Thanks so much for taking the freedom to share Keith.

Vicki

----- Original Message -----
From: "Keith Hodges" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, January 25, 2005 6:06 PM
Subject: Re: [ECHURCH-USA] Right Church


> Dear All,
>
> I wanted to let you know that I have been encouraged to share my thoughts
> and get stuck in to this topic because not only is it dear to my heart but
> I would like to encourage those who do not have regular attendance in a
> denominational organisation to be comfortable and secure in the knowledge
> that Jesus is not at all peturbed by your non-conformity, indeed I know he
> welcomes it because it means that as and when he asks us to do something
or
> help someone for him we might have the free time to do it.
>
> Knowing that there is a biblical basis for cutting loose was a real breath
> of fresh air for me, it set me free to be the real me. Here at last I find
a
> forum on e-church where people are comfortable to express these views and
> live them out. Of course being church over the internet has its
limitations,
> but in many ways it is a very valid way of expressing and sharing our
faith
> dont you think?
>
> My own experience includes something else worth mentioning that should
> concern us.
> I was in a "church" in which the elders were doing a number of things that
> were wrong.
> One day I rebelled against them by taking time to apologise to God on
their
> behalf, knowing that their behaviour grieved him, and also I did not take
> communion that day. This was in recognition of the fact that I knew that
> many present were not right with God that day. The day I rebelled my life
> changed immensely, you see by that act I came out from the ungodly
spiritual
> covering of
> those men, and in the following two weeks had an unusual experience in
that
> I made over 80 pages of notes from
> personal  revelation and insights  from the Lord. I really did begin to
hear
> the Lord for myself  in a new way as soon as I broke free of my membership
> and its inherant submission to the leaders concerned.
>
> Many people talk about the spiritual covering that being part of a church
is
> supposed to give you but to be honest they do not really know what is
> happening in the spiritual realm. I can tell you from many prayer ministry
> times that idolising a person in any context opens you up spiritually to
> take on board the same spiritual character as that which is idolised (i.e.
> demonic spirits are contageous through personal idolatry) My experience is
> that that any spiritual covering that comes through an organised church
> particularly one that has a clergy/laity divide is rarely positive on
> balance.
>
> If you have ever had any dealings with members of well known cults you
will
> be familiar with the way the group-think, the culture, beleifs and spirit
of
> those organisations seems to be really strong and very difficult to break
> through with the light of the true Gospel of Jesus. The cult has
definitely
> made a demonic-stronghold in their life and thinking. The stonghold is a
> fortified house of lies and falsehoods that the member has taken to heart,
> and it is through these lies that demonic spirits can exhert their
> influence. I regret to say that in christian organisations, although one
> hopes that the Gospel message is accepted, it appears that  the strength
of
> the group-think and religious culture is equally as spiritaully real and
> strong and difficult to
> break through by anyone who thinks differently or does not submit
passively
> to it all. Religious strongholds are just as real within Christendom, but
> they are harder to overcome because they have that appearance of
> acceptability, that "form of godliness that denys the power thereof" to
> quote Pauls letter to timothy.
>
> I beleive that the best true Godly covering that you can have is though
> friends who are prophetic and will hear the Lord clearly when you arent on
> track and need correction or encouragement, or through friends who
genuinely
> pray for you , preferably both. This has worked well for me and the Lord
has
> continued to bless me by providing and strengthening relationships that
> provide this level of genuine accountability whether I like it or not.
>
> What I am trying to highlight here is that there is a spiritual dynamic
that
> occurs if or when you choose to join a church in membership or covenant.
By
> that agreement you are likely to be coming under the same umbrella of
> spiritual influences as all the other members of the church. You will also
> be joining the groups' corporate responsibility before God. For example if
> the church is guilty of grieving the holy spirit by rejecting and hurting
> people then by becoming a member you are identifying with the sins of the
> corporate group before God. For obvious reasons I do not think that that
is
> a good idea.
>
> I became aware of spiritual abuse type issues as I experienced them in my
> own life. Ten years later I found myself ministering regularly to those
who
> had experienced spiritual abuse within a wide variety of cults and
churches
> and it is as a result of this ministry experience that I have begun to
learn
> what has really been going on and what the Lord really thinks about it
all.
>
> I dont want to come across as slating those who attend organised churches
or
> even those who run them, but I do want to be honest about the dangers that
I
> see as being part of that system. Through promoting awareness of these
> spiritual dynamics that the Lord has brought to my attention I hope to
help
> anyone who hears to make informed decisions as to how to follow the path
> that Jesus has for you.
>
> to freedom, for it is for freedom that Christ has set us free
>
> Keith
>