Declaration Of Independence From Churchianity

by Van Robison

When, in the course of religious beliefs it becomes necessary for one believer in Jesus Christ to dissolve the religious bands which have connected that believer to the control of church overlords called pastors, it becomes necessary to declare the causes which compel a separation.

We the people hold these truths to be self-evident, that all believers in Jesus Christ have the God given right to follow Jesus Christ as their Shepherd, and not to be bound in chains to either paid hirelings or overlords--variously called pastors, senior pastors, bishops or other titles. We hold that those who are born-again are entitled to look to Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth and the Life, apart from institutional churches, which are man-made institutions. We hold that born-again believers have the responsibility to prove all things, try the spirits whether they be of God, to be aware of false teachers who use the name of Jesus Christ, and to define "truth" based upon their own personal studies of the Bible and discernment through the Holy Spirit. We hold that followers of Jesus Christ hear His voice and follow Him, and not to be clones in thinking of pastors, church creeds or church doctrines, which are all formulated by religious leaders.

We the people hold these truths additionally, that Jesus Christ is the sole and only Head of the Body, which is a spiritual entity encompassing all human beings on earth, who are born again, and that no religious leader is the Head of the Body, nor entitled to be exalted above common brethren. We hold that going to church is not the determination for salvation or the gift of the Holy Spirit, nor a requirement in the eyes of Jesus Christ. We hold that Jesus no where stated that His followers are to take up their crosses, and follow pastors or church institutions in their doctrinal confusions, customs and traditions.

We the people hold these truths that as born-again followers of Jesus Christ, we are accountable to Him alone, and that He alone is our Judge--not pastors or church overlords. We hold that Jesus Christ is the Light of the world, the Bread of life, the Manna from heaven, the Living waters of life, the Door, the Vine, the Resurrection, the Good Shepherd and the ONLY MASTER Christians have. We hold that pastors, senior pastors, bishops and titled church leaders are not given authority to rule over the flock of Jesus Christ, regardless of incorrectly translated verses that imply otherwise. We hold that church leaders are not entitled to free lunches, free money, riches and wealth at the expense of believers in Jesus Christ. We hold that preaching the Gospel to the unconverted is not the same as being church pastors to born again believers. And we hold that all churches are simply man-made controlling institutions, that have been founded primarily for the benefit of church overlords, who thrive on power, prestige, self-importance and free flowing money at the expense of the gullible.

We the people therefore declare Independence from church institutions which are all controlled by pastors who act as overlords, and we declare that we are Dependent entirely upon Jesus Christ. We therefore are not rebellious to Christ, but instead we hear His voice and follow Him. We proclaim that all organizational churches are ruled over by men, and not by Jesus Christ. We believe as Jesus stated that Jesus Christ came to preach the Gospel to the POOR, to heal the BROKENHEARTED, to preach DELIVERANCE to the CAPTIVES, and RECOVERING of SIGHT to the BLIND (some physically, but also many spiritually), and to set at LIBERTY them that are BRUISED (Luke 4:18).

We the people hold these truths that all church goers are captives to religious leaders, who act in the capacity of overlords and financial bankers for their own private religious empires. We hold that as Jesus stated, "where two or three are gathered in My name, there Am I in the midst", and that no paid hireling or "professional" clergy need be present for fellowship among the brethren. We hold that the Veil was rent into, so that all born again believers in Jesus Christ can enter into the Presence of God Almighty, without a man-priest. We hold that Jesus Christ is our All-Sufficiency, and that dependency upon professional clergy was made obsolete by the Priesthood of Jesus Christ.