Deconstructing Church Pt 9 "WHO AM I?"

 

Did you ever sit in a church building, maybe the one you attended for many years, and ask yourself "What am I doing?" or wonder "Who am I in God's kingdom?"

Am I only supposed to sit and listen, participate in programs, contribute my time and finances till life is over? Do I have a spiritual gift? What is God's Will for me today, tomorrow, and beyond?

Maybe you are a "lay" minister, a Mrs. Elder Brother, or just a quiet church attendee.

For many of us, our personal Christ-identity was swallowed up and defined by our identity with our church, church doctrines, Denomination, a building with a name a group, and for many the Pastor.
For some it included even conformity to clothing and personal grooming!

As my wife and I, faithful church folks that we were, grew older into our 50's, I began thinking "Is this all there is?" to church and God's kingdom.
"Am I to stay in this pew till I die, they have the church funeral, and I fade into the memory hole?" 

I was finding services' boring, the sermons repetitive and empty, but still tried to make the best of it.
Plenty of my own carnality had crept in but I fit right in with our leadership.
Linda and I did recognize there was not much of God's Holy Presence in our meetings.

 Activity, fundraising, and growth Programs came and went.  But it was OUR church home..

All of that fell away when we left.

But we never left God.
So at first we floundered, but God began revealing a LOT to us, many wonderful things in His Word, but they were many that the church either did not know or teach, or taught wrong. (like tithing). That part was and still is exciting.

I wanted to know from the Lord, "who am I in Christ and what am I (we) to do?"

He told me who I was (ministry gift) and He told me He wanted me to "WRITE". He would show me what to write and give inspiration and insight. The command to "WRITE" came to me repeatedly over the years that followed, and has ministered to countless others. -something that would have *never* happened in the church under the controlling pastors.

Jesus became our Shepherd, praise to His name.

If the Lord can do this for me, He certainly wants to do for you also.
Separation from the church system to follow Christ is the narrow road. I once wondered while looking around our 200 or so congregation wondering who might be prophets, pastors, teachers, or doing service to the Lord instead of the weekly ritual of church attendance. 

I wondered "cannot Christ express Himself through others here?" and I saw the untapped value of the people around me. This is the Lord's vision of His people, He has much more for each of us to bring forth fruits and do what he calls and equips us to do.

I will close with a dream the Lord gave me for a brother in Christ.
We have known him many years, he is a good man, faithful, has a pastoral gift but is not a formal "Pastor".
I have not spoken to him much in 20 years.  In a night vision the Lord told me to give him a message.

" Linda Savanah and I were at a church. It was a large building and even though there was a sense of something familiar, we did not recognize people there. I would guess around 200 or so.

We were seated in the middle near an aisle.
Then to my surprise, I turned around and saw "Hank" and his wife sitting behind us.

In the dream I had a message from the Lord for "Hank".
“IT IS TIME. I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU FOR A LONG TIME”. 
 Hank responded “But I don’t know what to do.”

“Leave, follow Me, I will show you what to do”.
Hank responded “I am not sure”.
 “you will need to unlearn church ways and fear of men.
Just invite people over and feed them.” 

Life is getting shorter, there is more to do to please Him and fulfill the calling He has given.

Be watchful and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Rev 3:2