Here we go again....
I just spent twenty minutes blogging and lost all of it!!!!

I attend a church of seriously immature believers. I am not being cruel about this, just factual. We just had a talk with the worship team about the nature of worship etc. I have been going really slow with these guys, but two weeks ago I challenged them about leading with prayer and praying out loud. As we talked this week I was told they don't want to be challenged, they are comfortable where they are at spiritually and they are just as Christ-like as they want to be. What?!?!?

This talk came in the context of one of the former worship leaders taking half of our gear home because I offended him in someway that no one understands. He talked to the pastor and another leader and they can't make sense of it either. I go to practice and find out that he has called everyone in the band except me. Now, I'll admit that I'm not perfect, but I am really confused by all of this. What is sad is that the leadership allowed him to do this and did not make him talk to ME about any of it!

I am really trying to emotionally detach myself from all of this and look at this from a rational point of view, but the truth is that I am hurt, disillusioned, confused and angry. I've know for sometime that institutional church had some problems, but I need to write a few thoughts that have come from all of this.

First, the institutional church allows people to remain spiritually immature because it is more concerned with keeping people happy than facilitating spiritual transformation. I don’t think God minds spiritual immaturity. He is always patient with the disciples, but in Rev. 3:15 it is clear that God will not tolerate spiritual apathy. I don’t think we should either.

Second, this form of doing church allows ministry to take place without relationships. We can see each other week after week, serve together and never get past typical cliches. Relationships tend to be dictated by the church calendar rather than naturally.

Third, the leaders of the church are open season for any spiritually immature believer who has a beef. Because the relationships tend to be shallow, assumptions about character and motives are made about people without all of the facts.

Fourth, institutional church encourages people to worship systems, structures and leaders rather than have a face-to-face relationship with God. This group of people that I am attempting to minister to, and with, feel that they don’t have a need to grow spiritually. They go to church, let someone else worship, read and teach for them, do their obligation in a comfortable setting and feel good about themselves when they leave. What else could a good consumer want?


I am getting sick to my stomach. Please pray for me!

rhiduk@hotmail.com