Will the church please stand up...

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

I've been told that I am someone that does harm to the "church" by the way I believe and live my life. Since I am not a card carrying member of a denomination or "church", and refuse to give heed to the "ordained" ones...I am obviously living outside the authority of the sanctioned organizations and have become one who doesn't teach sound doctrine because I don't have the degree or the blessing and ordination from men and women who believe they do.

There is only one Shepherd and One who has All Authority. Jesus. Should I ignore Him and refuse to submit to Him then I would be doing the Church harm. Do I fail and sometimes believe things that may not be of God? Absolutely! I'm still living in an age where I see in part and until He comes...I will continue to learn and grow as I seek and submit to Him.

The last words of Jesus to His disciples was "all authority was HIS and they were to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them..." He never said..."go start a church". Of course, believers were to get together and encourage one another and be the "church", but sadly over the years they chose to divide themselves into groups and follow leaders. The word "church" has been translated from the Greek word "ecclesia" which simply means "called out". It has nothing to do with a building or house or an organization.

Even when Paul started encouraging early home/community fellowship...he warned people to follow Christ and not the leaders of the community. He knew people were saying things like..."I belong to Paul or I belong to Apollos" and though there were people who obviously were in leadership roles, the focus and submission was to be Christ Jesus only. Elders, deacons, bishops, teachers, etc., were elected/selected to "serve" the community fellowships...but they were certainly not the "authority" that the believers were to completely submit to. They were men and women who as we all know...didn't have it all together either.

What I find that has truly become "harmful" to the church...are the organizations/churches that have developed the past 2,ooo years with their creeds and doctrines of men. The "I follow this denomination or that "church" to me is an abomination. It slaps Jesus on the face and tells Him that He is not the "Authority" of the "ecclesia". That what He accomplished was not enough. That the sanctioned leaders of the "church" know better on how to teach people to live lives of obedience and submission to Christ alone.

I believe when we take up our cross and follow Jesus and submit to His authority alone, the Holy Spirit who lives in us, leads and teaches us...and we are believers who are "called out" and live a life that absolutely looks different than the norm. We will be considered harmful to the "church" because of what looks like rebellion to those who follow their traditions. But I also believe that we also see those whom God has placed as elders, deacons, teachers, prophets, etc., and readily submit to them when they are speaking truth. I have those in my life who are envolved in these "churches/organiztions/home groups" that I trust. Yes, I still believe they are believers! If God is moving in them...hopefully, I'm willing to hear and learn.

What I find most offensive and harmful is when people call themselves Calvinist or Baptist or Catholic, or Methodist, or whatever... and proceeds to teach me their traditions and doctrines. It tells me who they really follow and it saddens me. There is only one church and all who follow Jesus are a part of it. The apostle Paul warned the Galatian believers; "But if we, or an angel from heaven should preach to you another gospel contrary to that which we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contray to that which you received, let him be accursed."

I know many of you will say that even though you belong to a certain denomination, you still follow Jesus. I don't doubt that at all..but, I will still remind you that the curtain was torn, and the Temple crumbled, and you are now a new creation and the temple where God resides.