LET'S BE CLEAR: All God, No Religion - Kenyon's Blogversation
After posting my last blog, "WHY I LEFT THE CHURCH: Out with the old, in with the new," I thought it'd be a wonderful thing to follow-up on things. Lol. I realize that I may have ruffled some feathers, and I did so intentionally. Yet, I have never received so much support on a topic in my social media Life! But of course, with the good sometimes comes the bad. I have also read some opposing reviews--both in my inbox and text messages--in regards to my last Blogversation.
But let's be clear! I am not walking away from God...just legalistic religiosity. I'm walking away from what's inauthentic for me and what's inauthentic to most people. Dogma, condemnation, and empty belief systems. Institutions and ideologies that have absolutely NOTHING to do with Living for Christ, loving His people unconditionally, or moving in the authentic flow and the Spirit of God.
Like many millennials who have come to me in private or spoke out on my last blog, I am just not interested in the pontifical bondage that the "old Church" have imprisoned mankind. That's just not how I perceive the nature of God and His goodness. God is much more than just what religion--and other worldly institutions-- have limited Him to. Rules and regulations. This "Old Testament-like" approach to worshiping God has lost many in the 21st Century millennial Church. And that should be alarming to the powers-that-be. Some researchers say that millennials and those who have caught on to the millennial-wave of Life make up over 70% of our population in America, alone. Yet, the Pew Researchers report that the Church is on a steady decline of attendees, most of those who have served their separation and resignation papers are the millennials.
What has happened? Many believers and their leaders have forgotten that "God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth (King James Version, John 4:24)." Simply put, there is no Life (no Spirit, no Creative Force) where there is legalism, antiquated rules, and condemning dogma. Furthermore, it is Truth that ushers in that Life (that Spirit, that Creative Force). In other words, the Church has got to come up on their information game!!!
It's no longer okay to preach shallow messages like, "It's gon' get better." WILL YA PREACH A SERMON ABOUT "THE GOOD TIMES" PLEASE?! Quite honestly, I'm sick of hearing about the struggle. Long gone are the days where we run and shout for an hour and receive no true revelation as to why we're shouting. You can't just tell a millennial that he or she should give money to the Church's building fund and never build a building. We don't fall for that. We're too educated and intellectual for that. WE ARE MILLENNIALS for goodness sake! WE ARE THE INFORMATION AGE! Tell us something good!!!
And so, because of this outdated way of worship we've gathered in small rooms, rustic lofts, Living rooms, over Periscope and Facebook Live, in concert-style worship services with flashing LED lights that make you feel like you're at a Drake and Beyonce concert. Why? Because this next generation of believers are drawn to the fun and authenticity of Living for Christ...Spirit and Truth.
God is Creator of the universe. God is NOT the universe. God is Creator OF it. Which means it's absolutely arduous to try to fathom or describe God. I realize this is why humans have resulted in using rituals, legalism, human-like qualities, actions, and such to describe and please Him. In moderation, with Wisdom, and to a degree these attempts can be acceptable. Nonetheless, we get in hot water and make a fool of ourselves when we try to limit God and the good Life to legalistic bullcrap. To say that God will send you to Hell for not attending Church every time the Church doors open is a hot mess and erroneous as it relates to the nature of God. Essentially, we are the Church. Which means we should be looking at Church attendance differently anyway. If we are the Church, why don't we push the idea of training ourselves in the Word and building up our faith so that we (the Church) can actually go outside of the four walls of a ritualistic building and actually BE the Church to the homeless on the street by clothing them and the like. True worship is NOT just showing up to each service, shouting on the high note, just so you can leave the building with no real change or substance, only so you can say, "That sho was a good service today." Coming together for a service means nothing if you're going to leave the same and with no real conviction to be the Light in the world.
Yet this is what most of the Church have resulted to. I call this sector the "old Church." But those who understand where I'm coming from are apart of what I call the "Real Church." We are not necessarily the "new" Church, we've been around for a long time. Unfortunately, we've just been overshadowed by all of the pomp and circumstance of religion. But because the day is now being handed over to the more vocal, loud, and audacious millennials the message is LOUD AND CLEAR. So let me be clear! We are no longer being overshadowed by the grim darkness of religion: powerlessness and condemnation. Awww yeah! It's a revolution! The "Real Church" is rising! These are those who are authentic and true to their core. They aren't perfect, but they go after transformation and not make-believe. They have a desire to BE the Church and aren't really concerned about ritualistic and legalistic Church. They--along with me--have divorced the "old Church."
Excuse me if my message is a little too rebellious or radicle for the religious, but I'm like my big brother Jesus. I believe my assignment in this season is to come after the "lost sheep and those non-believers who want to have nothing to do with the faith because of fakes and phonies in the Gospel. Let's be clear. We--the "Real Church"--are not here to take sides with the "old Church, but we are here to takeover and bust the Church doors off their hinges!!! It's time to open up and reach ALL those who desire to know the way, no matter how they look, what they sound like, or where they've been.
There's work to be done! A new way of worship has come!
#Let'sBeClear
