Dear Former Church:

I hope you are not shocked to be reading my letter. I know it’s been more than three years since we crossed on each others path

Let me go straight to the point. I was reminiscing through memory lane; the years we shared together at East Effort Avenue, until I found the joy of experiencing a personal friendship and intimacy with Christ, which is based on His effort at the cross of Calvary. Life has not been a smooth ride, but I am really enjoying a restful journey – no more guilt, shame, fear and the weight of trying to be wholly on my own terms. It’s a simple principle of simply embracing who I am in Christ, through faith.

I don’t mean to be ungrateful; I was saved at your Church on good Friday of 1979, when the late Reverend Ray Ray preached that fiery sermon on the reality of hell and heaven. I learnt a great deal of things through bible studies and summer vacation bible school, prophetic crusades, street outreach, baptism etc. in my early years as a believer. The joy and the passion were great in the beginning, when all I knew was Christ and His eternal plans for me. I have now realized the reason the honeymoon didn’t last longer…my joy was depleted when I had to try on my own to embark on the Christian pilgrimage with a load of strict traditions and rules to abide with. Honestly, I had to fake it at all times…it was hard to live this life without Christ.

Recently I met some of your sons and daughters at a grocery store and was completely overwhelmed with concern about their attitude. They were actually not doing anything evil but they didn’t seem to be happier, joyful and peaceful in themselves just the way I have known them in the past. I figured it out perfectly, because I was in this same bondage years back. I didn’t know then that God has not given me the spirit of fear but of love and sound mind in my born again spirit to walk in liberty and freedom. What a flood-tide of joy that sweeps over your soul, for the sheer knowledge that you already have love, life and peace through the indwelling Spirit off God. Against this background, do you really care enough that you’ve put too much burden on the people of God and yet it has no bearings in the word of God?. I know you exalt man’s traditions, rules, and regulations more than embracing the free gift of grace. Performance oriented religion is a serious cancer in your skin, and it’s eating you of a life of victory. I know you’ve tried so hard through will power and self effort to please the Lord, and to also earn a mark on your score card, but your best day has never met the standard of God.

I feel very sorry for your frustration…I know, you sincerely want to do your best for God, but the truth is; extreme self denials and positive thinking techniques are all carnal works of the flesh. God’s standard is too high and there is only one person who perfectly fulfilled the demands of God, so that you would not try but rather receive what He did on the cross on your behalf. He is called Jesus. I know He is like a theory to your dull heart and a doctrine encoded in your Church book for reading sake. He loves you with high-octane love, to personally display His life through you as you rest in His power, through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Does that sound too good to be true? Hear Paul, the Apostle of grace echoing this truth;

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

I am being blunt because it hurts when you’ve turn house of prayer into a prison where people worship you like God. I mean you are the center of your religion – many have come before you and walked in the same route you have chosen, but because wisdom was denied from them, their pride was their fall. I hope you will not tear this letter into pieces; you will never learn wisdom if you’re thinking, I am not a theologian to emphasize on doctrinal issues.

More importantly, I have so many things to ask you but let me leave you with this; you taught us to love our neighbor but we never loved our neighbors from different denominations. I thought the Church is a living organism; bigger than your little Chapel at the store front, which has been customized into an attacking arena, and a lambasting Club against other Churches you deemed as “unspiritual and not part of your assembly” instead of turning it into a greener pasture for hungry souls and a spiritual extension of all the local Churches which calls on the name of the Lord.

I hope you’ve stopped exalting yourself before vulnerable people who thinks Godliness is rooted in your platinum deals and the wealth you’ve surrounded yourself with, instead of Christ. Please don’t vex; I am not trying to tell you what to do or to be mean. Am just throwing light on things you’ve probably not paid too much attention. I am not in any way envious or jealous of your wealth and prosperity. It is truly the will of God that we prosper – I am very much concerned about your lack of desire to exalt Christ before the eyes of people who are so hungry for the truth which sets free. I know too well that, it is through the preaching of the gospel, that one can experience the quality life of God.

Since I left you and your religion; many of your prisoners call me a heretic and disown me like their ancestors disown Jesus, because He ate with sinners and the ugliest in society. I would have falling into the ditch of your pettiness, had I not been aware of the good and favorable opinion of God towards me. I am loved, accepted and highly favored by my Father in heaven and His perfect love cast out all my fears…there is no time to waste being consumed by your rumor mongering tactics. I never woke up without praying for you…because His love compels me to do so, than to nurse bitterness and resentment.

I know change is coming your way; which will blow your socks off. For the first time you will know how God loves you unconditionally, independent of your performance and Church traditions. This joy will set you in motion for the deeper life; in and out. I know how we faked up righteousness, holiness, peace, joy, sanctification for others to appreciate us of living the life, but the struggle on the inside was very hurting. I know how you feel because we were in it together. Swallow your pride and let Jesus takes the wheel for an effortless journey of resting on His ability through the highways and byways. If that sound too good you want to hear more of the sound of amazing grace in your ears, please let’s meet at ihop and have some conversation. Lots of love to you!

Yours sincerely

Former Member

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