I left the Local Church After Reading the Real Church History

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by Kyle Yoakum

I have been out of the LC for many years. Once in a while I see LSM Youtube videos where everyone lo so happy. Are you saying many of the meetings, conferences are boring, with little to no vitality? Little joy?

Handful of times I've visited a LC meeting in the last ten years, that is correct. Little joy. My perspective it's a time for a social outlet (before, during, and after the meeting). For some it's become a form of religion. As in "this is what we do."

[Trapped]

Originally Posted by Terry

Handful of times I've visited a LC meeting in the last ten years, that is correct. Little joy. My perspective it's a time for a social outlet (before, during, and after the meeting). For some it's become a form of religion. As in "this is what we do."

Yes, it's just what they do.

And then you get the sheepish, "because where else is there to go? we can't go anywhere else."

I think the best part of the meetings is the singing, just due to the nature of singing itself. It's communal, it's relational, it's (can be) beautiful, the melody and harmonies soothe the soul, etc. But once the meeting itself gets going, their eyes glaze over like Krispy Kreme's.

I mean, take a training meeting, for example, and compare it to a Sunday sermon.

Most pastors will start their sermons with a, "Hey, church, how's it going? It's so good to see everyone here. For anyone new, we're so glad you're here!"

Ron Kangas starts out every training message with "the subject...............of the outline.................is Christ...............as the throne...........of God's government...............governing..........the universe............as the fulfillment...........of the kernel............of the divine..........revelation. We will see.............in tonight's message..........that this kernel...........was the seed........planted.............in the ground of Christ's humanity.............as prophesied............in the Old Testament. I have been allotted...........90 minutes..........and by the Lord's mercy.........will finish.........on time........"

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by Trapped

Yes, it's just what they do.

And then you get the sheepish, "because where else is there to go? we can't go anywhere else."

They've been conditioned for years of not being able to go anywhere else.
There's no trying. Being told for years, "we have all the riches". Results in pride. Being told "here in the local churches we're unique". That too results in pride.
Ever see the movie Goodfellas? Last scene of the movie reminds me of the LCM. Here you have Henry Hill in the witness protection program reduced to being just another schmuck. The distinction and the uniqueness is no more.
Just like the LC. Some don't want to go anywhere else. Not wanting to meet as just another church when believing "we had all the riches" and "we were God's move on the earth".

[Trapped]

Originally Posted by Terry

They've been conditioned for years of not being able to go anywhere else.
There's no trying. Being told for years, "we have all the riches". Results in pride. Being told "here in the local churches we're unique". That too results in pride.
Ever see the movie Goodfellas? Last scene of the movie reminds me of the LCM. Here you have Henry Hill in the witness protection program reduced to being just another schmuck. The distinction and the uniqueness is no more.
Just like the LC. Some don't want to go anywhere else. Not wanting to meet as just another church when believing "we had all the riches" and "we were God's move on the earth".

I can understand having that mindset, because the "step down" can certainly be an adjustment, as well as a bit of a personal earth-shatterer if it comes out of the blue.

Because even if they do somehow manage to walk through the doors of a "denomination" or "so-called church" one Sunday, or a few Sundays in a row, they still have to contend with the ingrained judgmental attitude that can be hard to beat.

"Oh, their music is contemporary"
"Oh, they just have one man speaking"
"That graphic on the screen feels like leaven"
"They didn't mention God's economy even once"
"That pastor seems to be drumming up emotion rather than the reality of Christ as life"

And on and on and on, and it makes it almost impossible to just sit there and take it in.

But honestly, once you do "step down", it's such a relief. You can just be a failure of a human being, washed in the blood, much more real and authentic with those around you who are also in just one of many churches, and not in the be-all, end-all place.

Because it's exhausting "having all the riches" when your life doesn't bear it out.

[Sons to Glory!]

Originally Posted by Trapped

I can understand having that mindset, because the "step down" can certainly be an adjustment, as well as a bit of a personal earth-shatterer if it comes out of the blue.

Because even if they do somehow manage to walk through the doors of a "denomination" or "so-called church" one Sunday, or a few Sundays in a row, they still have to contend with the ingrained judgmental attitude that can be hard to beat.

"Oh, their music is contemporary"
"Oh, they just have one man speaking"
"That graphic on the screen feels like leaven"
"They didn't mention God's economy even once"
"That pastor seems to be drumming up emotion rather than the reality of Christ as life"

And on and on and on, and it makes it almost impossible to just sit there and take it in.

But honestly, once you do "step down", it's such a relief. You can just be a failure of a human being, washed in the blood, much more real and authentic with those around you who are also in just one of many churches, and not in the be-all, end-all place.

Because it's exhausting "having all the riches" when your life doesn't bear it out.

Amen to that! So we in Scottsdale have kept, from the LC, some of the basic ways we meet, and have gleaned-out a lot of the LC content (almost no LSM/WL). And starting early on during my time in Scottsdale, when I'd travel, I'd visit other Christian groups (since the Lord showed me the LC didn't have the exclusive lock on God). At first it was hard, as I was still very judgmental. But eventually the Lord showed me how to just be with different groups and enjoy simply being with other believers, participate in their style of worship, and appreciate the portion of Christ they had. This is so, so much more enjoyable than being all wrapped-up in judging!

Again, this took the Anointing working in me over a period of time. I'm certainly not perfected in that respect, but much better than I once was . . .

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by Trapped

I can understand having that mindset, because the "step down" can certainly be an adjustment, as well as a bit of a personal earth-shatterer if it comes out of the blue.

Because even if they do somehow manage to walk through the doors of a "denomination" or "so-called church" one Sunday, or a few Sundays in a row, they still have to contend with the ingrained judgmental attitude that can be hard to beat.

"Oh, their music is contemporary"
"Oh, they just have one man speaking"
"That graphic on the screen feels like leaven"
"They didn't mention God's economy even once"
"That pastor seems to be drumming up emotion rather than the reality of Christ as life"

And on and on and on, and it makes it almost impossible to just sit there and take it in.

But honestly, once you do "step down", it's such a relief. You can just be a failure of a human being, washed in the blood, much more real and authentic with those around you who are also in just one of many churches, and not in the be-all, end-all place.

Because it's exhausting "having all the riches" when your life doesn't bear it out.

Good points all and where should I begin?

• Oh, their music is contemporary - my words on this topic has often fallen on deaf ears. Just because a certain brother or sister didn't compose the hymn, it should be disqualified? How is one generation can have God-inspired hymn, but not the current one. Since when has there been an appointed arbiter which hymn is God-inspired and which hymn is not?
  
• Oh, they just have one man speaking - how is the ministry publications not one man speaking? There may be many voices re-speaking it in prophesying meetings, but all speaking one man's word.
  
• That graphic on the screen feels like leaven - never phased me. Focus was on the scripture text on the screen. Yet it goes both ways. In the local church meetings, whenever announcements were being made, likewise it felt like leaven. Giving to DCP, publication orders, etc.
  
• They didn't mention God's Economy even once - Is there a copyright on the term that it must be invoked for a meeting to be validated a Christians assembling? I recall hearing Lee borrowed the phrase from T.A. Sparks and repackaged as uniquely Lee's. There's no copyright on ministering Christ to others.
  
• That pastor seems to be drumming up emotion rather than the reality of Christ as life - no matter how much we strive, in our fallen condition there's always preferences what type of word our ears want to hear. For me I always preferred the message that convicts my spirit.
  
• Having all the riches - this was the tipping point when I left. Always seemed to be spoken by someone in every prophesying meeting whether I was visiting in California or in my home state of washington. You say you have all the riches, but the manner the local churches operate as if they're like the Strongman in Luke 12:29. Having a self-imposed "the ministry is the basis for fellowship", they guard their riches and unwilling to fellowship outside the local churches.

Rarely in the local churches was there a spoken sense of humility and grace of our sinful human condition. More often that not there was a focus on being an "overcomer". Something I felt as being futile and unattainable. Leaves a person feeling as a failure and despondent regardless how positive the brothers are speaking. Not encouraging at all. To listen to a pastor refer to his own condition needing to be washed by the blood is real, authentic, and humble.