It’s not a trend; it’s an exodus.  It’s not the first time I’ve heard this story; some call it the religious world, versus true spirituality.  Many are leaving what has been “mainstream” churches and establishments.  It’s strange, but a few years back on here, nobody wanted to talk about it; you got a real cold shoulder if you mentioned such.  The greatest lack of response, was if you had the nerve to talk about the music department in the church.

One of the things that caught my attention the most, when I first heard this, is the type of people that are leaving.  It’s many who were always intensely involved in the church; holding various offices that we once held with high esteem.  They were good tithe payers; deeply spirited folk with a reputation for honesty, and hard work.  They just left one day.  And they did not leave to join another church; they didn’t go to any church at all.  After perhaps years of rehearsing it over, they felt they could be just as spiritual, at home.

I’m not interested at all about hashing this back and forth.  But these said, they finally got tired of the celebrity type leadership and the revival style meetings, that elevated only a certain group.  They were not getting fed what they needed; they could do just as well at their own kitchen table, and in their private prayer closet.  To a man, they were fed up, with paying their hard earned money into such a system; one where they had no true voice.  They were not speaking harshly; they just no longer needed, this one-man control operation.  Like it or not, people were avoiding the praise singers.

Before we jump on anybody, as we were always quick to do, we need to reason this verse about not forsaking the assembling of yourselves together.  It’s a good verse, and I believe it.  The point that these “unaffiliated” shared, is that they still meet with some of the other members of the Body of Christ, and those who are truly hungry for God, and a genuine move of the Spirit.  House to house.  The early church, in it’s fullness, was not set up with this kind of one-fold ministry we see permeating much of what we are today.  And they preached against and spoke openly against these things.

I can only speak for myself.  My relationship with Jesus Christ, does not depend on what church I attend or what affiliation that I have.  Or, the name over the door, or the title of the organization I have on some kind of membership card.  I once thought so, as did many others.  You see, some seem to have a short memory.  There was a time, when people spoke out, that it was the organization, or hell.  When the prophets could still speak, we were warned about that too.  True spiritual people, feared what might come one day.

We the people, cannot break the power of such an orchestration; not as long as people continue to support it.  But here is a genuine message of the hour; the Holy Ghost, can avoid it.  And He is.  He does not need all of these man-made rules and commandments of men to do His work.  He works in people’s hearts, wherever, they allow Him to work.  My encouragement to others, is to intensely seek the leading of the Spirit, no matter where you are.  You are not lost, simply because you might be “unaffiliated.”  Our hope, is in Jesus Christ.  And no matter where you are, He will surely find you.

~ Robert Blackburn

Robert Blackburn