This is an extended blog for those who have time to read it. There is much talk about Religion, (Man’s attempt to be right with God). There is much talk in the body about church “Organization”. The physical structuring and running of the church by church leaders with all of it’s abuses. This is not the answer to it all. Just food for thought especially to the extremist.
Organized Religion.
Saints of God be careful. I’ve been preaching for over 30 years now and have literally been around the world a couple of times. I’ve had a chance to see, study and minister in practically every kind of local church imaginable. The amazing thing about God allowing me to do this is the fact that I have always had a problem with “Organized Religion”. I preached against it, “while standing in it” and have taught thousands of people how to recognize it when they see it or are in it.
I didn’t become a Christian until I was 26 years old and had only “attended” a church meeting of any kind maybe once or twice in my entire life. I had no Tradition, no denomination influence, no “Organized Religion” in my life at all. So when I started my walk with God and preaching, I chose the biblical pattern of living for God. Teaching people to have a personal relationship with God and performing Matthew 25 ministry. Feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, jails and prisons, etc. When I gave leadership to starting a local church, namely the Potter’s House, this foundation is what the church was built upon and still stands upon until this day.
Now here is the concern. What is “Organized Religion?” For a lot of saints, there seems to be a growing disdain for any group of people that gather in any one place to meet. Sincere saints are questioning the faith of those that submit to any biblical earthly ruler, (Bishop, Pastor, Elders, Deacon). Also, many sincere believers are even questioning the validity of meeting with others saints to worship. All of this is the name of; I hate “ORGANIZED RELIGION”.
The problem has become the term “ORGANIZED RELIGION”. By definition, “Organized religion is simply a faith system that has an over-arching structure in place to help define what is to be taught, how to worship and how to administrate the organization of the living organism called the church.”
The Early Church definitely organized. They voted to replace Judas. They met daily. They sat at the feet of the apostles. They had high praise services. They collected offerings. They sold houses and land and brought the money to the gathering and took care of the needs of those less fortunate. They had discipline in place for “out of order” saints. (Read Acts 2, 4). When there is true “ORGANIZED RELIGION” there is a great benefit to those that are apart. We can better provide for members. We can practice “selflessness” through unity by having to submit to one another. We can give appropriate honor to true spiritual leaders and live well guided Christian lives and develop our theology in a community and not by private interpretation.
What folk don’t understand is that when there is a misrepresentation of truth it causes confusion and division. There are a lot of Christian celebrities who are now trying to say what I’ve been saying for the past 30 years. Religion sucks and “ORGANIZED RELIGION” will kill any move of God. But this type of “ORGANIZED RELIGION” is the unbiblical divisive traditions of denominational heresy and human control. Not a biblical version of “ORGANIZING RELIGION.”
So here is what we need to know. By definition, “If there are any TWO people out here who get together to meet, pray or study the Bible together in an agreed upon place or time for the purpose of building each other up, and they do this apart from “ORGANIZED RELIGION”. I.E. (The church building). This, my friends, can be considered, “ORGANIZED RELIGION”.
Hebrews 10:25 is our clarion apostolic call to the body of Christ.
“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but come together and encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” Hebrews 10:25
I have contributed articles to Charisma Magazine and I was asked to write on this topic by Charisma News. Thought I’d share it with you.
—-Bishop Vaughn McLaughlin
