How Long Has It Been

[Bill Huffhine]

How long has it been since you stepped out the door of your last church for the last time? Would you say that your relationship with God has grown stronger or weaker as a result?

[Jamie]

It has been five years now. My relationship with God has grown *so* much stronger as a result. I have been able to connect with God in ways I never dreamed I would, and have a much deeper passion for following Jesus than I ever have before.

Most importantly, I think, I have learned to "self-feed" which seems almost non-existent in the church today. We tend to rely too heavily on our pastors and teachers to guide us through the Bible and feed us God's word, instead of digging into it on our own and relying on God for guidance. Ya know?

[Michael Ehret]

Still stepping through the doors of church, mostly happily. My relationship with God is strengthening. It would strengthen even more if I participated more in the process.

[Michael Ehret]

Hey Jamie: Could you elaborate? I'm always looking for new ways to connect with God ... what ways have you found that you'd never dreamed of?

Jamie said:

My relationship with God has grown *so* much stronger as a result. I have been able to connect with God in ways I never dreamed I would, and have a much deeper passion for following Jesus than I ever have before.

[Theresa Durst]

I have been out for 6 months now. I am not sure whether my relationship is stronger or weaker right now but I know it is on the road to recovery. I am detoxing from 25+ years of institutional church poisons. I was very involved in ministry and leadership which is where the strongest toxins exist. My battle with institutional/program thinking is still going on but I am walking through this with a couple of groups of believers on the same journey. I know I am more challenged to move on with God than ever before because I am in close relationship with a small group of believers who share life together. There is no fooling them. In "big" church it is VERY easy to carry on a facade of spirituallity. I am hopeful and excited for what God is doing in my life and am confident I will emerge much stronger as I find greater freedom in His Kingdom.