Would you agree that the majority of those in America's pews who call themselves "Christian" don't REALLY believe in "The Church"? Shocking thought, but I believe it's true.

Very few Christians ever give a second thought to the fact that the word "Church" (coming from the Greek word ekklesia, meaning: "the called out ones") ever refers to anything other than a building made of brick and mortar, OR that the word refers to their own denomination or their own particular house of worship.

So what DOES the majority of American Christendom believe in if they don't believe in "The Church"? Simply put, the majority merely believe in "Religion." Ok, so what's that? Webster's Dictionary defines it, in part, as "a system of religious beliefs." System? How can the word "system" have anything at all to do with the beautiful Bride of Christ, a living, breathing entity? She's not a cyborg, after all. No, it sounds like so much hoop-jumping to me; a list of do's and don'ts intended to manage this huge "religion" we call "Christianity."

THE ONLY GOOD CHRISTIAN IS A DEAD CHRISTIAN

Problem is, Christianity is not a religion; it's a new lifestyle based upon RELATIONSHIP between the Creator and those He created. Sadly, most who claim to be Christians prefer religion to a new life. Two reasons: we get so comfortable with even the worst of our behaviors, habits and addictions that we cannot fathom life without them ans, secondly, to live a new life, we've got to die. Funny, the one thing God and Satan have in common is that they're BOTH trying to kill us. In other words, the only good Christian is a dead Christian; dead to sin, alive to God through Christ (Rom 6:10-11).

Regarding religion, we have to remember that there are three types of doctrine referred to in Scripture: the doctrine of devils, the doctrine of man and the doctrine of Christ and of God. Thinking Christians ought to ask why their group teaches this or that, why this or that tradition gets so much attention and from whence this or that doctrine actually came. There's only one thing more powerful than the Word of God: that's the traditions of man. Jesus said our traditions make the Word of God of no effect (Matt 15:6).

Some powerful traditions, huh?

What else does Webster's say? It traces the word 'religion' back to the Latin word religio meaning