Hello from my long-abandoned blog! I started studying in the Fall of 2016 and have given myself the time to focus on that. That is not to say thoughts aren’t stirring inside my head…..
Yesterday at lunch I asked my husband: ”Do you understand what I mean when I say that the Church is Jesus but that Jesus isn’t the Church?” He immediately knew what I mean. On this Earth, the Church is supposed to reflect Christ but to think that the Christ is exactly like the Church is a fatal mistake. (To clarify, when I say ’the Church’, I’m talking about the unification of all Christian churches out there. When I say ’a church’, I’m singling one out.)
Let me explain. When the Crusaders were killing people in God’s name, were they submitting to the will of God? No!! How do I know this? Because Jesus sent out Christians to the world to share the Good News -the news of His resurrection which led to the salvation of those who receive Him. What if the people don’t believe then? He did not say. At no point did He tell us to finish the non-believers!! We are to love, not to destroy.
When we mistake the Church as a perfect reflection of God in all His glory we are bound to be hugely disappointed. I do not feel the need to sugarcoat the fact that churches are made of imperfect, flawed people -people like you and me. I’ve seen plenty of people leave churches out of disappointment and never set foot in another. What saddens me, though, is not them walking away from churches but walking away from God altogether. Their bad experience of church leads them to think that all Christians are horrible and therefore God is horrible.
I get it! I’ve walked away from churches! I’ve cut ties with churches and been hurt by churches. I grew up in a church and have visited many enough to know there are huge differences between doctrines and cultures. I’m not afraid to criticize, although it seems to be a taboo in my country when it comes to the communities of people of faith. I think it’s healthy to have problems out in the open and question things. Below, there are some major issues I’ve noticed along my journey to where I am now.
- Churches that seem shaky about salvation. There are typically useless rules people try to follow out of this insecurity, although no one seems to know what these rules are exactly. These churches also overemphasize the need to serve in one way or another. Once, when I was sitting in a church meeting, an image came to me. There was someone in the water inside a lifesaver. Nevertheless, they kept kicking and splashing like they were still drowning! This picture spoke to me: why are we still trying to secure a salvation that has already been secured? Salvation is not rocket science: everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. -Acts 2:21. We cannot add anything to the gift we are given, nor do we need to: He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time. 2 Tim. 1:9. God’s plan, all along, has been to save His children and He’s not changing His mind on a whim! Perhaps you grew up in an environment where you can’t trust anyone but God is reliable!
- Churches that measure one’s faith by their success in life. This success could be financial or relational. If you have a family and you have a career going for you, God loves you. No, no and no! Christ says: In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world. -John 16:33. Two things we can make of this: 1) we will face trouble but also that 2) Christ has overcome the world. Everyone suffers to certain extent in this life. However, the same God says: Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. -Matt. 5:4. He knows what our lives are made of, the good and the bad, but He is our comfort.
- Churches that worship outside God. I can’t think of a better way to put this but let me explain. I’m referring to things we make to be of great importance and that distract us from what really matters: God Himself. We worry about worship music, websites, smoke machines and being ’relevant’ in our time and age. We want to be bigger and better. I still cringe at Hillsong worship songs. Not that there’s anything wrong with Hillsong but there was a time and place where this music seemed to be a demigod and saying I don’t care for it was sin. I’ve also seen Christian movies I didn’t like one bit and saying so caused a lot of stir since a community had already concluded these things were holy and untouchable!
- Churches that pay very little attention to healing. Christ says: The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free -Luke 4:18. In Psalm 147:3 it is also proclaimed of God: He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. Jesus was very concerned with the hurting, broken and sick. He healed many and approached those other people wouldn’t touch with a stick, which earned Him plenty of criticism. Why don’t churches think healing is important? I suspect it is thought that finding salvation is a magic fix to our brokenness. However, we are still real people with real needs. I find myself discouraged by churches that never discuss tough subjects. They push hurting people to the sidelines and think ”problem solved” when they set up groups for this or that problem. Out of sight, out of mind! This sends a message to hurting people that they are irrelevant, they are the problem that needs to be tossed aside and that Sunday meetings are for the normal, healthy people with less embarrassing problems!
I could probably go on all night. I’ve been around the block once or twice! What is a good church then? In my view, one that focuses on what the Bible says and strives to be Christ-like. I really don’t think it’s more complicated than that! I think problems arise when churches aren’t open to change and evolve and sweep their issues under the rug. This wouldn’t be healthy in a relationship and it’s not healthy in a church! Just as there are, or at least should be, deal-breakers in a relationship, there are deal-breakers in churches. The above-mentioned do it for me.
Friend, if you’ve walked away from church in the past, that doesn’t need to be the end of the road for you! After my disappointment, I was happy to find a church where Christ was preached, the hurting were being healed and I felt great freedom in -a church that felt like home! It is not perfect, since there’s no such thing, but for me it’s close enough. We moved further away, unfortunately, but it gives me great hope to see such churches exist! I am by no means saying all the others are bad but I think we all deserve to find a church that we are comfortable in.
Above all, I hope your disappointment with church doesn’t lead you think God is useless as well. I went through some tough time disconnecting God from my bad experiences with church but I ended up in a place where I found greater freedom in my relationship with Him and I learned to think for myself. Staying in a church I didn’t feel right about could’ve stalled this growth.
Hope these words can give you comfort and a brighter outlook: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, ”plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. -Jer. 29:11
Mrs Hakrama 