This Is Why We Get a Bad Rap!!

[Pressing-On]

Originally Posted by Michlow

Please don't beat me up for this...

But there are two things I have noticed (I can only speak of my personal experience) that occur in unhealthy churches (that exist in all denominations).

1. No one would ever deny the importance of being filled with God's Spirit. It is absolutely vital to the Christian experience and new birth. The absolute necessity is preached over and over with great fervor. And yet, it seems that (again in unhealthy churches of all denominations!) that once a person is saved (indwelt by the Holy Ghost), they are constantly bombarded with the subliminal message that as necessary as the HG is, He is not truly strong enough to lead us and keep us. And, if by some chance that He is, we are not smart enough to follow His lead, or hear His voice.

That, I believe, is one reason why principles are skipped overly entirely and one's spiritual walk becomes instead a list of rules.

2. The second problem that I feel that occurs (in unhealthy churches of all denominations!) is that often God will speak to an individual (often in leadership) about an area in their own life, and direct them to either do (or not do) a certain behavior. Often this individual will assume that because the Lord asked it of them, He must in fact mean it to apply to believers everywhere.

When these things happen (in unhealthy churches of all denominations!) you often have individuals who are never taught to rely on their relationship with God, but instead are simply taught to follow the rules. Because they learn neither principles, or to follow the leading of the Spirit, they don't know how to handle situations where the rules are not explicitly spelled out.

Good post! I agree and very clever/wise of you to include, "in unhealthy churches of all denominations"!