We are not here to reform or change mainstream Christian religion.
It is my honest conviction that whatever happens to the mainstream church in the future has little to do with Radix Fidem. It’s not that God can’t or won’t use us to change the way churches do things, but that is not our focus. We are called to follow our Lord in the heart-led way, wherever that takes us. But we should renounce any idea that we are on a crusade to make the churches all better. They are on their own path, and we are on ours.
It’s impossible to avoid some overlap in what we say or promote. The mainstream churches don’t get everything wrong. That’s why some of us belong within their institutions. But we generally regard the mainstream organizations as human agencies with some faith tacked on. Faith is there, but it does not rule.
While we believe the Bible is clear on what it takes to bring a rule of faith, we know that path is culturally impossible for Westerners: forming heart-led feudal covenant families. Everything about that is alien to Western society. There is a shocking difference between the biblical path and what is generally possible in our world. We don’t expect to see any churches forming that way anytime soon. That’s not meant to discourage anyone from trying, but to be aware of what a monumental task it is in the current context.
However, I am equally convinced that the current context will change dramatically in the next few years. We are in for serious tribulation. It bears watching and praying to be nimble enough to seize the opportunities for shining divine glory, while also being wary of false trends that mean nothing. Somewhere ahead of us stands the time and place where our message is more likely to be heard.
Faith is there, but it does not rule.
Yessir, absatootly and that is why Sunday morning is such a cringe fest. I attend those services just enough so that they know that I still have skin in the game. God says for me to be at the mid week Bible study/prayer meeting* where I can do whatever it is He wants me to do.
*there is much less focus on prayer than there used to be. That turned out to be a good thing as the folks who were not pleased with the reduced emphasis on prayer are the ones who have their hearts set on the Lord.
Too often prayer has become a mere formality in churches. Cheap prayer cheapens the devotion to God whose Spirit should be ruling our hearts.
Yes, I’ve been in places where prayer was uh….more about the person doing the praying rather than the Person being prayed to, that capital P person being God.
At one time, there was an emphasis on the Glory of God and the specific needs of others. Sometimes, the taking of and discussion of the prayer requests and the following praying took up the entire hour and most of the people left being genuinely blessed. Sadly, the people who were leaders in prayer are now enfeebled or dead. The elders who replaced them lack that thing we call heart. It served its purpose. It seems to me that churches in general are no longer apart from the world but, rather conforming to it.