Post by puregospeltruth on Mar 20, 2008 21:18:46 GMT -7
Part #1
Dear Institutional American Christianity,
I have backslidden from among your people. I will no longer be attending Sunday morning services with you. There are many reasons for this, the first being I find myself too tired to consider waking up, getting my family ready, and making it on time for service. I guess that I need to admit something that will shock you before I go any further. Lately I have been staying out all hours of the night on weekends with my new friends who also dislike "going to church". We usually spend our nights in the inner city to frequent concerts and bars. We also have been hanging out with a group of prostitutes, drug dealers, and gang members. Sometimes I am out past 2am, making it near impossible to get to service in the morning, even if I had any desire to go.
I know these facts and my confession come as a shock to some who have always thought of me as a nice “church goer”. Now don’t get me wrong, I have noticed how much effort you’ve been putting into making your services more comfortable, relevant, and entertaining for me. I guess it boils down to the fact that I simply do not believe in your religion anymore. I used to enjoy singing the pretty songs, clapping my hands, and attending two or three services a week with you, but something has radically changed inside of me. I can’t even stand to listen to the Christian radio stations anymore. It's as if I have undergone a complete transformation since my "church going days".
So it looks like this is our final good bye. I am sorry if losing my tithe money causes you any discomfort.
In brokenness of heart,
Me
Part #2
Dear Lord Jesus,
I am sorry for playing church and giving my self to such strong religious bondage. I am sorry for trying to add you onto my life as an accessory, as a life enhancement tool, as a fire insurance policy. I am sorry for giving you only two days a week and ten percent of my money. I am sorry for treating you as some sort of dope dealer, paying to get my religious high a couple times a week. I am sorry for despising the blood of your covenant by continuing on in known sin through unbelief. I am sorry for sitting in front of the television for hours on end instead of sitting at your feet or putting my hand to the plow for your kingdom. I am sorry for living a life of compromise when you died to set me free, for storing up a little bit of treasure when you said that if any man served God he would despise unrighteous mammon. I remember you said that even scrupulous tithers like the Pharisees were still greedy at heart. I am sorry for trying to play you as a fool. I am sorry for using you as a means to advance and secure my own selfish ambitions in life, as if you died to purchase the American dream for your people. I am sorry for mocking you in so many ways, like secretly trying to save my life, instead of losing it finally, totally and irrevocably for your kingdom. I am sorry for trusting in man, for sitting under a protestant pope in an organization that is modeled more after Rome or corporate America then it is your true Church seen in scripture. I am sorry for sitting at fellowship nights and playing card games rather then weeping in prayer or preaching your Gospel of sin, righteousness and judgment to come to a lost and dying world. I am sorry for taking ease in Zion rather then feeding the poor, serving the oppressed, and reaching out to the marginalized with the reality of your kingdom and power of your resurrection. I am sorry for feasting rather then fasting, for acquiring rather then selling, for playing rather then praying, for all of these things I admit are utterly detestable and disgusting in your sight. For all of these things I repent. I humble myself Lord and ask you help me to abide in you, to worship in Spirit and in truth, and to bear much fruit to the Father’s glory. You are so worthy.
In brokenness of heart,
Me
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. - James 1:27 esv
(Written by Jim Neizgoda of http://www.fleebabylon.com)
Dear Institutional American Christianity,
I have backslidden from among your people. I will no longer be attending Sunday morning services with you. There are many reasons for this, the first being I find myself too tired to consider waking up, getting my family ready, and making it on time for service. I guess that I need to admit something that will shock you before I go any further. Lately I have been staying out all hours of the night on weekends with my new friends who also dislike "going to church". We usually spend our nights in the inner city to frequent concerts and bars. We also have been hanging out with a group of prostitutes, drug dealers, and gang members. Sometimes I am out past 2am, making it near impossible to get to service in the morning, even if I had any desire to go.
I know these facts and my confession come as a shock to some who have always thought of me as a nice “church goer”. Now don’t get me wrong, I have noticed how much effort you’ve been putting into making your services more comfortable, relevant, and entertaining for me. I guess it boils down to the fact that I simply do not believe in your religion anymore. I used to enjoy singing the pretty songs, clapping my hands, and attending two or three services a week with you, but something has radically changed inside of me. I can’t even stand to listen to the Christian radio stations anymore. It's as if I have undergone a complete transformation since my "church going days".
So it looks like this is our final good bye. I am sorry if losing my tithe money causes you any discomfort.
In brokenness of heart,
Me
Part #2
Dear Lord Jesus,
I am sorry for playing church and giving my self to such strong religious bondage. I am sorry for trying to add you onto my life as an accessory, as a life enhancement tool, as a fire insurance policy. I am sorry for giving you only two days a week and ten percent of my money. I am sorry for treating you as some sort of dope dealer, paying to get my religious high a couple times a week. I am sorry for despising the blood of your covenant by continuing on in known sin through unbelief. I am sorry for sitting in front of the television for hours on end instead of sitting at your feet or putting my hand to the plow for your kingdom. I am sorry for living a life of compromise when you died to set me free, for storing up a little bit of treasure when you said that if any man served God he would despise unrighteous mammon. I remember you said that even scrupulous tithers like the Pharisees were still greedy at heart. I am sorry for trying to play you as a fool. I am sorry for using you as a means to advance and secure my own selfish ambitions in life, as if you died to purchase the American dream for your people. I am sorry for mocking you in so many ways, like secretly trying to save my life, instead of losing it finally, totally and irrevocably for your kingdom. I am sorry for trusting in man, for sitting under a protestant pope in an organization that is modeled more after Rome or corporate America then it is your true Church seen in scripture. I am sorry for sitting at fellowship nights and playing card games rather then weeping in prayer or preaching your Gospel of sin, righteousness and judgment to come to a lost and dying world. I am sorry for taking ease in Zion rather then feeding the poor, serving the oppressed, and reaching out to the marginalized with the reality of your kingdom and power of your resurrection. I am sorry for feasting rather then fasting, for acquiring rather then selling, for playing rather then praying, for all of these things I admit are utterly detestable and disgusting in your sight. For all of these things I repent. I humble myself Lord and ask you help me to abide in you, to worship in Spirit and in truth, and to bear much fruit to the Father’s glory. You are so worthy.
In brokenness of heart,
Me
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. - James 1:27 esv
(Written by Jim Neizgoda of http://www.fleebabylon.com)
I have just recently started participating on this forum myself, and have really been edified by the interaction with other believers. As it says in Proverbs, 'Iron sharpens iron'.