"A long time ago in a land far far away.." How many times have we heard that as kids or even read it to our kids. As we share our lives with each other we may not start "a long time ago..." but we do say "well here's the thing..." This past week I spoke to two friends. Both of which will remain anonymous. The first friend sent me a Facebook message about having a question of faith. He is long time Catholic, a situation occurred where a staff member of his Catholic church was fired because the annulment of her marriage did not go through. He also told me that someone gave him the book "The Shack" by William Young. Those two things came together and had an impact on him. What I heard was him having trouble with what I called the institutional church. We talked about how rules have become important in churches rather than taking care if each other. We talked about how the culture rather than be over an against culture, has actually assimilated the culture. We talked about the disrespect not just of clergy but leaders in all venues and a lack of disrespect to each other as human beings. I mean just today, the value of free speech was on display as people protested for and against the health care bill but...of course some took it too far spitting on one congressman and the other being called the N-word. After about talking for an hour I recommended he pick up a book by Barbara Brown Taylor called, "Leaving Church." In it she describes her journey as an Episcopal priest who thought she would retire from parish but left. Interesting book. Highly recommend it. I also said we all need to find what feeds us. There are so many churches, that fit so many different people that I was sure he could find a place, even another Catholic church, which would feed his soul. Keep his family in prayer.
My other friend was in seminary with me. She was prepared to interview for ordination and in the nicest terms I can use, was told not at this time. A nice way of of saying we see potential but you need some work. Anyway, as a local pastor doing ministry, she had a crisis of faith and left the ministry to pursue a degree in education. God took her from that one venue and has placed her in a completely different one using her gifts and graces. She was not "ordained" by the church but God "ordained" her in another venue to touch and meet the needs of her students. She does not regret her decision to drop out of the system but now has an issue with someone in her current church. That person is very controlling and rule driven in how things should be. She has not been to church in awhile and misses it. Even her daughter says they need to go back. Please be in prayer for her and her family.
When did the church become more of the culture than over an against it? When did brick and mortar = the church rather than church = mission? I continue to be struck by people who say, "we need to get more people in the church" or "we need more volunteers." The people outside the church are not our salvation. Our salvation is found in Jesus Christ. When we see the people outside as the church's salvation rather than broken and hurting people who need grace and have lost our way. We don't need more volunteers, we need more disciples/servants ministry. So how do we do that. Rather than being in the church we we need to go outside the church. We need to invite and be inviting. Most churches say and think they are friendly but in reality they are only friendly to the people we know. What this comes down to is truly praying for God to allow the Holy Spirit to remold and make the church into a outward looking people with an eye to mission, rather than inward focus and survival mode.
The fact that I spoke to two friends on the same day and and both are struggling in their connection of faith through their church says volumes to me. Unless we as the institutional church learn to listen for the voice that calls us beloved we will continue to to miss the mark in reaching those who are hurting, lost and alone or just searching.
To my two friends: I will keep you in prayer as you continue to journey in your faith and pray that you find what feeds your soul.
If your pastor and it's leaders are trying to move the church according to biblical principles, find a way to support them. People who try to turn around churches have a huge & difficult calling. Most churches do not turn around. If they do it takes a minimum of seven years before the fruit of the labor of turn around is seen. Please pray for them.
If you are a pastor trying to live up to your calling to pastor the people and be true to what God calls the church to do, to turn them around, take heart God is with you. There are many of us trying to do the same thing in an atmosphere that is not particularly open to change. My favorite professor in seminary, and one I think I can call friend, said to me something that was shared with him, "we often suffer as much from the church as we do for it." Please know the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. Pray. I will hold you all in prayer as you do the same for me. Peace as we approach Palm Sunday and Holy Week.
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