Renegade Churches

[irishman]

The trend today seems to be a "do your own thing" philosophy, even among church members. Many men I have known boasted themselves to be "mavericks" or "renegades" when it came to church policy and even some doctrine. Our churches seem nowadays to have adapted this philosophy, and the church is built by renegades. When the church is built by renegades, then all you have is a renegade church! It's about time the laity started following the preacher, and quit trying to question and analyze his every move. There may be things that we do not like about our church, but most of us would have the same problem at any church, given enough time. These "break away" church members need to get right with God and submit to the authority that He placed in the church. Submission is always the best way to go; it works for us, nit against us.

Ecc 10:4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.

Yielding, not stubbornly opposing, pacifies great offenses.

[heartstrings]

You are right,if the 'ruler' is God Almighty. I've witnessed 'renegades' who were in the wrong, and left. But not everybody who leaves is a renegade because in some cases it's a good idea to pass on the 'koolaid'.and head for the hills as fast as you can run.

[JerryNumbers]

The trend today seems to be a "do your own thing" philosophy, even among church members. Many men I have known boasted themselves to be "mavericks" or "renegades" when it came to church policy and even some doctrine. Our churches seem nowadays to have adapted this philosophy, and the church is built by renegades. When the church is built by renegades, then all you have is a renegade church! It's about time the laity started following the preacher, and quit trying to question and analyze his every move. There may be things that we do not like about our church, but most of us would have the same problem at any church, given enough time. These "break away" church members need to get right with God and submit to the authority that He placed in the church. Submission is always the best way to go; it works for us, nit against us.

Ecc 10:4 If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.

Yielding, not stubbornly opposing, pacifies great offenses.

That's so true. I know of a elderly woman whose husband was a pastor that seems not to be able to stay at anyone church for to very long. And when she leaves a church she is bad about talking to anyone & everyone how sorry that church did her. I know this because she tried to tell me all about how bad she had been treated at several different churches & how bad they treated her husband before he died back in the early 70's.

She recently left our church & I feel we have been talked about. For usually those who talk to you about others, will talk to others about you.

[heartstrings]

Matthew 20:25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: 28Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

1 Peter 5:1 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
1 Peter 5:2 Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
1 Peter 5:3 Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.


Some marks of perverted authority:

1. the claim of direct authority from God, rather than testing things by the Word;
2. the command is to "submit to me," rather than "I will serve you";
3. the method of leadership is to "order" people around, rather than to appeal for them to do the right things;
4. there is a dominating, "pushy" drive instead of a dependence on God to direct;
5. there is a sense of control, rather than a sense of support;
6. a gift is exploited so that others are made to feel dependent on it;
7. there is an inflexibility--"don't question me"--"don't touch the Lord's anointed";
8. there is unapproachability and intimidation--the "aura" around the leader keeps the followers in "awe";
9. there emerges an organization built around a man and his peculiar emphases instead of around Christ and His Word;
10. there will be cyclical challenges to the authority figure (which are immediately and forcefully purged);
11. there is more concern for maintaining the authoritarian structure than there is for caring about the people in it.
    

[heartstrings]

I have heard pastors and preachers who mocked those who had left as being "renegades" and "rebels" and other names. But I have never heard a person refer to themselves as such. I have even heard scare tactics used as they "preached" about the one who left and "lost their family" as a consequence. Understand that being a true troublemaker or a "sower of discord" is an abomination before God and should not be done, but so is manipulation and threats. Sheep that are treated harshly WILL not follow....they will scatter. They will go away.

Ezekiel 34
1 And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
² Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks?
³ Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock.
⁴ The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them.
⁵ And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.

Thank God that Jesus, the GOOD SHEPHERD will treat us right.
¹⁶ I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.

[Covenanter]

Jesus & his Apostles refused to submit to the divinely established leaders. They were seen as deceivers.

When I was converted, I left the church I was converted in. (CofE) Did I become a maverick or renegade? Maybe, in the eyes of the leaders I no longer followed. My mother accused me of conforming to a non-conformist church. Many accused the FIEC of being a non-denominational denomination.

We need to act with wisdom, grace & prayer - we are answerable to God, not men.

[Wilchbla]

Your are going to find "renegades" under a free society. You will find more cults and sects withing a democratic nation then under a dictatorship. The surest thing to clear out these folks as well as seperating the men from the boys if for a dictatorship to be set up within a country. China has more practicing Christians than all of Europe put together.

[heartstrings]

Your are going to find "renegades" under a free society. You will find more cults and sects withing a democratic nation then under a dictatorship. The surest thing to clear out these folks as well as seperating the men from the boys if for a dictatorship to be set up within a country. China has more practicing Christians than all of Europe put together.

I think these two guys were "renegades" under a not so free society............
^{Acts 5:
36} For before these days rose up Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain; and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and brought to nought.
³⁷ After this man rose up Judas of Galilee in the days of the taxing, and drew away much people after him: he also perished; and all, even as many as obeyed him, were dispersed.

Then we find "wolves in sheep clothes", "certain men crept in unawares". false teachers, false prophets, false brethren, "carnal" Christians. "Nicolaitans", "Contentious" men etc. and wasn't all of that under Roman rule too?

[irishman]

The renegades I spoke of are not necessarily pastors only, but wolves in sheep's clothing; wheat among the tares, and we only know them by their words and actions. I have had men that claimed to be mavericks, and boasted about being different, but they have never seemed to last long with the Lord. Once they spread their poison in the church though, the young babes carry the torch on, and the mole-hill becomes a mountain.

[JerryNumbers]

There's many that call the Conservative Churches that holds fast to God's Word, renegades, & the liberal teaching churches the ones holding to God's truths. So don't be surprised if your in a Conservative Church, that your not branded a renegade.

I still remember an article posted on here written by Mr. Warren a couple of years back, he said the worlds troubles comes from the Fundamental Christian & the Fundamental Islams.

[Covenanter]

There's many that call the Conservative Churches that holds fast to God's Word, renegades, & the liberal teaching churches the ones holding to God's truths. So don't be surprised if your in a Conservative Church, that your not branded a renegade.

I still remember an article posted on here written by Mr. Warren a couple of years back, he said the worlds troubles comes from the Fundamental Christian & the Fundamental Islams.

True, but there is truth in Warren's assertion. A previous Archbishop of Canterbury made the same assertion - fundamentalist religion of ANY faith causes trouble. The ultimate fundamentalist was Jesus, & he denounced the misguided fundamentalism of the Jewish authorities. Jesus, his Apostles, & Christians down the ages have suffered because they challenged the fundamentalism of the religio-political authorities.

One serious aspect of Christian fundamentalISTS (as distinct from fundamentalISM) is the focus of ethnic Israel, rather than Christ, & the true Israel comprising only believers. This has resulted in meddling in the Middle East & Central Asia with dissastrous consequences for the indigenous Christians, & a serious misunderstanding of the true Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.