Stop Going to Church: What to Do When the Most Spiritual Thing You Can Do Is … Not Go to Church

By John P. Nappo

EXHILARATINGthat's the word that comes to mind whenever we have the chance to experience the highest roller coaster or hook into the biggest fish out on the ocean. It is the feeling of the challenge, the opportunity to do something, perhaps for the first time or the last time on earth. This book is designed to make you feel excited again about your walk with the Lord Jesus and your work in His kingdom on this earth.

Until this point, you may have been going through the motions (like being on a merry-go-round), moving but not really going anywhere. Or maybe you jumped off the ride a long time ago. Stop Going to Church will move you out into the open streams again, where God can use you to do something amazing for Him, before your ride is over.

Every one of us wants to leave a mark on this world. Each of us wants to know that what we have built with our lives will change people long after we leave. God wants to use us to do just that. But that simply won't happen if all we do is walk where everyone has walked. Your special ministry awaits you. Step out in faith, and let God do something really unique with your life. Trust Himtake the challenge and let this book get you moving in that direction!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 10, 2011
• ISBN: 9781449720728

John P. Nappo

John Nappo has ministered in a variety of states, church sizes, mission efforts, and staff sizes, with teens, children, and adults of all ages. He has moved churches from the drowning traditions of stagnation to a growing and outreach-minded focus. He brings to the forefront the challenges that face us as Christians living in the twenty-first century. John and Tricia Nappo presently live in New Bern, North Carolina, where they have started an outreach ministry in downtown, called Journey ‘The Christian Walk’. Journey is a coffee house ministry to the homeless and needy people in the community. They have four awesome children who are growing up to love the Lord and serve Him in their own way. The oldest is married to a great young man, their son lives and works in South Carolina. The third child is in college, and the fourth is finishing up high school. Tricia works in the Emergency Room at the local hospital as a secretary and John coaches, officiates sports, mentors young people, runs the café during the week, Oh Yea…and preaches/teaches each week.

Book preview

Contents

Introduction

Truth #1   Coming or Being!

Truth #2   Will the ‘Real’ Christian’s please stand up!

Truth #3   What ever happened to – I was hungry?

Truth #4   See God For Who He Is & Take Life As It Unfolds!

Truth #5   Stop going! And Start going! – Re-Thinking what’s going on!

Conclusion

NOW THAT MOST INTERESTING BIO INFO ABOUT THIS CAPPUCCINO GUY….

TRUTH #1

‘Coming or Being’ -Most of my life -I am guilty -Horrible thinking -The biblical church -Jesus never said -Jesus among the people -What church -The plot to sidetrack -Evaluate your step -The church is always present -Its just a shadow -A good Equation

TRUTH #2

‘Will the Real Christian’s Please Stand Up’

-True Christianity begins with Jesus -Jesus is all about F-S-C -his example=our pattern -Jesus a rebel? -The year that could change your life -The World is Sick of our Model -The Never Standing still Jesus -Just Raw Faith in Action -Church is a Verb

TRUTH #3

‘Whatever happened to –I was hungry ?

-Humbly Slave -You Gave me Something -True Religion

-Confused Christianity -Fresh Bread

TRUTH #4

‘See God for who He is and take life as it comes’

-Its easier to Follow the God of Yesterday -Education

-Hardness of Heart -God along the journey -Don’t Force the Future=let it unfold -2-Great Thoughts

TRUTH #5

‘Stop going & Start going’

-Gathering has its Purpose -It’s Time to BE -Jesus Now -The World awaits –Earn It -Change your Stink’n Think’n -Remain True -Your Lost Neighbor Deserves the Real Jesus

A quick explanation for the writing of this book…

This book is not about forsaking the assembly of the saints as some have already concluded based on the title. It’s not about flying solo with the Lord and dis-associating oneself from other believers. And this book is not about rebelling against every organized form of religious activity that we have established….

It is about following Jesus first and going where He leads, even if that means swimming against the currents of this world, including the religious ones… especially the religious ones…

MY hope in spending most of my life serving the Lord in His ministry & then the last 3 or 4 years putting this account into writing – is that we, the serious students of the Lord - will be challenged to consider & reconsider…over and over again…. what we as ‘the church’ have become since that day when Jesus left us with HIS baton!

‘His Mission on earth’

There are 3 little Greeks that could be used to sum up this entire book, they are:

ouß & agrupneo & blepo

ouß – means ‘ears’ (it’s used 35 times in the NT) as in, "he who has ears to hear, let him hear

agrupneo – means ‘watch’ (used 4 times in the NT) as in, keep alert, keep watch

blepo – means ‘careful’ (used 116 times in the NT) as in, each one should be careful how he builds.

THE GOAL OF THIS BOOK

IS TO HELP US ALL

‘KEEP WATCH’

STOP ‘GOING’ TO CHURCH!

What to do when… The most spiritual thing you could do is ‘Not’ go to Church?

A really cool story is told about a man by the name of Alexander. Alexander was one of the greatest Grecian Kings to ever have ruled on the earth. A young soldier who was in Alexander’s military force was brought into the presence of the great king for his, less than courageous behavior. The young man stood frantically before the powerful ruler and shook rather nervously.

The king said to the young man, Son, what is your name? The young man barely got out his name in a humble, whisper, Alexander sir. Again with great power, the ruler said to the young soldier,what is your name? The young man again spoke his name, Alexander, sir. The king then said to the young man, Your name is Alexander? Son, you either change your behavior or change your name.

I really like that story, and here’s why, it holds a deep and special truth for us as children of God. When you and I claim to be followers, believers and servants of the, Most High God, we had better do allot of evaluating as we go. If we are going to claim to represent the King of Kings and Lord of all Creation and if we’re going to claim to have received the baton of this faith from Jesus himself and attempt to continue the work that he began on this earth; then we best be sure we are in line with both His mind and His plan and nothing else!

I Cor. 12:27 Now you are the body of Christ and each one of you is part of it.

Introduction

If being in a coffee shop makes you a cup of coffee then I’m a Cappuccino.

It’s a cool December morning of 2006 and Christmas Day is history. As I sit in this coffee shop in New Bern, North Carolina, I have to admit that I’m struggling with this book that the Lord has laid on my heart. I’m fearful of what I might say here while at the same time, thrilled with the chance to mess with our thinking. I am beginning this work not really knowing when it will be finished or if it ever will be finished. Somehow I get this weird feeling that this subject will be a battle and struggle for me till the day I die.

If you’re sitting there, thinking to yourself who is this cappuccino guy? And what makes him think that he has the right to address this topic then you can check out my bio. in the final section of this book.

(If that’s not a big deal to you then feel free to read on)

There are so many truths that I have come to see as I move though the waters of Christianity and the Church ‘as we know it’ (a key thought in this book).

Leonard Sweet in his book, Aqua Church says,

Our goal in the church must go beyond surviving to thriving in this new culture. We must provide Jesus’ message in forms and languages people in today’s culture can understand and embrace. We must develop ministries that continually adjust and change with our continually changing culture. And we must be about leading people to the source of Living Water.

There are many questions and struggles that I have dealt with and continue to battle with along this journey. In this book I have tried to bring them together to say to all of us…

I think it’s time to wake up! It’s time for us to take a second or third look around us and rethink what’s going on here –

Because if we do not, then the ‘Church’ (Big ’C’) of Jesus Christ will indeed, continue to move on without many of us; but the ‘church’ (little ‘c’) as we have made it, will become extinct and lost in the world.

A popular Christian band by the name of DC Talk, in one of their albums has a song, with a title that poses a question for each of us to ponder on. The song is titled, What have we become?

That’s a great question for us, as we consider our culture and the impact that the church should have in the world.

For me this is crucial to my soul!

I can’t sit still, I can’t just be a part of something that seems so contrary to the Life of Christ.

I have to take some kind of action and let what I’m seeing and have come to understand be known!

I have to take a stand - BUT I must say that I feel a little like John the Baptist in doing so.

Taking a quote from the latest Rocky Balboa movie-

Fighters Fight

Jesus called us to be fighters in a world of sin and oppression. He never said it would be easy.

At times the battle is against the ways of this world and the sin that entangles many of us, that sin that intrudes upon the ways of our Creator!

But on other fronts the battle is in direct line with those who claim to be on the inside.

…those, who like the Pharisee’s, continue to lay heavy burdens on both, the confused people of this world (the seekers of truth) as well as its own members. Isn’t this exactly what Jesus battled against?

Religious roadblocks and church crimes against those who were desperately trying to find their purpose, direction and hope somewhere out there.

To all of us Jesus is still the only answer!

That’s still the good news!!

To those who have not come to know him personally, He is still available and we must do all we can to bring His ways of love to those who have given up.

And to those who think they are safely inside the walls… It’s time to think again, Jesus is the wall crusher. It was Jesus who said things like; I am new wine and the old wineskins will not do.

and Paul said in Ephesians,

He is our peace, who has made the two one and destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.

Everything and I do mean everything… that has taken place in my life has brought me to this place. God has shown me great and wonderful things in this life and I hold to his promise for more great things to come.

The Church of Jesus is glorious and full of splendor, and that’s what we should desire for her to be. So take a look around at what you have become and what the church has become in this country. Are we really what Jesus began?

My job in this book is to challenge you, your understanding of faith and your idea of the church. My hope is that you will stop and think and make sure you’re in the battle and not a prisoner of it.

So let’s journey together as we take a look at some Spiritual Truths of why we should…

Stop

Going

to Church’

Truth #1 Coming or Being!

Truth #2 Will the real Christians please stand up!

Truth #3 Whatever happened to ‘I was hungry’?

Truth #4 Take God for who he is!

Truth #5 Stop going and start going!

…so what do ya do when you come to a green light?

Truth #1   Coming or Being!

Acts 17:24 The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.

Matt. 5:14 You are the light of the world, a city set on a hill cannot be hidden

Most of my life-

Like so many believers in the American Church System, I grew up saying things like, Are you going to church this Sunday, What church do you belong to, or better yet, why weren’t you at church today. Now on the surface these types of statements don’t seem all that odd, they seem to be fairly reasonable thoughts. They are inquiries into the whereabouts of a certain individual on a certain day and time. And like I said, we have used these phrases zillions of times. But there is a humungous problem with these kinds of statements. After years of observation and experiences, it seems evident to me that we have been mislead by a certain kind of thinking, in the church, that gauges spiritual depth and Christian maturity on the wrong things. We have been duped into measuring our relationship with God with a measuring stick that comes up short; it’s a matter of our priorities. Tony Campolo, in his book titled, ‘Who switched the Price Tags’, argues that the values of the world are not at all the values of God. The things that once were of great value to God and man-kind are seemingly worthless, because the enemy switched the price tags while we weren’t watching - BLIND-SIDED! You know what I mean, sucker punched, like a boxer looking for the right hook and ‘BAM’ he gets