After a combined 109 years as
baptized believers in the Churches of Christ, my husband Bruce and I have, as
the old-timers put it, “gone off.” In other words, we are now worshiping with a
body of believers who do not have a sign anywhere on the property that says
“Church of Christ."
Some of the brothers and sisters
with whom we no longer worship are dismayed. Some saw our defection coming. But
no one has asked us why.
The why is important. The why
includes years of persecution and hardship inflicted during our ministry. The
why includes unbiblical beliefs and practices enforced as “law” while
other biblical beliefs and practices were ignored and deprecated.
Not that we have arrived at our
new spiritual location after a long search for perfection. (As the old adage
says, “A perfect church is a church that would not want us as members.”)
So the question remains, “Why?”
Our shared response is that we
have been led and added to this branch of the Vine by God, just as we were led
to serve His body within the confines of Churches of Christ for 42 years.
My personal response is a
description of my new found spiritual freedom in worship. For the first time in
my life, I am FREE:
·
To follow the examples of New Testament worship.
·
To respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
·
To add a song, a prayer or a word of knowledge.
·
To cry out, raise my hands or fall to my knees.
·
To shed tears of joy, or relief, or sorrow.
·
To experience and acknowledge publically the
presence of God.
·
To use my spiritual gifts to edify my brothers
and sisters.
Praise God!
We have not arrived at our new
spiritual home empty handed. We come bearing treasure, a profound respect for
Scripture gained from our years in the Churches of Christ. But it is this
treasure that enables us to follow wherever He leads without fear or regret.
