Article

By Martijn van Tilborgh (www.martijnvantilborgh.com)

During my walk as a Christian I have observed, encountered and have been part of several different church conflicts and church splits. Not once, not twice, but many times have I seen churches go through what they will later refer to as "a serious attack of the enemy". It often starts with someone who has been part of that particular church "family" for many years. He "steals" the hearts of the people and leaves with one third of the church to start another church, ministry or home group. I have seen this dynamic taking place over and over again in different places all over the world. Ask any pastor that has been in ministry for over 5 years, and  you will find that many of them will testify of the fact that they went through "hell" when this one particular church member whom they had trusted and put in leadership had decided to leave the congregation, leaving the church in turmoil with the people confused and disoriented. In talking to different leaders who have been through situations like this I have come to the conclusion that often there is a  pressure to explain these kind of events in a logical and understanding way to the "faithful remnant" that stood strong in the fire. The members need to be assured that what just happened to the church was worth the suffering. As a result, we quote scriptures like this:

2 Samuel 15:6:

In this manner Absalom acted toward all Israel who came to the king for judgment. So Absalom stole the hearts of the men of Israel.

Absalom was King David's son. The book 2 Samuel records the history of the deceptive acts of Absalom who came into rebellion toward his own father, the king of Israel. He stole the hearts of the people as he talked to them as they entered through the gate of the city. Once Absalom felt confident enough, he rallied the people whose hearts were connected to him to engage into a war to overthrow his father's kingship.

Many times, a church "conflict" will be blamed on the "Absalom spirit" because the history of Absalom is a "clear example" that could potentially bring definition to the events that we are going through in a "biblically sound" context. Another good example we  often use is the story of the prodigal son who left his father and took his inheritance early. As leaders we tend to believe that prodigal and Absalom spirits are often behind church splits. Many times as a result of this conviction we communicate this to our congregations. By doing this we imply that those who left us are deceived by the enemy. Before we know it we sow fear in those that are still in our church without even realizing it. As a result people will "faithfully" stay in the pews out of fear to make the same "mistake".

Even though there is such a thing as an "Absalom spirit" and even though there are some "prodigal sons" in this world, I have come to the conclusion that many times this is not the reason for the schisms we encounter. Just blindly labeling everyone who leaves a church as an "Absalom" is shallow and immature. All these people who have served faithfully in  our churches for so many years, people who have given money, time and energy over and over again, people who have given their lives , people who prayed for and stood with the leadership time after time, now all suddenly turn into an Absalom?

Yes, there might be exceptions, but I find it hard to believe that this is always the case. I actually have come to the opposite conclusion as I have meditated on and observed these dynamics over and over again. In fact, I am convinced that God Himself is the cause behind many church splits. Personally, I believe that when God shows up in our churches, church splits are almost inevitable. Let me explain to you why.

Instead of asking ourselves what is wrong with the people who leave us, we should ask ourselves the question what is wrong with the system that we, the people of God, are part of? The church system that we have created, or the wineskin in which we do church in,  actually keeps us from fulfilling God's very purpose for mankind. In fact, it places a limitation on the governing processes through which He wants to rule His Kingdom. As a result, every time that the Holy Spirit pushes us towards purpose and destiny, another crack appears in our old wineskin.

What appears to be "unrighteous", "independent" and "evil" is actually caused by a quest for identity and purpose in the Kingdom of God.

You see, we all want our congregation to mature. Most of us preach from our pulpits that God has a purpose for every person. We tell them to go out and pursue what God has for them, to become who they are supposed to be. But when they do, the system that we are locked in to doesn't allow them to leave the pews.

Many of us preach that church is not an organization. We believe that we are first and foremost family and not an institution. Many have taught on the fact that God has created us all in an unique way with a specific purpose for each individual. However, we tend to structure our activity around a system that cannot accommodate these truths to manifest. A system that promotes uniformity instead of diversity. A system that promotes man-made protocol, rules and regulations instead of relational accountability and authority lines. A system that builds walls, instead of tearing them down. A system that, in the last 1700 years, lifted up their traditions concerning baptism, communion, dedication  children, ministry and hierarchy  above the word of God and by doing that making the Word of God of no effect in many ways. A system that took away authority, joy, responsibility and life away from the people and their houses and put it between the four walls of the church and has given it to the leadership. A system that defines success by the size of available budgets, "cutting edge" church buildings and the number of people in the pews rather than the release of mature sons who do father their own households.

There is a lot that can be written about these dynamics and there are many examples that can be given (and maybe I will in future articles), but in this article I want to limit myself to one of the most important governing protocols of the Kingdom of God which I will call "Righteous Independence". If you are like me, you have been raised with the idea that "independence" is something that you want to stay away from. That independence is something that is opposed to accountability. That it is something that comes against unity. and something that brings division. Something that is ambitious and selfish. But if we truly understand the biblical truth behind what I am about to say we will start to see how the church system cannot and will not release people to purpose (even though we truly want them to with a pure heart motivation) unless we embrace a doctrine of righteous independence. I am adding the word "Righteous" to it just to be clear. Yes, there is still something called "unrighteous independence" which is rooted in rebellion. My point however is that in most cases, we are not dealing with that, but we are dealing with a quest for righteous independence in the hearts of righteous accountable people. However we don't recognize the process because of our unreformed mindsets.

We have to understand that there is a prophetic seed in each individual that pushes us to identity and righteous independence. In fact, I believe that true identity in Christ can only be established through independence. Is this just something I believe or is this a biblically founded truth? Well, it is more than just something that can be found in a couple of scriptures. It is a truth that was established by God even back in the Garden of Eden before the fall of mankind.

In Genesis 2:18 we read:

And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone"

And in Genesis 2:24:

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

Understanding that we, God's people, are essentially family and not an organization, we start to get the picture by understanding these two statements declared by God over mankind. We know that when God speaks, His words "Become" and therefore manifest. His words have the creative power that makes things happen. His words will accomplish their purpose. They will not return to Him void.

God Himself declares in these scriptures that "It is not good that man should be alone". Because of these creative words spoken by Him there is a "drive" in every man to grow up and "Leave his father and his mother" and to become "independent" in his own right. God has put that desire there through these words which he spoke at creation. The desire "to leave" will automatically come as part of the maturing process that we are all supposed to be subject to. A maturing process that will lead us into our unique identity and purpose in the Kingdom of God. A place where we can start reproducing after OUR own kinds and start our OWN family, spiritually speaking.

Notice that this process can only take place through "leaving." Staying with mom and dad will never bring you to a place where you can become who you are supposed to be. Reproduction, identity, purpose and spiritual fruit only comes through becoming independent in your own right. Or, in other words, you have to become "YOU." Certain things you will only learn when you are on your own. Certain aspects of maturity you will only gain by paying your own mortgage or by raising your own children. 

This is how it works in the natural, but spiritually we are subject to the same processes. However our church systems are designed in such a way that they are causing us to sit like 34-year-old (or however old you are) spiritual bachelors together with our siblings in one house under one father (or pastor, apostle, bishop). And while doing that, we listen to our "leader" who pounds us every Sunday morning with biblical truth by telling us that we have to mature, go out, reproduce, etc. But at the same time, there is this unspoken protocol that you cannot leave the system (or church), because that is "independent". Leaving will make you an Absalom. In a relational-based environment "leaving" is not relevant, because the relationship goes beyond institutional walls and beyond organized activity. Even though someone might "leave" the activity schedule of a group of people, it should not mean that the relationship seizes to exist.

As leaders are doing a great job and faithful people mature, the desire of the people to "do their own thing" will become stronger and stronger. Not recognizing this God-initiated process will cause confusion, conflict and division. Yes, when people are spiritual children, you tell them what to do. But as they mature we need to let God's people go. When will this be? When they are perfect? No, because they will never leave if that is the standard. The truth is that perfection comes through independence. The "leaving" process will become a key to perfection as God teaches us to become who we are supposed to be in Him. One sign of a mature son of God is someone who has been faithful in the past and suddenly becomes bored with church. What he enjoyed in the past, suddenly becomes a burden. Sunday attendance becomes a sacrifice instead of a joyful event. Why? be-cause we were not created to always stay in the same place doing the same thing. We have to grow up, leave, and become who we are supposed to be in Christ, without having someone dictate what we are supposed to do. Our church systems do not seem to be designed to accommodate this process of maturing. In fact, it often aborts the process altogether.

Why is it then, that we elevate organized church protocol over relational accountability? Why is it that when our sons mature we  tend to confront them harshly by telling them that they are deceived. Why is it then, that if we don't carry the "vision of the house" that we are part of, we seem to label people so easily as "unrighteous independent"? The answer is not that we have evil leadership. Not that we want the worst for the people. Not that we don't want the best. The problem is our mindset of church leadership, not our heart motivations. The problem is the system that we believe in so strongly. A system that often doesn't  seem to work. The church  system as we know it doesn't allow people to grow up. It doesn't allow people to find themselves, because we keep them too busy with the pre-defined church activity that fills our events calendars.

If God is going to accomplish His purpose (and He will) He is going to crack the wineskin of many churches all around the world as never before. He wants His sons mature as all creation awaits the revealing of those who are His. As He restores all things, one thing on His prophetic time table of restoration is the restoration of true sonship. With this revelation we will see a total redefinition of church take place as institutional walls are broken down and a holy nation is established. This redefinition will not take place through another "7-steps-to-double-your-church" model or strategy, but it will be the manifested presence of God which will be with and in God's people, wherever they are.

All of our identities are unique in Christ. Therefore, my destiny or destination is different then yours. Your purpose is different then mine. As a result, the vision that God has for my life is different than the vision that God has for your life. In other words, if we are both heading the same direction, one of us is going to be off track at some point. Because the route to my destiny is a road that only I can walk. It belongs to me and nobody else. The only one who joins me on this journey is Jesus Christ Himself. It is His Lordship over my life that brings me to maturity.  If we are going to be who we are supposed to be, we all have to walk part of the journey all by ourselves, as we find ourselves in Christ in our quest for righteous independence. It is then and only then that we can come together as a body of mature sons who are not just INdependent but also INTERdependent under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, working together in our own unique identity

(PS: This article is only one building block of many. As we start to redefine church we have much to tear down and build. Through the articles of Chronicles of Reformation we would like to guide you on a journey that will help you transition step-by-step into a whole new world called the "Kingdom of God." Our goal is (as much as we are able to within our limited understanding) to remove man made paradigms from what is supposed to be Kingdom culture. Individual processes take place within the context of other truths and dynamics. We hope that if we challenge certain things we will come to a higher understanding of truth, causing us to become more effective for His Kingdom.)