My Story

Thursday, February 05, 2009

Religion vs Relationship

Here are some thoughts culled from recent meetings together around the subject of religion and relationships.
  • Religion is me trying to build something to reach God. Relationship is God pulling me into fellowship with himself.
  • Religion uses hype, PR and strategic marketing to grow in numbers. Relationship uses humility, truth and divine wisdom to grow in love.
  • Religion is obsessed with what people see on the outside. Relationship is passionate about what goes on in the heart.
  • Religion demands obedience. Relationship draws me with love.
  • Religion seeks to own and control people. Relationship seeks to love and set people free.
  • Religion uses guilt to manipulate others. Relationship extends grace to build-up others.
  • Religion loves to track numbers. Relationship values quality over quantity.
  • Religion is very concerned about being right. Relationship is very concerned about you.
  • Religion lectures. Relationship listens.
  • Religion attempts to speak for God. Relationship let's God speak for himself.
  • Religion teaches us to pray to God. Relationship teaches us to talk with God.
  • Religion is centered on man's work for God. Relationship is centered on God's work in us.
  • Religion is boring, overbearing, formal and stuffy. Relationship is intense, humbling, casual and messy.
Thanks to all the saints I meet with for these thoughts and insights.
What would you put in your list of Religion vs Relationship?

4 comments:

michial said...

A possible addition:

Religion draws us from hearth and home to forge new and otherwise un natural relationships. Relationship teaches us to love our neighbors as ourselves.

renee @ FIMBY said...

wow, what an amazing synthesis of all we've been talking about lately, but not really talking about. How did you manage to draw all that out from our gatherings? We've talked and lived what you've written but never in so many words. I really like what you've written here.

Anonymous said...

Great post Bob! I loved this, you really do have a way of distilling something down to it's essence!

Dan Allen said...

... religion gives rules, relationship gives love ...