Nailed to the door

This is a good question, why not stay and try to change it (the church) from within? The problem is change is very, very hard for any institution, especially ones that think the way they are doing things is Gods will. A friend of mine wrote a book many years ago called: The seven last words of the church, WE NEVER TRIED IT THAT WAY BEFORE. He is now recognized as the "father" of the cell group movement, Ralph Neighbor.

More then once I have been symbolically tarred and feathered for selling the pews and arranging the folding chairs so at least we can see the body of Christ (each other). I am quite sure some wanted to physically tar me for that at least once.

Many of the "ministries" in the institutional church are inefficient at best (wasting people’s energy and effort) or simply exist because no one has the will to shoot the dead horse. So much time, energy and resources are spent doing "what we have always done, the way we have always done it" that no one even questions why, and the important work, the work that should be a priority (loving others inside and outside of the meeting house) barely gets lip service. If one does ask why or suggests something new they are often treated as a heretic.

We, individually and corporately, have only one purpose, one calling, one charge, and one command. Love One Another as He loves us.

I find I no longer have the patience to endure even a single hour of religious ritual. A few may find comfort in liturgical litany, but I suspect most believers and virtually all non-believers simply experience it as boring and lifeless. I can not and will not any longer act “religious”, when my Lord simply wants me to be real.

I will not conform to the demands of religious obligation for one minute but I gladly submit myself to be transformed by God’s love as expressed directly by His love and the love of my brothers and sisters in Christ.

I refuse to waste another second running on the Sunday morning treadmill that has largely failed to close a relational gap between God and His people and between His people. I believe the era of sit up straight, stand up, sit down, bow your head, eyes forward, ears open, pass the plate, listen up, smile and go home is over. In my opinion
the fact that the evangelical church ever adopted this model as the focus of our corporate gatherings is a travesty.