The Church That Hurts (Malevolent much?)
First of all I am not talking about The Church of Christ in which every one is part of. Second I am a Christian who attends church faithfully although no amount of church attendance will make me a better Christian. Third I am not talking about something new but rather a reminder with attemps to make it more relevant. Finally I am not dissing any church (But if it really really strikes a bad chord in you well....er....siapa makan cili dia yang rasa pedas lah ya). Ooh Ooh and another thing, this does not undermine the real reason and true value for having a church and going to one. So I am laying all the disclaimers down. Phew....
Before I continue, I am just sharing my thoughts. I am no expert in church administrating, church building, church growing. With my limited knowledge I decided to write this down because it has been weighing in my heart. I am ready to be corrected and rebuked. Ready to learn.
For the past two weeks I have been encoutering Christians who do not attend churches. People who would just want to avoid them all with different reasons. Now their reasons for not attending need not necessarily justify their actions but it definitely does legitly explain why they are not going to churches. Let us list a few. "there is just no discipleship and I am not growing", "It is all about how many people we can bring in and how many events we can organize", "We must subtly compete with one another to see how well we know the bible", "They have their cliques, and I do not belong", "They never seem to understand and always bang on my bad behaviour as a Christian" and it goes on from here.
I will just pick some of them to expound on but this is not the main reason for this post. This is just to lay down the premises for the main point. But basically one way or another in short what I have been hearing if I would summarize it all is "I have been hurt by the church". What is actually going on here? Now a few more disclaimers. Having events and bringing many people in church is not wrong in itself but when it becomes the focus then it is sooo offffff. When the focus becomes about statistics, numbers and events but not the people then you have missed the point. But if they were just as means to lead to disicpling then it becomes a good platform. Again I clarify, not all those who leave church have a good reason and many do miss the point about church. But today by God's grace I would like to address the struggles that a church face and how some may be going about it all wrong.
In short I find Christians me included....humans actually....are experts at people's weaknesses. Those who are able to "keep up" with the standard then to induce guilt and shame for those who fail to. Seriously. It is crippling the church. Since when the bible says "People will know you are my disciples by your ability to correct your members and how you perform as a Christian"? (Please no bible verse to show how we should do good I am well aware of those verses, not avoiding them I do not want to be long winded). Gosh I am trying to make this as short as possible but oh wells.
Everybody is created differently with different temperaments. I get that. Some can show grace easier than others. Some are more forgiving but some are more strict. Sure. Everyone has they place in the church. I do not know specifically each and every one of their back stories to why they are as such. But here is the truth of the Gospel. The gospel saves us from our sin and is still saving us. God forgave not just our past and present sins but the future ones as well. So we all can agree that we are not where we want to be and God is more interested in the journey there and in our trust in Him. As I have learnt progressive sanctification. Having that in mind though, shouldn't this make us gracious to one another? I have come to learn that it is an evil thing to be experts in our brother and sister's weakenesses. Don't we all have them (Weaknesses)? Think about it. Wouldn't it just get on your nerve if I am your friend and all I do is just watch you closely if you fail and when you do I bring it up.
Christians should be experts in the strengths of their brothers and sisters. The truth of the gospel is this, we still need to pursue Christ for holiness and righteousness as we fail. continuing to trust in Him to sanctify us. At the same time have the freedom and ability to rest in the finish work of Christ. I do not know what to call it. A paradox perhaps, lack for a better word. God sees us clearly in all our weaknesses so there is nothing you can surprise him with and we are all different stages in our growth. So shouldn't that create the understanding and the avenue that would allow us knowing the gospel to be more gracious? I am not saying let those who have been wronged stay wronged and those who commit error continue doing so. But to pursue a brother or sister in christ with such love that you show them their errors with grace. Not to push them deeper into guilt and shame because they did not attend church or does not know the bible so well as you do. Don't you think so are wronging them for casting such subtle standards on them?
In short, the church will always have their struggles. Yes there will be wrong doings, yes there will be corruption, yes at times the church will lose focus, wrong teachings, etc. Because the body of Christ compromises of humans. Gosh it is bound to happen. But what makes the church strong is not the numbers, performance or even resources. What makes a church strong is as simple as, the people understanding that they were sinners saved by grace, that the Father in heaven had such a volume of love to send his only son to die for the sins of the world so that He could reconcile his creation back to Him with such unconditional love and that their response is to repent, believe and make disicples of all nations. Because in there automatically creates the avenue to grace and mercy to abound even more understanding their position in Christ in which to love one another as Christ have loved them and to remain in the true vine, their treasure, the complete joy. And in there, you know your role as a creature toward the creator which then flows out toward other creatures. And in there shows that we are no different from one another. Different personalities, backgrounds, and struggles but all sinners in need of God's grace.
Now I do realize the pockets of points I may have left out compromising for the sake of the length of this blogpost. If you would like I'd be happy to either write a new one about it or discuss it further wherever =P. Peace out.
Before I continue, I am just sharing my thoughts. I am no expert in church administrating, church building, church growing. With my limited knowledge I decided to write this down because it has been weighing in my heart. I am ready to be corrected and rebuked. Ready to learn.
For the past two weeks I have been encoutering Christians who do not attend churches. People who would just want to avoid them all with different reasons. Now their reasons for not attending need not necessarily justify their actions but it definitely does legitly explain why they are not going to churches. Let us list a few. "there is just no discipleship and I am not growing", "It is all about how many people we can bring in and how many events we can organize", "We must subtly compete with one another to see how well we know the bible", "They have their cliques, and I do not belong", "They never seem to understand and always bang on my bad behaviour as a Christian" and it goes on from here.
I will just pick some of them to expound on but this is not the main reason for this post. This is just to lay down the premises for the main point. But basically one way or another in short what I have been hearing if I would summarize it all is "I have been hurt by the church". What is actually going on here? Now a few more disclaimers. Having events and bringing many people in church is not wrong in itself but when it becomes the focus then it is sooo offffff. When the focus becomes about statistics, numbers and events but not the people then you have missed the point. But if they were just as means to lead to disicpling then it becomes a good platform. Again I clarify, not all those who leave church have a good reason and many do miss the point about church. But today by God's grace I would like to address the struggles that a church face and how some may be going about it all wrong.
In short I find Christians me included....humans actually....are experts at people's weaknesses. Those who are able to "keep up" with the standard then to induce guilt and shame for those who fail to. Seriously. It is crippling the church. Since when the bible says "People will know you are my disciples by your ability to correct your members and how you perform as a Christian"? (Please no bible verse to show how we should do good I am well aware of those verses, not avoiding them I do not want to be long winded). Gosh I am trying to make this as short as possible but oh wells.
Everybody is created differently with different temperaments. I get that. Some can show grace easier than others. Some are more forgiving but some are more strict. Sure. Everyone has they place in the church. I do not know specifically each and every one of their back stories to why they are as such. But here is the truth of the Gospel. The gospel saves us from our sin and is still saving us. God forgave not just our past and present sins but the future ones as well. So we all can agree that we are not where we want to be and God is more interested in the journey there and in our trust in Him. As I have learnt progressive sanctification. Having that in mind though, shouldn't this make us gracious to one another? I have come to learn that it is an evil thing to be experts in our brother and sister's weakenesses. Don't we all have them (Weaknesses)? Think about it. Wouldn't it just get on your nerve if I am your friend and all I do is just watch you closely if you fail and when you do I bring it up.
Christians should be experts in the strengths of their brothers and sisters. The truth of the gospel is this, we still need to pursue Christ for holiness and righteousness as we fail. continuing to trust in Him to sanctify us. At the same time have the freedom and ability to rest in the finish work of Christ. I do not know what to call it. A paradox perhaps, lack for a better word. God sees us clearly in all our weaknesses so there is nothing you can surprise him with and we are all different stages in our growth. So shouldn't that create the understanding and the avenue that would allow us knowing the gospel to be more gracious? I am not saying let those who have been wronged stay wronged and those who commit error continue doing so. But to pursue a brother or sister in christ with such love that you show them their errors with grace. Not to push them deeper into guilt and shame because they did not attend church or does not know the bible so well as you do. Don't you think so are wronging them for casting such subtle standards on them?
In short, the church will always have their struggles. Yes there will be wrong doings, yes there will be corruption, yes at times the church will lose focus, wrong teachings, etc. Because the body of Christ compromises of humans. Gosh it is bound to happen. But what makes the church strong is not the numbers, performance or even resources. What makes a church strong is as simple as, the people understanding that they were sinners saved by grace, that the Father in heaven had such a volume of love to send his only son to die for the sins of the world so that He could reconcile his creation back to Him with such unconditional love and that their response is to repent, believe and make disicples of all nations. Because in there automatically creates the avenue to grace and mercy to abound even more understanding their position in Christ in which to love one another as Christ have loved them and to remain in the true vine, their treasure, the complete joy. And in there, you know your role as a creature toward the creator which then flows out toward other creatures. And in there shows that we are no different from one another. Different personalities, backgrounds, and struggles but all sinners in need of God's grace.
Now I do realize the pockets of points I may have left out compromising for the sake of the length of this blogpost. If you would like I'd be happy to either write a new one about it or discuss it further wherever =P. Peace out.
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