"Those who are deprived of sound doctrines and healthy fellowship come to a state of religiosity rather than spirituality, strong willed instead of becoming Christ like." veevmeeraj
Or the opposite. Many, many churches and semi-cults, dogma driven authority and submission oriented churches, are the ones who become "strong-willed" and in a state of "religiosity". This happens because the Spirit of Christ is quenched in the "congregation" by a ONE MAN authority figure [ pastor] ordering the meetings and activities where-in, and calling it ministry.
I have found this to be consistently true, VMA. This usually develops when a strong leader sees himself as the builder of the church, and sets in place his leaders who will submit to his authority, and expands his church plants with other men who act the same way to their underlings. This man, and his lieutenants then become the head, not Christ, and Christ must withdraw, for when man is in control, Jesus is not.
Remember, only Jesus can disciple a man; Discipline him, to be conformed to His image. You may teach doctrine until you are blue, and pursue fellowship until you live communally [ I have]...and not see one ounce of spiritual growth in anybody. Why? Because only God the Holy Spirit may produce fruit in a man or a woman, not a church system.
"Where the Spirit of the Lord is; there is liberty!" Is there equal love, and equal honor in the fellowship you attend. Do you see yourself as under the body, as a foot washer, even to the least? and a friend? or...do you see yourself as part of the Pastor Class?...The ministry Class, that must teach, and control ideology, and precepts? and believe in your heart that this is ministry?
Most are not willing to forsake this model, for it must mean becoming a brother; just a brother, and promoting Jesus's Holy Spirit to come and rest on all, as a functioning body. In this body life, you need the hands and the foot and the eyes, and the toenails. This would mean that some who believe that they are the head, the "Pastor" would have to step down, and just love.
Jesus was really murdered because of this very issue, when the Pharisee counsel stated that "If we let Him continue, the Romans will come and take our Nation, and our PLACE!"...so they plotted to kill Him, and they did.
God longs for a body where the little ones and the unimportant and the weak and, yes, the children are honored and allowed to love and minister equally..it is His chief desire for the body; the church. We cannot make this happen, but we can position ourselves in heart to see it manifested. Are you, or I willing to lay down our place? as the Pharisee was not? I hope so.
Jesus longs to capture His body back, even unto the least, so that he might possess her, and that means right in your own back yard. This would mean a cataclysmic breaking off for you, wouldn't it? If this is true, would you be willing to proceed this way, in Heart, in order to find His glory fro those to weak to grasp it?
Meetings and in the community; the Pastors see to it that the Holy Spirit is not quenched, and the Lordship of Jesus is manifest in every situation and relationship, and as brothers, not overlords. Love the least, and do it in practical and manifest ways. Have the janitor over for dinner and games as much as you would the chief apostle who may be visiting.
