128 – Have you ever stopped to ask why church is important?

There is a big shift taking place with church-going people. There has been an exodus from many churches for all kinds of reasons: 

• Emotional and sexual abuse from church leaders
• Discrimination based on gender, race, and political views
• The patriarchy in some churches has turned away people who believe the body of Christ should provide equal opportunities for men and women
• Top-down decision making, with one or a few people dictating how a church should be governed has turned away people who feel there should be more of a spirit of democracy in the way decisions are made
• Legalism that is more interested in strict obedience to the letter of the law over the freedom to be led by the Holy Spirit, has caused people to leave church
• Dictatorial theological attitudes which don’t permit questions or any variance in what is considered “sound doctrine” has caused many to leave such a church to find a community of believers who can share openly their doubts, ask questions, and not pretend to have all the perfect answers.

The question is: Who runs your church?

People and strong personalities OR the Holy Spirit?

In this week's episode I talk about two times in the Bible when decisions were made by the church which are perfect examples for us.

• When Peter told the believers they needed to pick a replacement for Judas
• When the Holy Spirit picked Saul and Barnabas for a particular assignment

There was no church politics or one person who made these decisions.

We need to cultivate our direct relationship with God through Christ and be moved by the Holy Spirit directly instead of just copying what Paul or Jesus said without embracing the underlying spiritual essence of their message.

When a church doesn't let the Spirit guide it, the leadership as well as the membership, can become legalistic it is just focused on the letter of the law.

Paul says this kills a church. How is your church doing on this?

The final question: Who is building your church?

People, doctrine, and personal opinions OR

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the show

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

__________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life.

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here