Mathematics - A+
English - B+
Reading - B+
Writing - A
Science - B
Phys Ed. - A
Wow, pretty impressive, decent grades. Lowest grade is a B and like most people it is in Science (or could be Math, but this kid can really think and problem solve with the best of them). He can write real well too and has a decent grasp of reading and talking.
Mom and Dad are happy and proud. They flip it over and read the teacher's comment. Now, they are beaming with pride and love for their child. This is exactly what they wanted to read about their child. I mean what parent wouldn't want to read these comments.
What could the comments have been? Glad you asked. We'll get to that later...
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Granted the first 1/3 of my life was in the Catholic church, but it could have been worse.
Granted, the second 1/3 of my life was in the Baptist church (the independent, fundamental, Bible-believing kind), but it could have been worse.
And now, I find myself in the Southern Baptist Church, so I didn't really "leave" the Baptist church, but it isn't the "crazy fundys", but it could be worse.
I could be in no church.
None at all.
And that I find to be disturbing.
See, I find it to be fact that if I cannot get along with the church, the fault lies with ME and not the church.
I know, groundbreaking and earth shattering stuff.
But that is the problem, not many people see it this way. There is this weird funk going on right now and permeating Christianity, especially professing Christians. People are teaching and being taught that the more spiritual people don't go to church, don't need church. Your spirituality is on such a plane that you are above the church. You're actually more spiritual to not go to church and get caught up in the politics and bueracracy, and hypocrisy, and the blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
Shut up already! Get over yourself.
How do you make it work with your family and your job and everything else you do?
Don't you realize that the message and the gospel is more important than your feelings or what you think and definitely more important than your "spirituality"?
We're humans and we screw everything up. If it is't screwed up yet, give it a second, it will be. Matter of fact, something probably just got screwed up as you were reading this. And that is life, that is why a Savior is required.
And that is the church. It is filled with humnas who aren't perfect and people who are beat down and bedraggled and a bunch of scaliwags, so what else would it become? Oh sure, there are some silver-spooners and well-to-do people, put I wouldn't say they are the norm. No matter, if I was a betting man, and I am, I would bet that they are all screwed up too. The church building is indictive of the church as well as a perfect picture of our body. Kept up so well outside and in its appearance, but inside it is filled with doubt and deep wounds with many creaks and moans that are only heard in the quiet or by those that know it all too well.
Is that why people stay away? They think they are better than that? They do not want to associate with those types of people?
Could be.
Possibily.
Probably.
Actually, it is.
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Remember, the kid with the report card and the comments. Here is the exact word-for-word teacher's comments:
Doesn't play well with others and refuses to interact with the rest of the class.
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Kids.....
Hmmmm......
10 comments:
I guess I don't see this argument the same way, Brian. I don't "go to church" anymore, but neither do I think I am in any way superior to you, more gifted, or more spiritual in any way.
I understand what you're saying, but the fundamental difference in our beliefs is that I think we were designed with glitches, flaws, problems, heartache, pain, and death. These things don't need to be repaired because they are fundamentally a part of the experience of life.
The reason I left the church is because I can not face people who think I agree with their doctrines when my heart tells me a different story. All of my senses are screaming at me to wake up and see the truth about God and what we really are as human beings. The slow struggle to realize these things in my own ackward way has resulted in my leaving the church.
There was never any pride in that. In fact, it was difficult to leave. I have remained in contact with a few people from my church. Some have left as I have, and others who remain tell me that I am damning my own son by example -- that I've fallen away. I've heard every threat imaginable (and I understand that they feel they have a duty to curse, damn, and warn me of the potential of having never had salvation), but none of that bothers me anymore. I, in turn, having heard these men out, explain from my heart what is going on with my life and my reasons for leaving and living, but I have never received a comment back from them. I have never heard anything but rebuke.
I see Jesus in a different light thanks to people like Toby, Corey, BJ, and even you, Brian. You are my church.
I appreciate the comments Gary. I always appreciate them. Even more than that it is your honesty.
I was probably too general in my thought process here. After reading the post myself and hearing your comments here, it does come off as I am saying that everyone who has left a church did so for the reasons I stated. I understand that isn't all true.
Also, I hope you don't feel as I am damning or cursing, or warning you. In the conversations we have all had, I do not believe I have suggested a punishment awaits you (or anybody).
My thoughts on this subject are that I do believe that active participation in a church is something a Christian should do and be a part of. My goal here was to throw stones at the "more spiritual" camp (all bloggers throw stones...it is our vice) and then to tie in the fact that the church isn't perfect. Not by any means necessary, at all.
Jesus promises to be our hero in the end and take the glitches, flaws, poblems, heartache, pain, and death away. But we are still here on earth, still human, and still come (batteries included) to experience all that above. It was makes the mystery of heaven and the trepidation of death all the more so.
To think we will ever get back to the book of Acts and "all be in one accord" while still present on this earth seems a bit naive and pie-in-the-sky. But we should still strive toward that and live in Christian harmony together.
I do wish that you and your family were in a church. I do not believe you have to attend a church where you believe 110% with everything that is said from the pulpit either.
I'm in between classes right now, so I don't have a lot of time to comment on this...and I could since "church" has been a part of my life now for 33 years...
This is what my view of church has boiled down to. It is filled with imperfect people trying to do the perfect work of God. We are rash, ignorant, and proud people.
I could rant for an hour on how I hate it when people "do" church, but I have come to this conclusion. I am only as limited as I allow myself. The problem is not church, the problem has been my selfishness. I stick with church, even the boring *blah* seemingly lifeless church because I need them. Not as much as I used to, but I need them.
Sunday, I was in a church that I grew up in. I have always viewed it as stagnant, but this week I went in with a new mindset. Not "what can church do for me", but "how can I be an encouragement in church." That's how I used to think.
Guess what? It was good. Very good. My wife and I talked about the message, my daughter talked about Jesus and asked me about heaven and I connected with people who I know have been praying for me for over 30 years.
The problem with church for me...has been me.
I have gotten a new view on my life, not just church lately, and I like what I am seeing.
Here, here Rodmaster.
Thanks for the comments and keeping things going.
have to agree with Jay to a certain extent. Part of the pob w/ church has been ME for all the reasons he intoned. However, I only deserve PART of the blame. The Church has done much to screw itself up. In fact, what we say as Church today, holds little similarity to the "ecclesia" that Jesus and Peter and Paul and the apostles taught us about and established. So are we discussing the Church (Institution) or the Church (ecclesia)? One's worth saving and the other...
Unfortunately Corey, we can't throw the baby out with the bath water.
It is what we have now.
I wish we could get back to the New Testament and Acts.
But read Paul's letters. There were problems already and the church wasn't even a teenager.
It is why I say, "I stick with the church."
yes, but what if we did toss out the bathwater. Not to get to deep in the figure of speech, but I'm suspicious that we may think the baby IS the bathwater.
I'm not saying that I'm leaving the Church - I'm not. In fact, I think I'm the only one in this conversation in full time ministry. I'm pouring my small life into the Church. What I'm saying, is the Church needs to change, and just shruggin our shoulders at the problem isn't helping any.
I don't think anyone here is or wants to shrug his shoulders. Leaving the church sometimes isn't passive. Some people leave and do *something* else.
I don't think anyone was saying otherwise. I guess it's like smoking -- you can't "happen to quit." You can't forget that you are a smoker when you wake up some day. My point is that leaving the church isn't drifting away from it or shrugging shoulders. It wasn't for me anyway.
Gary, I guess I don't understand. What wasn't for you? The 21st century Church/Corporation/Institution or the small Jesus movement/rebellion/philosophy?
When you say "Church just wasn't ever for me," it sounds to my ears like someone saying "I'm all for freedom, but the Civil Rights thing just wasn't for me."
I realize my tone sounds sarcastic and I apologize for that. I am not actually trying to deride any position. I'm trying to understand what the positions are. I get teenagers that tell me this all the time and I can't make sense of it, yet they keep saying it. So, please help me!!!!!
Let me tell you why it doesn't make sense to me. If the Church is yet another brand amidst a market of many brands, then I get it. "You can like Coke, but Coke's not for me." But, Christianity is actually historic movement that is responsile for much of what the world is today. To me it is like saying "I'm okay with the American Revolution, but it's not for me."
Doesn't make sense.
I'm not shrugging my shoulders.
I'm (I'll admit it) pointing my finger at those who have left or are thinking about it and telling them they are being childish.
I am saying the problem is with them and not the church.
I am not trying to push them away and I am not telling them "fine you don't want to be a part of the church, then we don't need you."
I do not want to see anyone leave. Rather all stay and work through this and get the problem fixed.
I'm telling them to quit being childish and work through it.
Do not take your ball and go home. Go to your boss and ask for some help and commit yourself to working through it.
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