Goodbye Religion
Written by Joyce Jo
I’ve always felt a stronger connection to the older son in the parable of the prodigal son. I think it is the orphan I see in the older son that speaks to the orphan I had in me. Not a physical orphan, but a spiritual one. Growing up as a PK in the Korean American church, I’ve always had enough fear of the Lord to stay away from the “major” sins in life, but I never knew the love of my Father that would actually transform me. I knew religion, but I didn’t know Jesus. I never “left my Father’s house” but I lived in it as if I were a slave, not a “son”.
The Korean church often emphasizes obedience as the highest virtue. Obedience was drilled into me as a Christian, and it was not until I actually met Jesus later on that I realized this form of obedience was fear-based, not love-driven. I was preached to obey the rules because that’s what a good Christian does, especially a Korean Christian. Religion demanded obedience yet I was still an orphan. Religion taught me of God, but never introduced me to Him. It never taught me of my true identity in Christ yet demanded of me what should have been a natural response of a much loved child. Religion kept me from the very Person that had (and still has) the power to save and transform me – my Father.
It’s funny how when you get set free from the bondage of religion and experience the inheritance you have in Christ as an heir in His family, you do things for Him out of love that you would have never done out of mere duty. And sometimes obedience to Jesus can look like rebellion to the religious, but that doesn’t matter anymore because their opinions neither make nor break you. Who the Son sets free is free indeed!
I still believe in the Church. I have much hope for the Korean Church. Though religion has stripped her of her beauty in many ways, I believe the awakening has already begun. Prisoners are being set free from the grip of religion, and we know how to dance and feast in the house of our Father.
Joyce Jo was born in Korea and moved to the States in 4th grade. Growing up as a PK, she has seen both the beauty and the messiness of the Church. One of her passions in life is to introduce Jesus to those who are "churched". She currently serves in ministry in Baltimore, MD, as well as working full time as a K-12 music teacher. She is moving to Charlotte, NC, this summer to continue her passion in teaching while being trained through the Altar Global School of Ministry program.