Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude.See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. Col.2:6-8
Guest post by: Evelyn ‘Freeindeed’ Hawkins, aka Exit Churchianity.
If a so-called ‘pastor’ expects you to ‘stay planted’ in his “church” FOREVER, or until “he releases you” — then you’re dealing with a religious PRISON WARDEN and not a servant of Jesus Christ.
The body of Christ is a FAMILY, not spiritual inmates serving a LIFE SENTENCE at a religious penitentiary calling itself a “church.” Beware of fake ‘pastors’ who try to put you on lock down and falsely accuse saints of being “vagabonds” for fellowshiping from church to church. Nowhere in Scripture does it state or imply that Believers have to stay in ONE church.
Jesus didn’t set up a religious institution at ONE location and expect His disciples to stay there FOREVER. Jesus’ built an ekklesia (an assembly of Believers) throughout the Roman empire, and traveled from place to place ministering to individuals and groups for a season. The apostles did the same. None of the apostles taught Believers to ‘stay planted’ in ONE location or assembly their WHOLE LIFE, and that if they fellowshiped from place to place they were “vagabonds.”
The house that God planted you in is the BODY OF CHRIST (which is the house of God!), not a church-building or a 501 c(3) religious corporation. The house of God is not brick and mortar, nor is it a “creature of the State.” God doesn’t plant people in buildings or corporations. He plants and grafts people into Jesus Christ. He is the Vine! We are to stay planted and rooted in Christ Jesus (Colossians 2:6-8, John 15). This is what the apostles taught, and anyone who teaches something different is promoting a doctrine of men to keep you in their institution.
If God leads you to stay, then stay. But if God leads you to go, then go. Real servants of Christ will love you and respect you whether you stay or go, because they know that it’s not about THEM and their opinion of where you should be, but about Jesus and God’s will for your life.
By: Evelyn Hawkins
Witnessing Encouragement 