Churchless Christianity

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What is Churchless Christianity?

I am talking to more and more people who consider themselves part of the universal Body of Christ but are essentially churchless Christians. There are many reasons for a person to leave their church and not all of them have to do with being upset or hurt. Sometimes, like Moses, God meets with you "outside the camp." In this lens I want to look at churchless christianity and hopefully hear from some of you who find yourself there.

Out of Church 

But Not a BackSlider

I was recently reading a 2005 Charisma article When Christians Quit Church by Andy Butcher. In it he said that many Christians were choosing to leave their churches but that did not mean they were turning their backs on God. On the contrary, it is often those who have spent years faithfully serving in their churches who leave. Many of them aren't sure what they are looking for but they know there is more to God than what they are experiencing.

This trend has continued over the years and since God is not limited to four walls and a few hours on Sunday, many people find their Christian walk taking them places they never expected.

So I was wondering - 

For anyone who considers himself a Christian

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Share Your Faith 

in new ways everyday

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In and Out of Church 

My own story

I was raised in the Catholic Church. When I went to college, I left that church in search of a more personal faith. I "got Saved" in someone's home group. It was a good place for me to learn to be led by God's Spirit and to discern the voice of God. Because of that, I probably don't rely on church as much as some do.

Over time I have been a member of many different churches - Full Gospel, Non-denominational, Pentecostal and even at different times, no church at all. I feel like God has always been with me and leading me on to find deeper places in the Spirit. As I have matured, the Word has taken on new depths of meaning and many of my doctrinal beliefs have changed. Not the core ones like Jesus dying for the sins of the world but on things like the Rapture (pre, mid or post?)and just how sovereign God really is.

In view of all this, it doesn't upset me to hear that someone no longer goes to church. The more pertinent question would be WHY NOT?

Chew on this. Jesus started the church but He came to introduce the Kingdom of God and the two are not necessarily the same thing. Have you ever wondered if there would be denominations in Heaven?

Sister to sister 

A new wind of the Spirit is drawing women into amazing on-line relationships. We are standing against the abuse of the past. Many of us are Mothers and Grandmothers. We've seen what was and know that God is calling us to something better.
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Do you shudder at the mention of a church lady who used to give you that "look" if you were talking too much during church? Do you have vivid memories of being forced to sit for hours during a boring Sunday School class or a service that ran into la...

Why Do You Fellowship Where You Do? 

Polls can be frustrating when you want to explain your choice ;-)

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    Pantherart Pantherart Feb 21, 2009 @ 5:02 pm
    I have not been in a Church for a long time but Jesus Christ is my LORD and savor and I try to live according to his word, and I find that helping folks here on squidoo is one of the ways that I feel joy in my life.
    I do not like to be around people that put on an act because it is the social thing to do.
  • Reply
    mulberry mulberry Jan 25, 2009 @ 3:26 am
    I don't attend church and never have, well except 15-20 times as an adult to see what it was like but I do enjoy a relationship with God. I avoid churches because I perceive it as a way of segregating groups of people that is often negative. (as individuals, communities, and nations) I'm also very skeptical about it's true purpose. I doubt many of those who "run it". They interpret things to suit their own agendas and then use God to promote it. Socially and politically. Of course, church "goers" sometimes fail to live their lives according to their "beliefs" which is distressing but not my biggest disappointment with church (afterall we all fail, all we can do is try). However, those who press the hardest to convert others are the most distressing to me. I would rather they keep their beliefs to themselves, then live their lives as a quiet testimony to the love of Christ/God (or whatever)...that would be FAR more convincing to me. Nice lens.
  • Reply
    seedplanter seedplanter Dec 17, 2008 @ 10:21 pm
    I was raised in church, but my experience was so warm and loving, I don't remember ever not wanting to go to church until much later in my life. I experienced a disappointment that made me question not my faith, but the gap I felt had grown in our fellowship. I didn't realize at the time that I was letting hurt feelings drive me away.

    For a whole year, I stayed away from what I called "organized religion," and it turned out to be a very one-on-one time with God and me. I grew up in my faith and realized that I was expecting "those people" to be perfect, when I was far from perfect myself. I learned about grace, and how God extended it to me long before I even acknowledged him. We attend a small but growing fellowship of about 150, where people know each other well and it has been such a blessing. We encourage each other and there's a real sense of family that I never experienced before. Great lens - lots to think about.
  • Reply
    dc64 dc64 Dec 2, 2008 @ 4:54 pm
    I have several problems with church, which I had to go to 3 times a week for my whole teen-age life. First, I have no problem with the church, just a lot of it's people. I have a problem with that sugary-sweet way they talk to you in church, but outside of church it's totally different. For instance, I work in a restaurant, and the rudest, most impatient, most condescending people are the church crowd on Sunday morning. Disappointing! Second, I'm a bit of a hermit, and I prefer to learn about God alone. Third, I like the science of the Bible, I like how God uses the laws of nature (which He created) to explain things that people once believed were flat out miracles. You know, they still are miracles in their perfect timing, but maybe God is showing us how faith and his timing brought it about.
  • Reply
    Gandree Gandree Nov 17, 2008 @ 9:31 pm | in reply to Christina
    It is amazing to find so many people who have found such close relationships with God that defy conventional Christian church life. You can't argue with the very personal walk that develops for each one. The Bible tells us that He knows each hair on our head. For sure He can direct our steps. It's just sad when our loved ones won't even listen to what we have to say. All you can do is pray that God will open their eyes in time.
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There's More To Witnessing Than Banging On Doors 

Power of Prayer



I used to attend a church where the Pastor continually told us that our Christian duty was to go out and knock on doors to win people for Jesus. Being a somewhat reclusive person by nature, that was about as appealing as eating rotten oranges. Please.

I remember praying that God had made me and He knew that if I had to go knock on doors, I was going to believe that all of my people would not be home or have such big mean dogs that I couldn't get to their house.

I never did go knocking on doors

but that doesn't mean I haven't witnessed. Did you know that how you live your life is a witness?

1Pe 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

That word 'conversation' can be translated as 'behavior'. It doesn't mean that the wife preached to her husband until she wore him down. It means that she lived such a godly life without fear that he was drawn to the source of her strength.

We live in such troubled times that I wanted to remind you to polish up your witness. Someone near you is watching how you respond to the latest news. If you are having trouble in that area, the best thing you can do is pray and seek a closer relationship with God. He hasn't gone anywhere and will sustain you through the storm if you will draw close to Him.