our hearts against the very ones for whom we are called to love and serve all to His glory and for His Kingdom.

It is important to distinguish between “church” and “The True Church” but I’d hate to see in the process that our hearts end up hardened against the very people for whom we should have compassion and are called to love and serve. There can be power, great blessing, potential for growth and mutual sharpening, fruit, and a beautiful and powerful witness in a tangible body of believers “even if” organized to meet in a building, etc.

By: Pam Greaves

Pam Greaves — Sat, 02 May 2009 13:09:34 +0000

I am new to your site. Jack Gerry of Crossroads of N.E. suggested that I look at your site. I have long loved the “Christ in you” faith message, and am thrilled to be finding like minded “fellow travelers” as Jack calls us!

Please pray for me and my husband. I am secretary of a little baptist church here in NH and he is the head deacon. I am finding fulfillment in the job as I serve Jesus there, but am also frustrated. Our “services” leave me feeling cold, empty, and that I have just experienced an intellectual exercise in futility. My hubby is equally empty, and we are both torn because of the positions we find ourselves in. We love our young pastor as our brother in Christ, but…well you know. This is our “family”
and we have wonderful deep relationships there. My most important relationship is Jesus…oh how I look forward to seeing Him face to face, having a “sit down”, crawling up into his lap and just absorbing Him! At 65 years of age, I am closer to that day! Sometimes feel like I just want to count the minutes, but also be faithful while I wait!

Thank you for this site, and for the encouragement of it. There is much here to read and absorb…this, along with others of the same mind, may be the source that I need at this point of my earthly walk!

God bless you and your family Chip!
Pam Greaves