Crossroads At the Way and Churchianity

by Jesse Steele

becoming acquainted with people in order to understand them. We can’t grow to know people or their fellowships in the Body of Christ through books and critical work. It takes time and dialog. This is my way of sharing their fellowship with you. People misunderstood me as I chose to drive the miles, rather than occupying the same pew every week. Writing this was not my intent in doing so, however. I was originally driven by unexplained passion for unity in Christ’s Body. But, afterward, everyone seemed so fascinating that I felt the unction to at least try and introduce you to each other. Perhaps, some day, others might do something similar and knowing each other won’t seem so strange.

  Credit is owed to an elderly and wise, gold-haired saint, Helen, who has prayed for revival in her community with relentless perseverance. It was she who invented the word “Churchianity” in a love-based outburst as she grasped for words to describe what, she felt, kept Christians from being where the Lord called us to be, two thousand years ago. I think she was right.

  It was a friend in college who supplied the word for Act I: Bapticost.

  “I am a Bapticostal. While I’m conservative in my communication of the gospel, there is nothing the Holy Spirit has to offer that I’m not willing to yield myself to.”

  – Anonymous

  Epilogue

  Carl: Helen, it’s been a long time.

  Helen: Hank’s told me a lot about you.

  Carl: Yeah, ever since I retired and started the next phase, we developed quite the friendship.

  Helen: He’s a good young man.

  Carl: What do you think about all those ideas from the people he talked to?

  Helen: It’s just as I told him. God does a new work every day. It’s not just new in every generation, but constantly. Don’t get stuck in any system. I’ve watched so many good ideas come and go. But God’s still in all of it—He is the only one who never changes.

  Carl: So, even though you’re, well…

  Helen: I’m eighty-four.

  Carl: …you can accept new ideas?

  Helen: Not about the eternal truth, Heavens no! But day to day stuff? Sure. Don’t get too attached to your socks, they’ll smell by the end of the day.

  Carl: When you put it like that…

  Helen: I’ll tell you—and I’ve seen it all—but I’m convinced He’s about to do something way bigger than before.

  Carl: Do you think we’ll see revival in our day? I mean, do you think it could all happen?

  Helen: Oh, I’ve seen many revivals, and my grandfather talked about the ones before that.

  Carl: What were they like?

  Helen: Well, they always begin with just a few people who keep praying. That’s why I walk all up and down the streets, asking God to just come down and bless us. I know it won’t be easy because the people don’t want it. But, well… somebody’s got to pray. So, I didn’t argue with Him. I just obeyed. The rest is up to Him.

  Carl: Is that how it happened before?

  Helen: Oh yeah. Speakers would come through and stop by our little town on their way up North. The crowds would gather and so many people got saved. Goodness, even the workers stopped cussing from one story. Their mules only knew commands with cuss words. The workers stopped cussing and so they couldn’t get the mules to work… It didn’t make the local businessmen happy. That’s for sure.

  Carl: People oppose revival?

  Helen: Oh, of course they do! It upsets the apple cart. Even some religious people, as well as government.

  Carl: Government?

  Helen: One church in the city nearby had revival meetings that went late into the night. I played organ. I thought, “Hey, that’s my music you’re complaining about!” The city shut it down. Something about a Sound Ordinance or something. Anyhow, people shouldn’t be sleeping, they should be praising. Maybe they have to go to work the next day. Anyhow, that was only the beginning, though.

  Carl: The Sound Ordinance couldn’t stop God’s revival, eh?

  Helen: Are you kidding? No ordinance could get in God’s way. The church leaders decided to have the meetings here in our little town. That’s when it really got started. We met in the park. But, after a few years, it seemed to just fade away and that was it. But, boy, I’ll tell you. God sure worked while it was happening. And you could see it in the happiness that people took to their homes and families and jobs. Jesus wasn’t just alive in the church… goodness! We met outside! He was working everywhere.

  Carl: But you keep praying. Do you think it will happen again?

  Helen: Oh, yes, dear. I know it will. This time it’s gonna’ be really big too. I don’t know when, exactly, but it’ll be soon. God’s already working among the people. I’ve prayed and prayed in my own city. I stay involved in my own church also.

  Carl: Are they listening? I mean, do the people here care?

  Helen: Well, it’s hard. They don’t always want to. It’s frustrating sometimes.

  Carl: What is?

  Helen: Oh… one leader has his luncheon with the businessmen, but they don’t really do anything. They won’t even cancel their lunch for a prayer meeting. We have to pray if we want to see revival. Then there’s the choir, they don’t even talk much about the danger of sin in Sunday School anymore. I said, “Why even teach the kids if you’ll sit by and let them destroy their lives with sin?” Oh, dear me. She didn’t like that. It really irks me. They just don’t see what God wants to do.

  Carl: What keeps them from it?

  Helen: They think that their programs and activities can change the world without praying first. They’d be so much more effective if they’d add “oil” if you know what I mean. But they are so stuck in their Churchianity that they don’t see the blessings Jesus has for them! So, finally, I just left one place. Now God has me somewhere different.

  Carl: And it looks like Hank did something similar.

  Helen: Well, God will bring all of us together again, at least if we want Him to, that is. He’ll let anyone into Heaven who can stand it.

  Carl: Could God make all these changes happen? I mean, it’s a lot of shake-up for the old systems. People don’t like change.

  Helen: You can’t do it, but God can. Watch… God will do it by putting a new kind of emptiness in the hearts of His people. They’ll be discontent, somehow, but they won’t know why… when, actually, they’re just hungry for the next thing God wants to do. That’s how He often makes a big change among his people. I’m old enough to have seen it more than once. But you boys are young. Me, I don’t know if I’ll live to see this one. I saw two revival seasons in my day and that was just after another big one with Moody and Whales and those guys. You’ll see it. Just don’t forget to pray. That’s where it begins.

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  Permission for theatrical dramatization of all or any part of this work is granted by meeting each and every of the five following criteria: 1. that actors and/or the presenting organization possess one legally owned publication (both eBook and paper versions accepted) of this work per person actually performing a role, 2. that no admission is charged for the event in excess of $5 per person, or more in the case of fundraisers, 3. that any and all scenes be performed each in their entirety, except in the case of talent shows where the performance is introduced as “…an excerpt from Crossroads At the Way and Churchianity by Jesse Steele” 4. that no performance demonstrate, imply, or suggest a purpose of disrespect or satire of the work itself, and 5. that some form of credit is given to the title and author of this book for the understanding of the audience, with proper spelling where printed, such as, “…presents: Crossroads At the Way and Churchianity, by Jesse Steele.” Obvious room for reasonable artistic license is expected, but must not misconstrue the intent of the author. Home videos of such events are permissible and in-house recording may be used for the purpose of showing excerpts in a “best of” review within the presenting organization, but no video, audio, or other reproduction of such theatrical displays of this work may be redistributed
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  About the Author

  Jesse Steele was born and raised in west-central Michigan. After graduating from Reed City High School, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies from the Moody Bible Institute.

  He favors informative and provocative authors like C. S. Lewis, Robert Kiyosaki, and Malcolm Gladwell. He enjoys golf, fishing, swimming, aggressive skating, free running, Kung Fu, reading, writing, music, art, language, Bible study, traveling, and occasionally attending conferences.

  He enjoys time with friends over coffee and often banters about trends in music composition, business, politics, culture, web programming, online gaming, art, and the Church.

  He blogs at JesseSteele.com, occasionally teaches writing and piano, and owns various brands.

  Poetry is code.™

  Email: books@jessesteele.com

  Other Books by Jesse Steele

  Crossroads At the Day of Bapticost (Act I)

  The People's Party: A Blueprint for American Political Revival

  Clergy Don’t Shepherd: God 101

  Game On: A Christian Strategy Guide for Noobs

  The Four Planes

  Memoirs of Ophannin

  Monkeys in the Jungle: Why Some Trees Just Won't Grow

  21

  The End: A Bible Translation of John’s Revelation