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On Negative, Naked Writing. {Leaving the church – Part 4}

 

I’ve been talking about why we’re leaving the institutional church (and again, the institution does not have the true bride of Christ cornered.  The true church can and does exist outside of the institution).

 

To read more of the series follow the Leaving the church tag.

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I’ve been contacted by a small number of people concerned about the message I’m putting out there about the institutional church.  I think mostly they want me to understand that there are good people in institutions, and that some institutions are much better than others.  And I do understand that.

 

I’ve also recently seen a couple of people stress that we should focus on how we can make things right instead of focusing on what’s wrong.  I understand that, also.  I know that you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar, I do.

 

But I don’t know how to do that.  That message seems unbalanced (and sort of lying) to me.  I don’t know how to talk about how we can fix God’s church without also talking about what’s terribly terribly wrong with it.  Although I agree that we shouldn’t only rip something apart without offering a positive alternative.

 

So I’ve determined to be completely real and truthful of my experience with the institution – while trying to not personally attack anyone from within.   And like my friend J.K. Mcquire has said, “REAL AND TRUE – isn’t polite, politically correct. Real and True – is labeled judgmental, naive, and not good for business.”  My friend Joy calls it writing naked (actually, she got that from Billy Coffey).  She says, “Writing naked connects with people... helps you recognize that you are not alone, that we’re in this thing together.”

 

That’s exactly why I’m writing through my experience.  Because I have a platform to say it and so. many. people need to hear it.  They’re parched and in need of reminding that there is still living water out there and that it’s okay if it doesn’t look like what they grew up with or what they’re currently experiencing – and that Jesus is okay with that.

 

Without being real and true, without focusing a little on the negative so that we can see the light of the positive – well, we’d have to remove every single prophet from the bible , and a great deal of what Jesus said, too.  So many times Jesus publicly pointed out the failings of the religious system that had strayed thousands of years from it’s pure origins.  And, let’s face it y’all, we’ve spent 2000 years straying again.  Actually, Jesus was known to purposely say things to upset the religious institution of his time, and even openly mock it’s leaders – but I don’t plan on going that far.  After all, I’m no Jesus. ; )

 

So I hope that you’ll continue with me on this journey of experiencing God outside of the institution.  My goals isn’t to offend, my goal is to help people find freedom.  Because the truth is, more people are in my position than aren’t (in America).  They have a guilt complex about not feeling satisfied in the institution and they don’t know what to do about it.

 

I’m writing to them.

-Jessica

picture by Gary Lewis via Dreamstime.

The post On Negative, Naked Writing. {Leaving the church – Part 4} appeared first on Bohemian Bowmans.


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