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Religion should be our preference not our authority.   In this particular writing I am speaking in the context of denominationalism from a protestant context.  Religion is a human construct that helps us see God and serve God.  We are all different people and are free to have different styles and preferences when it comes to how we worship and serve God.  Religion in and of itself is not bad, but it is limiting and can blind and bind if we are not careful.

As part of a new denomination, I am on hyper alert to anything that says we are more excited about our new club than we are about the transformative work of Christ.  No matter what our religious preference, we are all called to worship and grow in one Lord.  

As a small example of how ridiculous this can be I will share one story out of hundreds.  Years ago, I had a young woman begin attending my church.  She told me that she had never heard the Word preached as effectively and that she was truly moved and felt like growing in her faith for the first time in years.  She had been attending a few weeks when she came to me and told me that she was struggling because I did not wear a robe when I preach. She had grown up in churches where pastors wore robes, and she couldn’t get past it in our church.  I explained that our context was more effective without the robe as we were reaching unchurched people.  She cried a little that we wouldn’t change or that she couldn’t, but I never saw her again after that conversation.  

Are we bound by our religion?  Are we limiting Jesus in our lives because we cannot see past our clubs.  I love being under an umbrella of authority because I think it is Biblical.  I love the fellowship and the comradery of belonging to a group of like-minded sisters and brothers.  However, my mission is the one Christ gave me and to which I was called.  If I can do that in my current denomination, then all is good.  It is my preference to be here, not my ultimate authority. Jesus took issue with the religious leaders of His day because their religion had grown to the point that it precluded God’s truth. 

We all do some things better than others.  I once told someone that I wish we could work together more.  Let the Baptist save them, the Presbyterians teach them, the Methodist disciple them, and the Pentecostals fill them.   As much as I know turf wars will never allow that, it does not preclude us from paying attention to each other and gleaning good stuff.  

Love your denomination and enjoy your preference.  Just make sure that we all remember our authority.  Maybe in doing so, we will see God move in this next generation in a more powerful way as we make Him our ultimate focus.