Comments on: My Journey out of Church and into the Body of Christ (5) http://www.theuneditedlife.com/2007/04/24/my-journey-out-of-church-and-into-the-body-of-christ-a-personal-testimony-part-5/ Adventuring outside the box Tue, 31 Aug 2010 16:07:40 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Bill Drayton http://www.theuneditedlife.com/2007/04/24/my-journey-out-of-church-and-into-the-body-of-christ-a-personal-testimony-part-5/comment-page-1/#comment-13215 Bill Drayton Sun, 27 Dec 2009 12:47:23 +0000 http://www.theuneditedlife.com/2007/04/24/my-journey-out-of-church-and-into-the-body-of-christ-a-personal-testimony-part-5/#comment-13215 Mike and Heidi, Thank you both so much for the encouragement you've given me in telling your story. I've only "out of the box" for a few months since March this year. Nothing will induce me to go back to a conventional church setting. I recently went to a "Carols By Candlelight" Service at the local baptist church I used to attend as a member. The carol-singing and listening to the familiar story was OK! But, as usual, we had to have the evangelistic message. It almost seemed sacrilegious to think in this way. I really wondered how many would be impacted by the message which to my way of thinking seemed so contrived. I did not blame the man who was giving the address. He felt obligated to give it. It was the done thing!! The real reason why I left that church was that I wanted to be in a non-denominational church. The one I chose - which shall remain nameless - was liberating at first. I remember the pastor saying that people come and people go and that was fine. But it wasn't quite like that, as I discovered when I volunteered to do "telephone follow-up". We were expected to keep tabs on newcomers to draw them in! Then I had an ear infection which prevented me from going to church. I had had problems before this with the house group I was attending and had discussed them with the house group "leaders" and we had decided that it might be better for me to change groups. Well, a few weeks after my non-attendance at church, I had an email conversation with one of the pastors, who initially expressed concern that he hadn't seen me and wondered how things were. I suggested we meet somewhere for tea / coffee. That was not good enough for him. He believed I should first see my house group leaders, because he did not wish to "usurp their spiritual authority over me"(!!!!!????). I replied to say I had decided to leave the church and I did not consider using such words was helpful! We did tentatively agree to meet after my trip to the States. But when I rang him up, instead of fixing a time and place to meet, he asked: What can I do to help? I then said I did not think it was good idea to meet, since there would only be an argument. I explained my reasons for leaving. He did reply and say he fully understood my reasons and the doors of the church were always open for me. After such an experience. I'm extremely wary of anyone attempting to pressurize me into joining anywhere where there might be issues of authority / manipulation / control! God is NOT like that. Again, thank you both for your encouragement. I now meet up with 3 / 4 others every Wednesday morning for fellowship / Bible study. Two of them are former pastors. I learn a lot from them. None of us leads. We just share!! Mike and Heidi,

Thank you both so much for the encouragement you’ve given me in telling your story. I’ve only “out of the box” for a few months since March this year. Nothing will induce me to go back to a conventional church setting. I recently went to a “Carols By Candlelight” Service at the local baptist church I used to attend as a member. The carol-singing and listening to the familiar story was OK! But, as usual, we had to have the evangelistic message. It almost seemed sacrilegious to think in this way. I really wondered how many would be impacted by the message which to my way of thinking seemed so contrived. I did not blame the man who was giving the address. He felt obligated to give it. It was the done thing!!
The real reason why I left that church was that I wanted to be in a non-denominational church. The one I chose – which shall remain nameless – was liberating at first. I remember the pastor saying that people come and people go and that was fine. But it wasn’t quite like that, as I discovered when I volunteered to do “telephone follow-up”. We were expected to keep tabs on newcomers to draw them in! Then I had an ear infection which prevented me from going to church. I had had problems before this with the house group I was attending and had discussed them with the house group “leaders” and we had decided that it might be better for me to change groups. Well, a few weeks after my non-attendance at church, I had an email conversation with one of the pastors, who initially expressed concern that he hadn’t seen me and wondered how things were. I suggested we meet somewhere for tea / coffee. That was not good enough for him. He believed I should first see my house group leaders, because he did not wish to “usurp their spiritual authority over me”(!!!!!????). I replied to say I had decided to leave the church and I did not consider using such words was helpful! We did tentatively agree to meet after my trip to the States. But when I rang him up, instead of fixing a time and place to meet, he asked: What can I do to help? I then said I did not think it was good idea to meet, since there would only be an argument. I explained my reasons for leaving. He did reply and say he fully understood my reasons and the doors of the church were always open for me.
After such an experience. I’m extremely wary of anyone attempting to pressurize me into joining anywhere where there might be issues of authority / manipulation / control! God is NOT like that.
Again, thank you both for your encouragement. I now meet up with 3 / 4 others every Wednesday morning for fellowship / Bible study. Two of them are former pastors. I learn a lot from them. None of us leads. We just share!!

]]> By: Frances http://www.theuneditedlife.com/2007/04/24/my-journey-out-of-church-and-into-the-body-of-christ-a-personal-testimony-part-5/comment-page-1/#comment-8330 Frances Fri, 30 Jan 2009 11:38:54 +0000 http://www.theuneditedlife.com/2007/04/24/my-journey-out-of-church-and-into-the-body-of-christ-a-personal-testimony-part-5/#comment-8330 Thanks for this great story. Really encouraging. We came out of what called itself a free church about three years ago, in practice, and finally renounced 'membership' last autumn. We live in Germany (I'm English, husband German). Have also been through a similar church and personal journey. My husband recently left the Lutheran church, into which he was christened as a baby, as well. (You have to pay tax to the LC if you're a member in Germany). Wayne visited us last June. Good time. A step in the next leg of the journey for us and several others who are in the process of coming out of the box. God is doing the same thing here in Europe that He's doing with you in the US. Thrilling stuff. Where we are at the moment - we have come through de-tox and feel stronger and more at peace than ever before. I am no longer worried about what others think of me, or guilty that I don't 'go to church anymore'. I am beginning to see God's purpose as far bigger than the Sunday club ever made it out to be and day by day am gradually learning to hear His voice, and walk in Him, so that He can show me what that purpose is. We still live in the flat under the pastor and his family, feel no leading to move and believe we are just to love them and try to live relationship with them, even though we don't 'belong' in their organisation and they don't see things the way we do. It always encouraging to read that others are going through the same stuff. Bless you, Frances Thanks for this great story. Really encouraging.
We came out of what called itself a free church about three years ago, in practice, and finally renounced ‘membership’ last autumn. We live in Germany (I’m English, husband German). Have also been through a similar church and personal journey. My husband recently left the Lutheran church, into which he was christened as a baby, as well. (You have to pay tax to the LC if you’re a member in Germany).
Wayne visited us last June. Good time. A step in the next leg of the journey for us and several others who are in the process of coming out of the box.
God is doing the same thing here in Europe that He’s doing with you in the US. Thrilling stuff.
Where we are at the moment – we have come through de-tox and feel stronger and more at peace than ever before. I am no longer worried about what others think of me, or guilty that I don’t ‘go to church anymore’. I am beginning to see God’s purpose as far bigger than the Sunday club ever made it out to be and day by day am gradually learning to hear His voice, and walk in Him, so that He can show me what that purpose is.
We still live in the flat under the pastor and his family, feel no leading to move and believe we are just to love them and try to live relationship with them, even though we don’t ‘belong’ in their organisation and they don’t see things the way we do.
It always encouraging to read that others are going through the same stuff. Bless you,
Frances

]]> By: Amanda http://www.theuneditedlife.com/2007/04/24/my-journey-out-of-church-and-into-the-body-of-christ-a-personal-testimony-part-5/comment-page-1/#comment-1875 Amanda Sat, 12 Apr 2008 06:48:54 +0000 http://www.theuneditedlife.com/2007/04/24/my-journey-out-of-church-and-into-the-body-of-christ-a-personal-testimony-part-5/#comment-1875 Hello Mike and Heidi, I just wanted to thank you for sharing your story, which is scarily similar to my own. It has really encouraged me to find people around my own age discovering the same things I have. While I have met and come into contact with some wonderful people on this journey, it is sometimes hard to find people around my own age to share these things with. I think this is because it is usually intense pain that ends up bringing people on this kind of journey, and most people under the age of 30 haven't experienced things like that. I'm glad they haven't, as I too know what it is like to battle the agonies of depression, but I am still so thankful that God allowed me to reach my lowest points, because it was the only way my conceit would allow me to look up and see only Him. Thank you again for sharing, many blessings to you both, and I'll be keeping track of both your blogs in the future. ~Amanda Hello Mike and Heidi,
I just wanted to thank you for sharing your story, which is scarily similar to my own. It has really encouraged me to find people around my own age discovering the same things I have. While I have met and come into contact with some wonderful people on this journey, it is sometimes hard to find people around my own age to share these things with. I think this is because it is usually intense pain that ends up bringing people on this kind of journey, and most people under the age of 30 haven’t experienced things like that. I’m glad they haven’t, as I too know what it is like to battle the agonies of depression, but I am still so thankful that God allowed me to reach my lowest points, because it was the only way my conceit would allow me to look up and see only Him.

Thank you again for sharing, many blessings to you both, and I’ll be keeping track of both your blogs in the future.

~Amanda

]]> By: Jen http://www.theuneditedlife.com/2007/04/24/my-journey-out-of-church-and-into-the-body-of-christ-a-personal-testimony-part-5/comment-page-1/#comment-33 Jen Thu, 26 Apr 2007 22:51:06 +0000 http://www.theuneditedlife.com/2007/04/24/my-journey-out-of-church-and-into-the-body-of-christ-a-personal-testimony-part-5/#comment-33 Hey - I have THOROUGHLY enjoyed your 5 part series here. My husband and I are in the process of leaving conventional church and starting (with a few friends) a "home" or "simple" or "organic" church, whatever you want to call it. I am very excited about this! Sounds like you already have one with having a name or label on it. I know that the trend of people meeting in homes and discussing our faith instead of being talked at at bug church meetings is growing at an amazing rate. Check out this study done by the Barna group: http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=255 Hey – I have THOROUGHLY enjoyed your 5 part series here. My husband and I are in the process of leaving conventional church and starting (with a few friends) a “home” or “simple” or “organic” church, whatever you want to call it. I am very excited about this! Sounds like you already have one with having a name or label on it. I know that the trend of people meeting in homes and discussing our faith instead of being talked at at bug church meetings is growing at an amazing rate. Check out this study done by the Barna group: http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=255

]]> By: Dave Aldrich http://www.theuneditedlife.com/2007/04/24/my-journey-out-of-church-and-into-the-body-of-christ-a-personal-testimony-part-5/comment-page-1/#comment-25 Dave Aldrich Tue, 24 Apr 2007 18:43:36 +0000 http://www.theuneditedlife.com/2007/04/24/my-journey-out-of-church-and-into-the-body-of-christ-a-personal-testimony-part-5/#comment-25 Hi Mike – again, I relate. I left the traditional, conventional, organized, institutional surroundings several years ago. For a long time I had doubts and fears. Was I doing the right thing? Was I bright or strong enough to survive outside its seemingly safe confines? My wife left with me but reluctantly. Our son was young at the time so I worried about him and how he was going to “get fed.”

Thing is I loved our old pastor, still do, as well as so many others that we “churched” with. But I was dying inside and I couldn’t explain why. The Lord was beginning to show me that there was more to Him than Sunday-go-to-meetings, and programs and committees and oy, I’m having some bad flashbacks here.

After we left we were involved with some house church environments but unfortunately much of it seemed as institutional as my traditional church experience. Now I find myself enjoying living in the moment and like you said, “Where do I go from here? I don’t know . . . but for the first time, I do not fear to find out what comes next. . . I am excited by it.” Me too. God has ways to bring life to us. His life. It’s exciting just being the Church and seeing, as the wind, the Spirit taking us where He wills.

By the way… that Wayne Jacobsen guy can be very dangerous to ones preconceived notions of who God and the Church are. The Lord has used him mightily in my life. He’s a great friend and brother. I’ve learned much from him.

Peace!

Dave

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