When the Real Jesus Ruins You for Religion
“If we do not have the Spirit of God, it were better to shut the churches, to nail up the doors, to put a black cross on them, and say, ‘God have mercy on us!” ~Charles Spurgeon
If Jesus Isn’t In It, I’m Not Interested
I have reached a place in my walk where I can say this without apology: if Jesus is not in it, I am not interested.
If He is not the center, I do not need the platform.
If He is not being exalted, I do not need the invitation.
If He is not being honored, I do not need the applause.
If His presence is not welcomed, I do not need the room.
Christ must be center stage.
Not the preacher.
Not the personality.
Not the movement.
Not the brand.
Not the building.
Not the denomination.
Not the religious machine.
Jesus.
The One crucified.
The One risen.
The One seated at the right hand of the Father.
The One whose eyes are like flames of fire.
The One whose voice still calls men out of darkness and into the Kingdom of His glorious light.
“The Church right now has more fashion than passion, is more pathetic than prophetic, is more superficial than supernatural.” ~Leonard Ravenhill
I spent too many years inside the religious system to be impressed by religious performance. I have seen enough church activity without Kingdom authority. I have heard enough sermons that mention Jesus but never surrender the room to Him. I have watched enough religious machinery keep moving while the presence of the Lord was standing outside the door knocking.
Then in 2016, my life was turned upside down.
I did not simply have a better church experience.
I did not simply learn a new theological concept.
I did not simply get excited about ministry again.
I encountered Jesus.
Not the polished American version.
Not the convenient version.
Not the marketable version.
Not the manageable version.
Not the version shaped by culture, politics, religion, or seeker-sensitive comfort.
I encountered the real Jesus.
The Jesus the Bible reveals.
The Jesus the prophets pointed toward.
The Jesus the apostles preached.
The Jesus demons trembled before.
The Jesus who rebuked religious hypocrisy, healed the broken, delivered the bound, cleansed the leper, overturned tables, called disciples, confronted systems, and announced the arrival of the Kingdom of God.
That encounter ruined me for anything less.
It ruined me for dead religion.
It ruined me for powerless Christianity.
It ruined me for celebrity ministry.
It ruined me for performance without presence.
It ruined me for platforms that celebrate man while treating Jesus like a sermon accessory.
“So many people get happy and blessed when they’re in an association or fellowship… [but] they’ve ‘lived on meetings’ instead of ‘living on Christ.’ ~Leonard Ravenhill
Beloved, Jesus is not a topic.
He is Lord.
He is not an add-on to our ministry plans.
He is not a brand enhancer.
He is not a religious slogan.
He is not a Sunday morning decoration.
He is not the mascot of American Christianity.
He is King.
And if the Church is going to be restored to Kingdom power, Jesus must be brought back to the center. Not verbally. Not symbolically. Not as a theological statement buried on a website.
Center stage.
Celebrated.
Exalted.
Obeyed.
Feared.
Loved.
Followed.
Preached.
Honored.
Enthroned.
The Remnant is not rising to build another religious empire. The Remnant is rising because the real Jesus is calling His people back to Himself. He is calling us out of mixture, out of compromise, out of man-centered ministry, out of religious ambition, and back into the fire of first love.
So let me say it again:
If Jesus is not in it, I am not interested.
Because once you encounter the real Jesus, nothing else can satisfy.
Stay tuned, the journey continues…..
— Dr. Russell Welch
Dr. Russell Welch is a published author, prophetic teacher, apostolic builder, author, and founder of faith-driven publishing and media initiatives. He is known for crafting bold, Kingdom-centered messages that call the Ecclesia into maturity, doctrinal clarity, and governmental authority. With a passion for equipping the Remnant and honoring generational legacy, Dr. Welch writes and teaches at the intersection of Scripture, history, and spiritual governance, challenging believers to live as sons and daughters who legislate Heaven on earth through truth, holiness, and unwavering fidelity to Christ.
Be sure to check out his book: Restoring God’s Watchmen: Modern-day Jeremiah’s walking in the authority & power of His Glory, available exclusively on Amazon … here
Radical Disciples - A Remnant Revolution 