The mission of the Church can be described as a double movement. On the one hand, the Church is called to withdraw from the world, to be a counterculture, a separate city within the world's cities, challenging and clashing with the world by unapologetically speaking her own language, telling her own stories, enacting her own rites, practicing her own way of life. Though she shares considerable cultural space with the world, the Church is not an institution in the world alongside other institutions. She is an alternative world unto herself, with her roots in heaven, formed by being drawn into the community of Father, Son, and Spirit.
The Church is not, however, simply a counterculture. She has been given the subversive mission of converting whatever culture she finds herself in. She works to the end that her language, her rites, and her way of life might become formative for an entire society. She withdraws from the world for the sake of the world. Having been drawn into communion of the triune God, she participates also in the mission of the triune God.
Christianity cannot carry out this mission, because Christianity proposes only ideas; it does not form a world or a city. Christianity offers the Church only as a new sort of religious association, not as a new, eschatological ordering of human life. So long as Christianity reigns, the Church cannot really be separate; and so long as Christianity reigns, the Church can never convert anything.
This author hits the nail directly on the head. I, too, am fed up with what we have created and called "Christianity." It is a false religion based loosely on the truths of Scripture, but largely upon the desires and ambitions of men. I am done with Christianity. I am ready to renounce it and begin a new life as a simple, non-religious, follower of the Son of Yahweh, known to us as Jesus (or Yeshua). He is God. He is Truth. He is Life. He is the Way.
I extend an open-handed invitation to all others who wish to pursue real life in Christ. Let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. Let us run with endurance the race Father has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. What we call "Christianity" and the "Church" will for the most part inhibit our running of this race. It is time to become the true Church of Jesus. It is time to be real disciples of the Messiah. It is time to begin living out its true purpose. No longer shall we build our own kingdoms and followings. Let us focus on Jesus and his mission. Are you with me?
Love,
Jason Duncan
P.S. If this resonates with you, feel free to email me and share with me what Father is doing in you. If it doesn't please feel free to share your thoughts, but know that I am not interested in arguing.
15 comments:
Amen brother......It feels good to strip the title of "Christian" away, and just be a follower of Yahweh. We don't need a title. Still in deconstruction....... :)
Very well said. As a 'de-constructing christian, I can fully agree. The only thing I would re-word, personally, is the commision to change the culture. I do not believe we are called to change the culture around us, but the people in it.Rome went about trying to change the cultures they met. True heart for Yeshua resonates in people, not state or culture.
Just a semantic thing, but important to me.
Love it. Do you mind if I qoute you?
The forst time I heard the pastor that led me to the Lord say he responded to someone asking if he was a "Christian," by saying, "I'm not one of those." I was flabbergasted. He continued with, "however I am a follower of Jesus." I wrestled with it for some time. (about a year and a half). Your blog and some things along the way have helped clarify what I've been feeling.
Though we are called to not conform to the world, we are part of it. I mean, being a separatist does not convert anything, hence your assessment of the church today, pagan rituals and all.
I don't feel any of it needs to be organized and the first hint of it begins the all too familiar path.
Like wanting to be a doctor or lawyer, wanting to help the needy, then finding out how much money you can make.
Like house churches organizing into groups and holding seminars and conferences and selling how to books etc.
infiltrate, make a difference one at a time. Stand around and coddle no one.
anyone can be effective for the kingdom, GOD uses the least likely.
There's strength in surrender.
Seek 1st, find your mission and complete it.
Anyone ever point out that Paul always got in trouble in the Temples? Was his mission in the Temples?
Selah ~
Thanks for the comments, guys. I am glad to know that this is not a new idea and that I am not alone in these sentiments.
If you have any specific questions, please email me directly because I cannot respond to your comments unless you do. You can email me by clicking on my name in the original post.
It saddens me to read what has become of our 'christianity' and what we think about it. The first thought that came to my mind upon reading this is 'love'. I do not believe there is any other word more misused, twisted and misunderstood than the word - love. Just about every movie, tv show, song and magazine try to destroy or distort the real meaning of this word just about everytime they use it. Yet I would not even consider not telling my children that I love them because Hollywood doesn't understand it. I wouldn't dare hold this back from my wife because the songs on the radio get it wrong.
Of course we have to back it up with our lives but love is an accurate description of my actions toward my family. Is is just a word - a word often misused - but it still conveys certain feelings and emotions for those that I would use it with and for those who know me.
It seems with 'christianity', 'christian', even 'Jesus' once we feel those words have become polluted by someone else, we are anxious to give up on them and move to the next label. We feel as if we are escaping the garbage but just a few miles down the road we realize we have just traded one label for another. 'Jesus' has lost it's power so now we use 'Yeshua'. 'Christian' is now dirty, so we use 'follower'. In the end it is still just a label and we end up creating a demonination. We don't want to be the Church of X so let's call ourselves the United Church of X.
I don't believe there is any point in fighting the label that someone else believes in. As long as I do, I will be controlled by the bitterness of my past and desire to be better than others. Instead, we should desire to live in the love of God.
I see a difference between someone who is pro-life and someone who is anti-abortion. One is driven by the love of life and the importance we place upon it while the other is driven by anger and hate. I want to be pro-God and not dwell in a state of anti-religion. I want to be filled with the Spirit and talk of our hopes and expectations and not remain shackled to the frustrations that I have left in the past.
I love you all.
Jason,
I am wholeheartedly with you on this. I think I can speak for Bill too, but I'll allow him the opportunity to respond in his own words. This is by far the best description and identifiers of what is and what is not the meaning of being a disciple of Jesus. Bill and I were just discussing this over the past few days about how we are so done with what is called "Christianity". Though we have not discovered a word that describes us and what we believe the Father is doing in the world today - and most especially in us. We are determined to stay on course toward this high calling, having relinquished our anger and disappointments to a far better way of life. In the 35+ years we have been walking this journey, it has been our experience that the only thing that "christianity" leads to is confusion and idolatry. Confusion about just who we really are and what it is we are supposed to be doing; how to worship in spirit and truth as the true worshippers Jesus said would; and, why do we seem to be the only ones that see something is wrong with this picture. Idolatry in that this is what "Christianity" has become. Participants in this religion have been known to manipulate, control, militarize, reject, and leave helpless and hopeless those that are seeking truth. "Christianity" itself has become, as said here, a religion. It is not the house that the Lord built and we are warned that unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it. It is built on sand and will fall. It is frightening to see the level of humanism that it is. The path it is on, and those embracing it, will be found lacking and their rewards are only here and not beyond; and they will be joined to those who seek to kill and destroy what will eventually be labeled as infidels. The root lies in the love of money and has become evil. I will not be afraid - I will rejoice; in fact, I do rejoice in that Jesus' promise that if you seek - you will find and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. I have never felt so free!
Thanks for hearing from the Father, Son and Holy Spirit this very important message - and the courage and faith to deliver it so eloquently
to Christian..... I really enjoyed reading your post. It is difficult to understand why we must always come up with a label to describe us. It occurred to me as I was reading the post that the followers of Jesus were called his "talmidim" - the Hebraic term meaning student of the Rabbi. It was a coveted place. Talmidim lived with the Rabbi until the training and teaching was complete and the student was prepared to go on his own and make his own "talmidim". This is what we truly are and it has long been forgotten and foreign. I choose to be "labeled" as this - it is the only term I feel that I can embrace as something that truly identifies who I am.
Hey guys, I have started a new blog just for my thoughts on stuff like this. You can find it at www.searchingforMORE.com. I want to thank you for your follow-up comments to my posts. They mean a lot to me. Some of the things I talk about on there are way outside the comfort-zone of most "Christians." I am glad to know that Father is using my words to help others. If possible, I'd ask you to re-post your comments on my new blog too so others can see them. It is not for my benefit--I've already been blessed by your words--rather I want those who read my blog to see the honest reactions of others. So if you could do that for me--for all of us--I'd appreciate it very much.
-Jason
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Netzarim are the followers to the historical first century Ribi Yehoshua ha-Mashiakh (the Messiah) from Nazareth.
Netzarim is not the same as the church.
The original version of what later was redacted to “Acts” was about Netzarim, not about the church.
A logical analysis (found in the www.netzarim.co.il (including the scientific premises the analysis is based on) (it is the website of the only legitimate Netzarim-group)) (including the logical implications of the research by Ben-Gurion Univ. Prof. of Linguistics Elisha Qimron of Dead Sea Scroll 4Q MMT) of all extant source documents of “the gospel of Matthew” (which is a redaction of Netzarim Hebrew Matityahu (which was perfectly in harmony with Torah) and anti-Torah) and archaeology proves that the historical Ribi Yehosuha ha-Mashiakh (the Messiah) (ben Yoseiph) from Nazareth and his talmidim (apprentice-students), called the Netzarim, taught and lived Torah all of their lives; and that Netzarim and Christianity were always antithetical.
Ribi Yehoshua brother was called, Pâqid Ya•aqov ha-Tzadiq Bën-Dâvid, and was the first leader of Netzarim - the followers of Ribi Yehoshua - after Ribi Yehoshuas death.
"Ribi Yehoshua's personal talmidim, sometimes called the Twelve, were Jews widely known as the Netzârim. After Ribi Yehoshua's death, the Netzârim flourished in Yerushâlayim, enjoying the patronage of Ribi Jamliyeil I, grandson of Hileil and Nasi of the Beit-Din ha-Jadol, and the community of Pharisaic (rabbinic) Jews. Indicative of more widespread implications, a Hellenist Roman vassal – a Hellenist pseudo-Tzedoqim"Kohein hâ-râshâ" – murdered Pâqid Ya•aqov ha-Tzadiq Bën-Dâvid, brother of Ribi Yehoshua and first Pâqid of the Netzârim. Yet, the rabbinic community widely esteemed Pâqid Ya•aqov, calling him "ha-Tzadiq."
Josephus and Eusebius record that the rabbis were so supportive of Pâqid Ya•aqov ha-Tzadiq Bën-Dâvid and the Netzârim, and disapproved of the killing so strongly, that they succeeded in insisting that the Hellenist Romans depose the Hellenist pseudo-Tzedoqim Koheinwho murdered Pâqid Ya•aqov ha-Tzadiq Bën-Dâvid. Far from being adversaries, the rabbis were protective of the Netzârim. This is also seen inPâqid Ya•aqov ha-Tzadiq Bën-Dâvid being known – in the rabbinic community – as "ha-Tzadiq." None of the three principle sects of 1st centuryJudaism (as defined by the Beit-Din ha-Jadol) up through the 4th century C.E."
Quote from Who are the Netzarim, avaiable in www.netzarim.co.il
This implies Netzarim did not teach any Christian doctriens
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I am deeply familiar with postmodern thought, American culture and history, and so on. This all strikes me as surrender rather than courage though.
If people don't know what Christianity is then show them. Don't just throw up your hands and concede the word and concept. Reform it, show them that what they think they know is wrong. I am a Christian. My religion is Christianity. And I believe in one holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
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