I bump into people from the two Institutional Churches I was in for 26 years. They ask me where I am “going to church”. I tell them, “The church in the wilderness”. They always say, “Huh?, Where is that? Never heard of it”.
God has called us out to follow Him; to be with Him in the wilderness, on His bountiful pastures, where He cares for us as the good Shepherd.
At various times, He arranges for us to come together in the assembly with others. Here is where I have been “assembling together with one another”.
At the outdoor cafe with a precious saint who loves Jesus and desires to walk with Him.
On the phone in the middle of the night for an hour with a sister who is confused and distressed about what is going on at her Institutional Church.
Sitting at my kitchen table with my husband, comforting a brother in the Lord who is devastated and heartbroken almost to the point of despair, due to intense personal suffering, sorrow and trials. He is ignored by the people at the Institutional Church.
Chatting poolside about what the Lord is doing in our lives, with a friend I have not seen in two years, while our kids swim.
Having lunch with my dear girlfriend while sharing with each other about the painful reality of what the Lord is allowing in our lives in order to sanctify, purify, refine, prepare and separate us unto Him in unwavering devotion.
On a few blog sites and internet radio podcasts I’ve found which help, edify and encourage.
Via email with brothers and sisters I have “virtually met” all over the globe who love and follow Jesus.
On the street with saints God arranges for me to meet when I’m out talking with people in the community.
In a living room in a house in my city.
In my car with four people while we drive for an hour and a half to meet some other believers for a time of mutual encouragement, and taco truck tacos, eaten while sitting on the ground.
In my car driving, talking for hours, on a road trip with my daughter.
Been out of the beast for over 5 years and it just keeps getting better. Don’t expect the church crowed to applaud your freedom in Christ expect the opposite and you won’t be disappointed. I only can fellowship with people over the phone because fellow travelers usually live a few states away. Right now there are 4 other guys I know who are of the same Spirit. Keep going, don’t look back, go on with Him. Mike W
GOODBYE CHURCH INC thank you Father
amen Rory!
Mike, thanks so much for that.
Hello My Sister, what a wonderful blog post, may I please mirror this blog on my own? Grace and Peace to you.
set free indeed, i miss you, where are you, girl? Hope you resume blogging soon.
Set Free Indeed, yes of course. Please let me know how I can contact you via email or thru your blog, thank you!
The church has left the building!
….I’ve always wanted to say that……
Loretta, this is a fabulous post. What a great way to put it, the church in the wilderness. We meet in very similar ways as you have described so beautifully. It seems to me that He is moving amongst the scattered in a way very differently from even a couple of years ago, and is causing many of us to meet through the net, even though locally there are very few. And it also seems that organized religion is reacting by becoming even more organized.
I would love to email one-on-one with you. If you feel impressed to do so, contact me at desertpilgrim1948 at yahoo dot com.
Susan.
Loretta,
Wondering if we could set up some online chat gatherings. That seems to be one way that we wilderness folks could gather sharing and seeking the Lord. Would you be interested?
God Bless
Glenn
hi Glenn, How about I’ll email you and we can chat and talk about this idea. Also, please
join the Thence group where we thresh out prophetic scripture and love and serve one another. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thence_dispatch_yonder/
your sister, Loretta
Yesterday someone asked me if the church in the wilderness is near Los Banos or Fresno or something.
Want to add: with a livingroom and kitchen full of brothers and sisters two hours from my house for hours and hours of wonderful mutual teaching, prayer, edification, exhortation, encouragement, mutual service, love, personal ministering, worship, joy, and eating meals together! Thank You Lord for this blessing!
Hello sister you are amazing. All glory to God, these blogs are so encouraging. I’ve also left an indtition church a while ago and it’s not easy as I though it would be. But after Jesus Christ revealed himself to me, he wanted me to follow him, sister I’ve been experiencing the Right way of freedom through Christ Jesus and not through worldly lust and the patterns of this world but by Yahushua alone. But you are a great Job for the Glory of Jesus Christ, you are a blessing. Keep up the good work. Greater is in you than he that’s in the world! Stay blessed beautiful.