I agree with you pretty much on everything you said. I do think you can have both but that has to be the key. To your point, Peter, Paul, James and John had a personal relationship with Jesus. That is still true today and we are invited by Him to have that personal relationship. Once we do, we begin to live out our faith in thoughts, words and actions and the “religion” part comes alive and not just things we do without really thinking about why we do them.

I would challenge a few points in this video. First, the “church” was established by the likes of Peter, Paul, James and John those who knew Jesus personally. Secondly most of the works of charity in our country (Matthew 25: 35-46) were started by “Religious” organizations. Our education system and our health care that we have today was because of a church.

I would like to think that one can have both and they are not diametrically opposed. My experience tells me that is the case. Sometimes people often think that if someone goes to a traditional church on Sunday that they live like the devil the rest of the week.

So while I agree that there is a difference between being a Christian and going to church (after all standing in your garage doesn’t make one a car), one is not the enemy of the other.

Just my opinion.