HarleyLady can certainly answer this question directed specifically to her, but let me add my own 2 cents' worth as well.
If there is any "middle man" "standing between" myself and God, it is the Man Jesus Christ.
The Church was founded by Christ. It is the Body of Christ. It has lived on in Him in all the continents and and myriads of cultures, through all the vicissitudes of history for 20+ centuries, on her pilgrim way with Christ (since Christ said "I am the Way.") He could no more be separated from the Church than He could be separated from His Body, His beloved, His bride.
Yes I know that. But the church inserts itself these days. It isn;t simply a transparent conduit.
Serious question. Not to you in the personal sense but to people of faith overall.
When you have an organized group telling you that 2000 years of doctrine no longer apply and it’s no OK to be gay, that divorce is no biggie and all the things that have been done throughout traditional christian denominations in the last couple years alone, is it likely those changes are made by God or by a group of men with a political agenda.
And if they are being made by men and not God, then Biblically what are we called on to do?
I know of no instance of the Bible teaching us to follow the ways of man over the written word of God. So how can we do anything, and retain our faith, other than flatly those who bastardize Gods word?
Edit: Other than flatly REJECT
AMEN Mrs. Don-o....!!! Thank You....