"DANGERS" OUT-OF-CHURCH?

[A Response to the original article - "Are There Dangers in the 'Out-of-Church' Scene?"] -John Glaze writes: I think some assumptions have been made that your article was directly equating returning to church as crossing a river. I believe Hollie Moody addressed this issue in her most recent email. Some are called to go back into the houses to call others out. Some are currently out of the church institution but are grumblers. Some are becoming happy with where they are and have forgotten we are actually going somewhere. But I believe there are many who are on terms with the Lord and are playing a slightly different role than those who must go back to the institutions. I would be one. But I believe you were addressing the disposition of one's heart toward God, not the disposition of a person's back-side to what bench they happen to occupy on a Sunday Morning. I respect your depth and your level of discernment far more than to believe you were just telling people to go back to the places they have come out of after so-and-so number of years. Just thought you might want to re-address that for clarity's sake. Might be worth the time. ************************** Moderator Responds:- Yes, you are absolutely right to say that the "heart" issues were the ones I was looking at. In a lot of ways, if the 'heart' is right then it matters a lot less where people find themselves physically - whether "In-church", Out-of-church or whatever. So long as there are no 'strongholds' in their hearts (-which prevent them from "joining" or knitting-in), then I am fine with whatever journey God is leading people on. Some people are in a 'wilderness' that is entirely ordained by God. But others are out there because they have issues in their hearts that have made them "chronic non-joiners". Sometimes it is a mixture of both. But I tell you - any such issues desperately need dealing with. These are the key things that will make any Wilderness experience either a success or a failure. It is truly possible to "die" out there. I am tired of meeting Out-of-church people whom I know are tremendously gifted by God - but they can never use their giftings properly because they have absented themselves from the "Body" for years and years and years. (-I am not speaking of 'house-churches' here, but rather those who are right outside everything). It really concerns me that some people we know have now been Out-of-church like this for 20 years. These people are not "Moses". It is not some 40-year calling. They have simply got comfortable out there. And if they are not careful they could waste their talents and God will be angry because they "buried it in the ground". There is little sign of change with some of them. And often you can tell that they still have heart-issues over the matter of "church". It is not hard to discern people who have a slight tinge of bitterness or personal anger when they discuss a particular subject.You can tell that they have "issues" in that area. But I have noticed that many Out-of-church people are SO persuasive and sure of themselves when they discuss the failings of 'Babylon' and why it is essential to "come out" of today's church system. My answer is simple - if there are people anywhere who truly love Jesus and walk with Him, then we have a duty to treat those people as brothers and sisters. And if they are in deception then we need to reach out to them somehow. Cutting ourselves off is not the option that Jesus would choose. People, PLEASE deal with these heart issues before they get to the point of 'disqualifying' you. As I said, all this is "heart" stuff. That is why "RENOUNCING" is so powerful in dealing with these strongholds. So yes, that is what my original article was about. It is not a matter of the "boxes" that people are in. It is all about their hearts. God bless you all! Kindest regards in Christ, Andrew Strom.