The March 2006 issue of BodyLife is now available at the Lifestream website.
The lead article is called The Real Question, which examines the conflict between those who frequent traditional congregations and those that do not and offers some ideas as to how we can live out the love of Jesus and the reality of the family without getting caught up in that conflict. I hope it is helpful to you as you engage believers in your life that helps build up the family rather than further fragment it.
A new podcast entitled Lights! Camera! Action! has just been posted on our sister website thegodjourney.com. This one takes a look at some interesting aspects of believers and the movies with some fellow-travelers involved in the filmmaking industry.
I read “the Real Question”. I really enjoyed it and it’s exactly how I feel. I have been watching your site off & on for some time now and agree with where you’re coming from and I so appreciate the graciousness with which you write. I have looked around the web & blogs looking for joints to connect but it always seems to be divided to ” innies & outies” and both lacking grace for the other. I had started looking for communities who sought body life in other forms other than “going” to church, but they seemed to have angst those who do go to church. I do not want to jump on either band wagon. Like you, I want to live in peace with all men and I will not argue my points. It was just awesome how that worked out for the brother on the plane when he presented the question and the two were able to part ways. I wonder if they have an ongoing relationship. I have relationships scattered from FL TX OK MO but none here where I live now & I would like to develop some relationships locally. I live in a very religious City, and mostly you can’t even get 2 sentences out about the Lord before they want to know where you “go” then that’s all she wrote! I’m not even trying to get anyone to see the way I see, cause that is only given by the Father. I’m praying the Father will give me the right things to say. I’ve been out of the traditional church setting for 5 years, and I began it with trying different responses to that question “where do you go to church”, then I got to the point where I was just outright honest “I don’t” . But no matter the response, I found, people wanted an explanation, and whether I elected to give one or not, I was recipient of what they felt was the truth in love. I understand them, I was them for 15 years in the same non-denominational fellowship, was on the leadership team, and I was just like them, I met my share of people that didn’t go to church, or quit and I told them back then what I hear now. So I understand and I realize I was limited in my understanding. It was the Lord who opened up the eyes of my understanding. I did not leave that fellowship out of anger, or hurt or resentment or because of any troubles, my family & I was called out and God graciously allowed us to leave with blessings, the cursings started after we were in another State, all’s I can say is God was truly merciful to me. But all that came about due to my intense seeking to truly know the Father, that’s what I want and has been my journey for the past 11 years, which in the middle of those required me to come out of the traditional church. Had I of known before hand that during that intense time of seeking to know Him, that He was going to have me come out of it, I would have guarded against it, cause I truly believed that you had to go to church. But then again, Nobody else could have told me, I never believed the ones who did speak up, course to me they had problems with the church. I guess that’s why today people don’t believe me when I tell them I didn’t leave the church angry…But I think it’s fruitless to come against the traditional church, and to offend them. I so want to love her as Christ loved her, but I have a ways to go, because like many I’m afraid of rejection, but not afraid enough that I will not obey Him, I will avoid rejection and avoid the people (to some extent)(I haven‘t been able to shut up yet that‘s why I get into trouble LOL), I guess that’s why people become indrawn. Maybe it’s because we don’t know what to do or say, but I think we can ask & trust Him for the wisdom & understanding, He gives it liberally. I don’t know why really but I think we ought to look into our own hearts with His mercy & grace. But your heart, Wayne really blessed me, and where can we get a heart like that except from our Father.
Anyway by reading from time to time here, I know that you come across people like me, and I wanted to know if there were some sort of community blog, or chat where people like me go to have fellowship with others of like mind where we can develop joint relationships? I realize I can blog here, but I was thinking of more community interaction, off subject, where you could get to know one another. And by the way I’m new at even this blogging stuff.
Also, and moving along, and the reason I wrote in the first place, I’ve been reading Romans 14 & 15 over & over, I love His word and see things so differently since He shifted the way I see things. But I thought a lot about these when I read & re-read “The real Question”
Rom.14: 1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. 4Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
ROM.15:1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”
These for me are not about whose WEAK & whose not, it’s about accepting others, bearing with others, walking in our integrity, uprightly before Him. I would thank God if someone considered me weak in faith, I will agree with them, I sure feel like it sometimes, cause all I have is a childlike trust, I don’t know why I walk like I walk, or why Father says to walk this way, I just follow. and I am challenged by others saying “Well God wouldn’t say that to His children.” Our integrity is more important than trying to explain or convince them of what Father said. or how we look. Oh That we might have words of blessings come from our mouths to those who challenge us, may we seek Him on how to spur others onto love & good deeds. Then Rom15:5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
See, I believe I am accountable before Him, not only to follow Him but also to walk with integrity as I do so.
I don’t see that we will ever, on this earth, be accepted by the religious systems to be the Church apart from it’s system. I believe that the OT was a type & foreshadow of things to come and I believe the same about the NT for today and as the days progress. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day, the devout Synagogue goers, persecuted the Church in the name of God, But Father would send, from time to time, his people into those edifices, they weren’t welcome to come in & bring their paradigm shifts (what Father gave them), not even the carpenter’s Son. I desire to be able to be accepted by those, but regardless of how they treat me, Like Jesus I should uphold my integrity (Isa.53: 7 like a lamb led to the slaughter He did not open His mouth against them, He was silent, but He was taken away in judgment. We are going to have persecutors, I don’t think I am the only one seeing these days approaching us. I want to learn how to handle the rejection that comes and learn to speak as His Spirit leads NOW, so in the days ahead, I can truly love with His heart and lift my eyes to Him and say “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do”. I’m far from this now, oh, I still want to defend, I still want to convince, and the like, But I think it might be better for me to seek Him & love Him & Love the world just as He does.
My husband & I are going to begin to read your Jake Colsen Book, “so you don’t want to go to church anymore†online. Thanks for all your hard work & effort and your labor of Love. Sincerely, Denise
I read “the Real Question”. I really enjoyed it and it’s exactly how I feel. I have been watching your site off & on for some time now and agree with where you’re coming from and I so appreciate the graciousness with which you write. I have looked around the web & blogs looking for joints to connect but it always seems to be divided to ” innies & outies” and both lacking grace for the other. I had started looking for communities who sought body life in other forms other than “going” to church, but they seemed to have angst those who do go to church. I do not want to jump on either band wagon. Like you, I want to live in peace with all men and I will not argue my points. It was just awesome how that worked out for the brother on the plane when he presented the question and the two were able to part ways. I wonder if they have an ongoing relationship. I have relationships scattered from FL TX OK MO but none here where I live now & I would like to develop some relationships locally. I live in a very religious City, and mostly you can’t even get 2 sentences out about the Lord before they want to know where you “go” then that’s all she wrote! I’m not even trying to get anyone to see the way I see, cause that is only given by the Father. I’m praying the Father will give me the right things to say. I’ve been out of the traditional church setting for 5 years, and I began it with trying different responses to that question “where do you go to church”, then I got to the point where I was just outright honest “I don’t” . But no matter the response, I found, people wanted an explanation, and whether I elected to give one or not, I was recipient of what they felt was the truth in love. I understand them, I was them for 15 years in the same non-denominational fellowship, was on the leadership team, and I was just like them, I met my share of people that didn’t go to church, or quit and I told them back then what I hear now. So I understand and I realize I was limited in my understanding. It was the Lord who opened up the eyes of my understanding. I did not leave that fellowship out of anger, or hurt or resentment or because of any troubles, my family & I was called out and God graciously allowed us to leave with blessings, the cursings started after we were in another State, all’s I can say is God was truly merciful to me. But all that came about due to my intense seeking to truly know the Father, that’s what I want and has been my journey for the past 11 years, which in the middle of those required me to come out of the traditional church. Had I of known before hand that during that intense time of seeking to know Him, that He was going to have me come out of it, I would have guarded against it, cause I truly believed that you had to go to church. But then again, Nobody else could have told me, I never believed the ones who did speak up, course to me they had problems with the church. I guess that’s why today people don’t believe me when I tell them I didn’t leave the church angry…But I think it’s fruitless to come against the traditional church, and to offend them. I so want to love her as Christ loved her, but I have a ways to go, because like many I’m afraid of rejection, but not afraid enough that I will not obey Him, I will avoid rejection and avoid the people (to some extent)(I haven‘t been able to shut up yet that‘s why I get into trouble LOL), I guess that’s why people become indrawn. Maybe it’s because we don’t know what to do or say, but I think we can ask & trust Him for the wisdom & understanding, He gives it liberally. I don’t know why really but I think we ought to look into our own hearts with His mercy & grace. But your heart, Wayne really blessed me, and where can we get a heart like that except from our Father.
Anyway by reading from time to time here, I know that you come across people like me, and I wanted to know if there were some sort of community blog, or chat where people like me go to have fellowship with others of like mind where we can develop joint relationships? I realize I can blog here, but I was thinking of more community interaction, off subject, where you could get to know one another. And by the way I’m new at even this blogging stuff.
Also, and moving along, and the reason I wrote in the first place, I’ve been reading Romans 14 & 15 over & over, I love His word and see things so differently since He shifted the way I see things. But I thought a lot about these when I read & re-read “The real Question”
Rom.14: 1 Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters. 2One man’s faith allows him to eat everything, but another man, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. 3The man who eats everything must not look down on him who does not, and the man who does not eat everything must not condemn the man who does, for God has accepted him. 4Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.
ROM.15:1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. 3For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.”
These for me are not about whose WEAK & whose not, it’s about accepting others, bearing with others, walking in our integrity, uprightly before Him. I would thank God if someone considered me weak in faith, I will agree with them, I sure feel like it sometimes, cause all I have is a childlike trust, I don’t know why I walk like I walk, or why Father says to walk this way, I just follow. and I am challenged by others saying “Well God wouldn’t say that to His children.” Our integrity is more important than trying to explain or convince them of what Father said. or how we look. Oh That we might have words of blessings come from our mouths to those who challenge us, may we seek Him on how to spur others onto love & good deeds. Then Rom15:5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, 6so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.
See, I believe I am accountable before Him, not only to follow Him but also to walk with integrity as I do so.
I don’t see that we will ever, on this earth, be accepted by the religious systems to be the Church apart from it’s system. I believe that the OT was a type & foreshadow of things to come and I believe the same about the NT for today and as the days progress. The religious leaders of Jesus’ day, the devout Synagogue goers, persecuted the Church in the name of God, But Father would send, from time to time, his people into those edifices, they weren’t welcome to come in & bring their paradigm shifts (what Father gave them), not even the carpenter’s Son. I desire to be able to be accepted by those, but regardless of how they treat me, Like Jesus I should uphold my integrity (Isa.53: 7 like a lamb led to the slaughter He did not open His mouth against them, He was silent, but He was taken away in judgment. We are going to have persecutors, I don’t think I am the only one seeing these days approaching us. I want to learn how to handle the rejection that comes and learn to speak as His Spirit leads NOW, so in the days ahead, I can truly love with His heart and lift my eyes to Him and say “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do”. I’m far from this now, oh, I still want to defend, I still want to convince, and the like, But I think it might be better for me to seek Him & love Him & Love the world just as He does.
My husband & I are going to begin to read your Jake Colsen Book, “so you don’t want to go to church anymore†online. Thanks for all your hard work & effort and your labor of Love. Sincerely, Denise