Now log off, grab your keys, start praying, and see where the Holy Spirit takes you >>

Glenn - the community God has created here rules. It is hard to find a blog where things are written and the Spirit broods over the words with an intimate connection. To those who desire the Kingdom - come and thirst no more. Jesus loves our questions. Let us all get them answered.

I totally agree with everything you guys have said and I can’t express how thankful I am to have you guys. I read about our bro Elijah who thought he was alone. God showed him that was not true Elijah really loves God. A true dude. And I feel a lot can be drawn from these simple truths.

MUCH, MUCH, MUCH, LOVE!!! In Jesus!

I am personally crying out asking the Holy Spirit to knock over any tables of ritual and tradition and reliance on human ability in my own life. I don’t know about any phony religiousness in other people or churches anymore - all I know is that I personally don’t ever want to grieve the Holy Ghost.

I know God will knit my heart together with those who have that same heart. I’m convinced that’s where we’ll find true indivisible community - the Kingdom of God in action - the church that functions as The Church >>

BEEF - Church is not a matter of what comes from the pulpit. It is a matter of what the head of the body is doing. If God has taken you from the assembly, has he removed you from the body? Consequently, have you removed yourself from the body out of fear (of receiving convoluted messages)? “Perfect love casts out fear because fear has to do with punishment (i.e. getting it wrong and condeming yourself).”

The church is a RELATIONAL organism. Why? Because God wants relationship. The head said, “Love God with all your heart, soul mind and strength. Love others as you would yourself.” The Kingdom manifests in worship of God in Christ Jesus. The Kingdom manifests in following the Holy Spirit into relationships. Those relationships allow for prophetic words for your life. Words that encourage, comfort, edify and propel you into intimacy with Jesus.

This blog is church because the goal is a relational conversation that gets us all closer to Jesus. It is not “Glenn’s cool art showcase.” BTW, cool inspiration, Glenn!

Perhaps the model of church as presented in culture is not what you find to be biblical. Neither do I on many levels, but, I do find communion with the saints and many times I find myself ignoring the inconsequential “preaching” to establish Kingdom relationships. Righteousness, Joy and Peace in the Holy Spirit among the brothers and sisters in Christ.

There are places that have congregational “body ministry” in the world. Even those forms have their perils and shortcomings. I do not think assemblies have it all whereever I go. But what they do have is the opportunity to establish Kingdom relationship in my life through the Head of the body which is Christ.

This body is relational. You cannot say to the foot, if you are the hand, “I have no need of you.” Jesus is saying to us, “You need to lay down your version for mine. No one is permitted to judge except God alone.” The imperfections of the assemblies are obvious and some are wreaking absolute dogmatic destruction on the members of their own bodies. However, your relationship with Jesus and confidence in the Kingdom Of God which is in you and surrounding you, can overcome these obstacles and impart life to those God places in your life.

There is a point where we die to our view and disgust on things so your seed can actually sprout life. Your righteousness is cultiviated for a future glorious display. You are to become an eruption of truth and beauty.

Your season may end soon or now. You cannot rise on the sidelines in regards to Church. Jesus will bring you in the game to lead you to victory.

“I feel strongly that no one should ever want to be associated with dead stale religiousness - Jesus got out the whip and kicked over tables when he saw that ugly thing manifest.”

I think we should keep that in mind and go over these posts again.

That’s the question I’ve been asking myself lately, as I too (and my family) have ceased attending a traditional/institutional church. We are desiring to be about a Kingdom project in our own community, and we are seeking God’s direction in that.

To answer your earlier question, Glen, “Are comments like ‘I’m into Jesus, I just can’t stand the church’ valid?” I would answer, Absolutely yes! because so many of us have experienced “church” (the typical expression of it here in the U.S.A.) and found it severely deficient in its ability to form us spiritually, disciple us, etc. We are hungering for real food, real community, a real sense of God’s presence, to be a part of something real that God is doing (not something manufactured by man and set-up to sustain the machine).

It’s an absolute love for The Church that has compelled me into this ecclesiological wilderness, seeking to BE The Church where I am here and now. It’s not a utopian vision, either. It’s a biblical vision of people reconciled to each other and to God, turning their lives around to follow Jesus, etc.

I’m not as charismatic/Pentecostal as you are, I don’t think, but the way you’re tuned into the Spirit is inspiring to me. Thanks for your music and for sharing it (and these thoughts) online. I am encouraged and stengthened by them.

Shalom.

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