Broken Cisterns

by Van Robison

Institutional churches are broken cisterns--they don't hold water. Living water is Jesus Christ by His own words (John 4:10-14). If you thirst, the never ending fountain and natural spring of living water is Jesus Christ. Spiritual living water is refreshing, encouraging, life giving, everlasting, and quenches the spiritual thirst with satisfaction. When you imbibe of the living waters of Jesus Christ, you will be like dancing waters and leaping life. Living waters is animated. Living waters is energetic. Living waters produces euphoria. Living waters gives no headaches. Living waters makes you smile. Living waters gives life eternal. Living waters makes you want to live. Living waters makes you enjoy the good life. Living waters puts a bounce in your life. Living waters will wipe away all tears and sorrows and crying and even death (Revelation 21:4), which equates to life.

No human organization whether religious or secular is the living waters of life, and never will be. Why do Christians move from church to church to church to church throughout life? It is because church institutions are broken cisterns. Why is there pastor burnout? It is because church organizations are broken cisterns. Are Christians looking for spiritual water in all the wrong places? Jesus Christ never said organizations and institutions are the living waters of life, but rather He is the source of Living Water.

In my personal church experiences throughout life, I have found that first impressions about a particular church are often short lived. Even when a group seems wonderful, loving, caring, and fun to be with, in time problems seem to always surface. The reason is because people are human, even when they are Christians. Pastors will preach some truth, and seem to go off the deep end on some other issues, and they most definitely are not infallible. People problems happen with "deacons", "youth pastors", "senior pastors", "worship leaders", and people in general. Some pastors love to control, love authority, and love your money. Some pastors are more likable than others, and some are authoritarian. They all seem to be products of churchianity. Most pastors think their man-ordained certificate qualifies them to be your "head"--that is, the pastor does the thinking and you don't.

I have been a part of a number of churches over a long lifetime, visited many more, attended various huge gatherings of thousands, and can safely state that none of them ever satisfied my thirst for Living Waters, and that is because they are not the Living Waters of Life. Broken cisterns may hold some water, but eventually the water will all disappear through the cracks. When as Christians we immerse ourselves in the real Living Waters of Life, we will never thirst again (John 4:14). Why are many thousands of Christians leaving the institutional churches (see George Barna's "Revolution"--copyright 2005--www.barna.org), and relocating into private fellowship without paid hirelings? Broken cisterns don't hold water.