Institutionalized Church

Volume 8 Issue 2

Greeting in His Name,

I hope the last blog was enjoyable. In the last issue I mentioned the church as being the living, moving, breathing, thriving heart of God. But how can it be that if we over institutionalize it. Today’s blog is entitled Institutionalized Church. Hope you find some inspiration, conviction, and queries.

shalom and love,

heidi

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If a person is or becomes institutionalized; that person slowly becomes less able to think and/or act independently. For the most part it’s because they have lived for a long period under the rules of an institution. The word institution itself means society, establishment, or organization. Nothing wrong with any of these words but it can become an issue when we are less able to produce, think productive, act or work profoundly to propel ourselves or an institution forward; much like carrying dead weight – dead weight which immobilizes a person or thing – bringing to a complete halt. An institutionalized Church can do exactly that if it does not allow innovation to have its place.

What triggered this blog was my own thoughts of how churches can become over institutionalized. How they can become so independent of the Holy Spirit and even God. Now don’t get me wrong this can happen in every person’s life because the Word state, The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. (Romans 8:16 NIV) So what we see manifested in our churches often begins with us.

My recall was the incident when Jesus made a clean sweep at the temple. In all the Gospels we find this story but I want to focus on John’s account which is right at the beginning of his book. I asked myself was John exposing what could happen when we get caught up in rituals. Or was he sharing this event to show the importance of the body more so than the building? Or maybe it was simply time for some GOoD housekeeping.

Institutionalized Church can propagate [promote] bondage instead of liberty. (John 2:14 NLT)

In the Temple area he saw merchants selling cattle, sheep, and doves for sacrifices; he also saw dealers at tables exchanging foreign money. What Jesus saw was important, he saw bondage. Can you imagine Jesus entering the temple; the sights, the sounds? It was a known fact that people could purchase the necessary animal to make a sacrifice at the temple, but had it all just got out of hand? Had this system of redemption been pulled into the clutches of scandal and bondage? I can almost hear the sound of fairground rousing, “get your sheep over here, only a shekel.” I had to ask myself do we walk into our four walled worship centers, halls; churches’ glaring with the latest Christendom has to offer only to find ourselves in the clutches of man-made ideals instead of God driven worship. Is the atmosphere that of merchants and dealers trying to sell God instead of slaughtering ourselves wholly before him in worship? I asked this question of myself lately, “when was the last time you saw a person forging their way to the altar, crying profusely, all the while you can see the Holy Spirit making them a new person with every step?” Jesus said that he came to give us life and to give it to us more abundantly. (John 10:10) There is so much liberty in that verse but institutionalized churches can be a harness for bondage and control if we don’t immerse ourselves with the living God.

Institutionalized Church can lounge in lies instead of live in truth. (John 2:15 – 16 NLT)

Jesus made a whip from some ropes and chased them all out of the Temple. He drove out the sheep and cattle, scattered the money changers’ coins over the floor, and turned over their tables. Then, going over to the people who sold doves, he told them, “Get these things out of here. Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!” Evidently everything was ‘kosher’ to them. Those who sold – bought, and those who served in the temple were A-Okay with Gods’ house having the similitude of a marketplace. What Jesus saw had to have wrecked his spirit. And especially when you give account to Matthews’ version which adds, my house will be called a house of prayer. (21:13) Jesus thrashing about was his way of trying to disconnect that which was holy from that which was unholy or worldly. Everything he saw was so commercialized in such a sacred place. If any place we can find Jesus it should be in our churches but some have become so consumed with the workings of the ecclesiastical polity of church that we miss the all-consuming one working in the church, wanting to work in each of us to win the world for Christ. So it’s easy to get caught in the lounge chair doing what is required in an institutionalized church and miss the mark of truth of what God has said in his Word. The greatest example of what the church is supposed to be doing can be seen in the first few chapters of the book of Acts. The first century church was A Church To Serve this present age. So I had to ask myself are we serving spirit-filled tables of obedience or commercialized sacrifices?

Institutionalized Church can stifle passion instead of ignite support. (John 2:17 NLT)

Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me.” This verse is originally seen in Psalm 69:9. It calls attention to David’s devotion to see the temple built. Well in Jesus’ day the temple was built, it was operating, but it had no passion. Maybe it had some order but where was the passion – appetite for truth instead of treasure.

WHERE’S THE PASSION? In the voice of Clara Peller (Where’s the beef?) You remember the commercial; if not Google it, when the bun was lifted there was this tiny piece of meat topped with cheese and a pickle. In my imagination I lifted the church steeple or roof and I asked myself, “where’s the passion?” Is the passion stifled because the support of the institutionalized church is only on the thing most required by the governing body? I am not one to argue with structure, I love it but when we inhibit the body of growth through our institutions then we cripple the church, capsize the body and lay to rest the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, a good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, by their fruit you will recognize them. (Matthew 7:18 – 20 BRB) In my own words, by their passion you will know them. Does the world know us? Are we invoking change in the atmosphere? Is the earth turned upside down because we are as passionately God-driven as the first century church?

Closing:

In one commentary I read that the consequence of Jesus’ devotion was the cross and the climax of his devotion is that He is at home with the Father (Beacon Bible Exposition). Will you allow Jesus to turn over some tables in your temple? I said it before that an institutionalized church is one that has become independent of the Holy Spirit and even God. The structure is there, the rules – guidelines – laws are there. But is He there?

LIFE QUOTE

The fact that institutional churches have gone into decline doesn't mean that we're going to enter some purely secular age. Secular people need to be aware of that. -Ross Douthat

Let Us Laugh!

There was a daughter who was taking care of her elderly mother who had fallen and broke her neck. The daughter was trying to prepare her for bed and sat her on one side and warned, “DO NOT GET UP”. Well the daughter went into the bathroom and when she returned, frantic that her mother was lying back on the bed, she asked, “why did you lay back?” The mother replied, “I laid back because somebody told me to get up.”

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Hope to see you Next Month: Disconnect Notice

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