Let’s Keep It Small

The vision that drives me is far bigger than all of us together. The last thing I want is for this virtual parish and our religion to become mainstream. Instead, we need to keep our distance from the mainstream culture and mainstream churches that belong to it. Not out of hostility, but in order to protect and keep our eyes on the whole purpose. Let me say it again: If I were the only person interested in Radix Fidem, it wouldn’t change how I promote it or teach it. God has a grip on my life and I cannot even imagine trying to escape this.

But it heartens me that there are a few other folks out there who encourage me and engage this teaching. My vision is to establish something that will outlast all of us. Call it what you will — a culture, a covenant community — I am wholly committed to laying down a foundation for future generations to have at least a witness of the blessings we have found. I have no doubts it will remain rather small for a while yet, and frankly that’s a good thing. This must stay private and never compromise with human civil government for any kind of fake approval, because it will simply become the leverage to control and moral compromise.

Furthermore, I counsel you to keep it small when folks are drawn to your faith. Let’s not have masses of people and huge facilities. The whole purpose here is to make this a private and individual religion with a shared approach to faith. There’s nothing wrong with worshiping together and sharing some teaching, but this thing must stay private and out of government hands. Let’s insure that a fundamental principle going forward is to avoid any such seeking of worldly approval. It doesn’t require hostility, but I’d be very reluctant to accept even recognition as a valid religion, even if we don’t request for approval.

There’s a concrete reason for this: Every incorporated church is subject to interference from the courts. Right now I could cite an on-going feud between personalities in several different well-known institutional churches around the US. As long as it is all private, it’s really hard for the courts to wedge their way into our religion, but the moment you get any kind of recognition, you run the risk of having the whole thing destroyed. This is not just properties and facilities — those disputes are bad enough — but churches can be involved in lawsuits on the grounds of community recognition alone. Things like reputation and freedom to participate and even hold office can be controlled by government officials who don’t love Jesus. I watched that happen up close and personal a few times over the decades of trying to serve in those kinds of churches.

There should be nothing in this world to gain from our faith, in that sense, nothing subject to worldly lusts. Let our presence be known by our faith, not by our religion and any form of organizational visibility. Let them see it, but don’t make it a target for worldly envy and bitter acrimony. Keep it something impossible to destroy because there’s no handles by which to grab hold. Lets avoid property and organization that makes us a target. Lay up treasures in Heaven, not on the earth.