Don’t kick the Power to the curb!

Only one word fits here: AMEN!

I’m just “recovering” from a bout of religion, where I trusted a pastor’s teaching more than I trusted what God says. I’m not excusing or minimizing my own response to the situation, but it had me scared of living for 4 years. I wasn’t so much afraid of not getting into Heaven, but rather of being the guy who just manages to get in “as if through fire,” with all my rewards toasted. I had it in my head that if I didn’t adopt at least 1 child (we can’t have kids on our own), serve in at least 1 ministry in addition to the children’s ministry (nothing wrong with it, but I couldn’t take the stress, the screaming, etc.), and so forth and so on, then I’d be the “bum of Heaven.” My mansion in the Father’s house would be the run-down apartment, and I’d feel alone in Heaven. In Heaven!

Why are even the good Biblical teachers so ready to succumb to this kind of teaching?!?

Greetings in the Lord;

This is the message that I have been burdened with since accepting the Lord in 1989. For many years I have watched and heard as the Gospel has been bastardized into something that it is not: a religion of legalism and works, not a life-restoring relationship with our Living Saviour – the singular source for life that we have.

If the leadership in the church would pay more attention to the idea of ‘lifestyle’ evangelism rather than preaching the old prejudices based on the Levitical judgements that Jesus Himself dismissed we would see revival in the streets as people would be begging to ‘have what we have’ – instead, however, people mock Christians, believe us to be elitists – because we are – believing us to be exclusivists – because we are – but not taking the time to understand the nature of that exclusivity (There is but one way unto the Father …).

After spending years in the ministry I finally left the church altogether – my own church (not ‘my’ church – the church in which I was a member of the music ministry and part of the ministry team) would not recognize the ordination I received because it was not through their ‘association’. While another church of our affiliation (Pentecostal) invited me to speak in this city my own church was closed to me. That gives a really welcoming feeling. After ministering in Illinois, Virginia and some Canadian cities I was not even afforded an opportunity to give a praise report at church – though they still wanted me to play and lead worship.

After spending years of feeling oppressed by the hypocrisy of those who say one thing and do another, and act as though the idea that prosperity means we must be rich financially I realized that my place in the church was yet to be found – at least, if there is a place, the Lord has yet to reveal it to me.

I still consider myself a minister – ordained by God to spread His message – and I do, whenever the opportunity arises – but I will NOT sit in a building and listen to someone preach an untrue gospel. When it feels as though the Spirit is making me physically sick due to the message being preached – and the text being used is manifestly incorrect – I cannot remain silent … so I remain at home and worship in private, with my cat.

God Bless,
Peter Amsel