Your church's doctrine is pure.

In fact, the pride of your church is in their precision, in their doctrinal rigidity.

Not a rigidity like the frame of a house, that which provides the necessary support for the materials to construct where your family might grow and thrive.

No.

This rigidity is a point of pride. We are the purest church in our city.

We do this right. You're done being fed the milk of weak, inconsistent, and milk-toast doctrine.

You're here for the meat. At first, this excited you.

The promise of a system of doctrine, the system of church government, the strength of the lead pastor, and a clarity of tradition gave you firm ground to stand upon.

This Christianity, this church has muscle.

My church can beat up your church,

theologically, that is.

It becomes a point of pride for the community,

streaming from the lips of leadership.

But you begin noticing after time that this rigidity has slowly

and methodically began seeping into every area of your life.

It began slow, innocuous, until you realized every aspect of your life is now under their rigid control.

Things that began as opinions that we can all differ on, to suggestions that are good to follow,

to recommendations that are strongly delivered, to requirements that you can't disagree with,

to commandments that hold your life in the balance.

You are suffocating under the pressure.

And you can't recall when the grip started tightening.

Everyone you know is part of this community, so you can't be sure there's anyone safe to speak to.

...