You will never be as happy being anything other than whom God called you to be.

You will never be as happy doing anything other than what God called you to do.

Stop trying to please your father and mother. Stop trying to please your spouse. Stop trying to please yourself. Please God.

Be simply and only what God calls you to be. Do simply and only what God calls you to do.

"Take my yoke upon you and learn of me...for my yoke is easy and my burden is light." -Jesus

When did Christianity become passive? When did creating disciples, baptizing disciples and nurturing disciples become something an elite class of Christians do instead of something all Christians do? Also, when did worship become something done by few instead of all members coming to assembly prepared to participate as the Spirit determines among them?

Our cultural Christianity breeds passive worship. Step inside any modern church on Sunday and you will observe worshippers observing worship or vicariously worshipping through those paid to lead. Everyone sits in rows. Everyone faces forward. Everyone expects those on the stage to perform. Microphones and special lighting are used to enhance the spectator's experience. Only two or three actually are expected to contribute.

Is this the worship God desires? Does God want worshippers worshipping passively or vicariously through others? Are we not all encouraged to “prepare to share” in corporate worship? Are we not all commanded to speak to one another through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs? Are we not likewise commanded to take turns speaking as God moves among us and places messages on our hearts that will edify all and glorify him?

We train new disciples to be passive. We educate them in outdated public school style systems. Where are the mentors? What happened to actually taking new Christians into your home and nurturing them through their individual issues and addictions?

Instead we create a cultural Christian class that is dependent upon a few superstars elevated each Sunday onto podiums of praise while the average Christian is forced to receive only what these superstars are willing and capable of giving. These superstars may have little proven character. They may even lack actual spiritual maturity. But, they are lifted up among the masses as role models. By so doing, we teach others that character does not matter. We say what matters most is being a good singer, an excellent speaker or an accomplished performer! Those without these particular talents are made to appear less valuable to God and the church. What's up with that?

We need true Christian community. We need a family of believers who nurture and protect. We need mentors who actually themselves listen and follow the Spirit. We need them to teach others to do likewise. We need real leaders who walk among us, with us, through the valleys and along the mountaintops, encouraging us and not making us feel inferior.

We need to create a culture that values every individual and uses his unique talents and abilities. We need each Christian responsible to and accountable to each other. We need to return Christianity to a religion that is about relationships and true, heart-felt, individual and spontaneous, participatory Christian worship.

Let’s admit it. Institutionalized Christianity has created Christian churches with written or unspoken rules. These churches require members to teach and follow THEIR rules. They require absolute and total allegiance to these rules especially if you desire to rise to a position of power or leadership within their particular form of Christian religion. Why would you expect less? No it isn't truly Christ-like but it is a natural part of our cultural Christianity.

If you rise to a leadership role within an institutional church and promote the institution’s rules, then you will most likely be able to witness just how arrogant many church leaders are who consider themselves the “in” crowd. Their air of superiority is clearly seen by how they speak of and speak down to “lesser” members. Even among themselves, you will probably note some are more "in" than others.

It’s a caste system. It was created to propagate and preserve hierarchal systems within institutional religion, the power and prestige inherent in hierarchal leadership. If you disagree with these leaders, their hierarchal power, you will be branded a heretic. If you attempt to rise or assume a leadership role within their institution, without climbing the accepted "stairs" to a leadership position, they will mass their forces against you and you will experience the full fury of self-righteous wrath. You will be labeled a person who rejects God's leaders and their authority over you.

Actually, you may merely be rejecting man-made authority and man-made religious rules intended to keep you subservient. You may simply be railing against corporate leadership permeating God’s true church, a kingdom of priests.

Hierarchal religious leadership is ungodly and unbiblical. True Christianity is about relationships, not power and prestige. God's church is a family, not a non-profit corporation with a Board of Directors. Each individual member within God's family is unique and has a unique role or area of service defined by Scripture and by the Holy Spirit within them. It is not defined by Man or by a form of Man's hierarchal leadership.

No one Christian is above another Christian. No one Christian should ever be elevated over another Christian or group of Christians. No one member of Christ’s body was ever given absolutely power and authority to “lord it over” other members.

In Christ, you have one Lord, one Master and High Priest. His name is Jesus.

Study the scriptures diligently. Pray for wisdom. Seek God continually with pure hands and pure hearts. Recognize and exercise spiritual gifts. Encourage others to do likewise. Use the Bible as a guide for how to live, meet and treat others. Beware of the Devil. He is the enemy of all that is good. Don’t trust too heavily in flesh. Flesh deceives and is never satisfied.

Christianity is simple allegiance to, and faith in, Jesus. Follow the Christ and emulate him. Study his teachings and his life. Discover God’s will for your life. If you are married, discover God’s will for your marriage. Follow God’s will and teach what you know to be true until you know better.

Trust in God’s strength in you as a believer. Trust that God has given all his children his gift of the Holy Spirit. Trust that his Spirit in you will counsel you, comfort you and convict you. God, in you, is the best counselor and guide. Listen to him more than you listen to any other person, even yourself. He is always good. He knows you. He knows best.

Finally, have faith that love works regardless of the situation. When love doesn’t appear to be working, continue to be a loving person; continue to act lovingly! A life spent loving others is a hundred times better than a life spent hating everything.

God is love.

"Holy Father and Righteous God. We appreciate all you do for us each day even though we may not be able to see it. We know you are beside us and will never forsake us. Still, there are events and persons in our lives that cause us to doubt, fear and worry. We ask your supernatural help and your Spirit's presence in us to help calm our fears. We are afraid of being alone. We are afraid of not being able to meet our obligations, duties and responsibilities. We are afraid of being afraid. Calm our hearts and spirits. Help us accept that you are in control. Protect us from the evil one and from our negative thoughts. Protect us from ourselves. Fill us with your peace, joy and love. This is our prayer in Jesus' Name..."