Churchgoer & non-church goer (Both Christians)
When I write this I am not speaking from personal experience directly but through the observations and stories of many in which I choose to consolidate and summarize all of it here. I have had this on my mind for months, and I guess I decided to write it now (gee ya think?)
Now you get this debate going on for decades in people complaining about problems within a church. What I want to attempt here is try to show you two sides of the coin in which the end goal in my opinion should be simple nonetheless not necessarily easy.
I have friends who get frustrated and pissed when they hear people "dissing" the church for they understand that is not right. On the other hand, I have friends whose lives have been pacified, neutralized , ruined by the church and eventually seeking Christ in other areas. So now both sides are not off the hook here. Let us begin with the latter.
When someone criticize the church and all it's wrong doings, claiming things like, they are judgmental, self-righteous, quick to criticize other people. Even having theological differences. Christianity is most salient for these characteristics they say. I would usually turn the tables around for them and ask whether they are doing the same thing if all they do is just talk bad about the church but do nothing. Isn't it self-righteous to imply that the church is as such and most likely you are not? My take it makes no difference then if that is all the conversation is going to be. It is not birthed out of loved but bitterness.
At the same time, I do get those who are generally concerned for the growth of the church. Generally curious of how the church functions. When they find a church not in line with the scripture, they start to question. Some do it verbally, some with wisdom write letters not to mock or criticize but to gently rebuke, to ask for clarifications of their misunderstandings on how things are. They have no ill intent. Meet up with their leaders and their leaders just ignore them. Shove them aside. Label them as the troublesome one. Because the leader has more experience, the leader is older, much more knowledgeable. All in all we come from the generation who challenges authority they say. Which does not even help at all.
Then there is the churchgoer group. Who sees this and gets pissed. A valid reason to get piss I guess. Someone is dissing church. But then I ask, when we bring up, what is your first disposition? To defend or to listen? Sometimes the issues brought up are so real. It affected their lives, but probably not yours. These churchgoers probably had a smooth transition in church. They were able to fit into the church mold easily. Submit to authority easily without question.
At the same time. Valid to get frustrated because "Gee, I did not know there were suppose to be a perfect church without people who are critical, hypocrites, and self-righteous". C'mon leave the church then and come back and tell me when you find that ideal church. We live in a fallen world, a world dominated by sin. But when Christ died for us, he has began establishing his Kingdom here on Earth preparing it before His second coming. If the Gospel truly compels us, it is in spite of their imperfections within church that you choose to love, choose to encourage and trust in Christ sanctification in us. To be able to trust God in spite of all that, amidst the chaos, and politics. To abide in the Him the true vine. The church is a body of Christ. one lone Christian won't function by itself. Save 'what the church is' for another time lah kay =)
To conclude, what then marks us as Christians?
John 13:34-35 " A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 17:21-23 "that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me."
To be able to embody grace and truth amidst the fallen world. I mean, in Romans 8 it also says that even with the Holy Spirit we still groan waiting eagerly for our full redemption. (Read the whole of Romans 8 please =P). Practice wisdom from God in all we do. Peace out.
Now my conclusions are not how you say perfect. I am just some young kid sharing my thoughts. I am in no position to say what is right or wrong. But I would like to show what I observe and see.
Now you get this debate going on for decades in people complaining about problems within a church. What I want to attempt here is try to show you two sides of the coin in which the end goal in my opinion should be simple nonetheless not necessarily easy.
I have friends who get frustrated and pissed when they hear people "dissing" the church for they understand that is not right. On the other hand, I have friends whose lives have been pacified, neutralized , ruined by the church and eventually seeking Christ in other areas. So now both sides are not off the hook here. Let us begin with the latter.
When someone criticize the church and all it's wrong doings, claiming things like, they are judgmental, self-righteous, quick to criticize other people. Even having theological differences. Christianity is most salient for these characteristics they say. I would usually turn the tables around for them and ask whether they are doing the same thing if all they do is just talk bad about the church but do nothing. Isn't it self-righteous to imply that the church is as such and most likely you are not? My take it makes no difference then if that is all the conversation is going to be. It is not birthed out of loved but bitterness.
At the same time, I do get those who are generally concerned for the growth of the church. Generally curious of how the church functions. When they find a church not in line with the scripture, they start to question. Some do it verbally, some with wisdom write letters not to mock or criticize but to gently rebuke, to ask for clarifications of their misunderstandings on how things are. They have no ill intent. Meet up with their leaders and their leaders just ignore them. Shove them aside. Label them as the troublesome one. Because the leader has more experience, the leader is older, much more knowledgeable. All in all we come from the generation who challenges authority they say. Which does not even help at all.
Then there is the churchgoer group. Who sees this and gets pissed. A valid reason to get piss I guess. Someone is dissing church. But then I ask, when we bring up, what is your first disposition? To defend or to listen? Sometimes the issues brought up are so real. It affected their lives, but probably not yours. These churchgoers probably had a smooth transition in church. They were able to fit into the church mold easily. Submit to authority easily without question.
At the same time. Valid to get frustrated because "Gee, I did not know there were suppose to be a perfect church without people who are critical, hypocrites, and self-righteous". C'mon leave the church then and come back and tell me when you find that ideal church. We live in a fallen world, a world dominated by sin. But when Christ died for us, he has began establishing his Kingdom here on Earth preparing it before His second coming. If the Gospel truly compels us, it is in spite of their imperfections within church that you choose to love, choose to encourage and trust in Christ sanctification in us. To be able to trust God in spite of all that, amidst the chaos, and politics. To abide in the Him the true vine. The church is a body of Christ. one lone Christian won't function by itself. Save 'what the church is' for another time lah kay =)
To conclude, what then marks us as Christians?
John 13:34-35 " A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 17:21-23 "that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me."
To be able to embody grace and truth amidst the fallen world. I mean, in Romans 8 it also says that even with the Holy Spirit we still groan waiting eagerly for our full redemption. (Read the whole of Romans 8 please =P). Practice wisdom from God in all we do. Peace out.
Now my conclusions are not how you say perfect. I am just some young kid sharing my thoughts. I am in no position to say what is right or wrong. But I would like to show what I observe and see.
nice :) thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome =) Glad it was a good read for you.
ReplyDelete