We are part of a small, local church that has its fair share of problems.
This past week I was blindsided by a combination of internal politics, miscommunications, and just plain unpredictability. It has robbed me of the little emotional energy I had left and, worse yet, it has taken my focus off of loving my neighbors.
I steered clear of any church meeting for much of my early twenties, but God ushered me back through a congregation whose main focus was reminding its members of the gospel. I found much healing there, and was optimistic about functioning within a local group of Christians.
However, I am starting to feel like every church is a trap to keep Christians from fully engaging their everyday lives and communities. Maybe this just comes in light of all that has happened recently, but it's a sincere concern. Why does church usually feel like a vacuum for my energy? Why are people always mired in politics?
I really want to know. When Paul said not to give up meeting together, was this what he had in mind?
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I don't know if it was or not. Even if your complaint is a wholly modern one, I think Paul's words can still be encouraging.
ReplyDeleteIt helps me to remember to bring eschatology to bear on the whole church thing.
1. Why would you expect the church to be anything other than what it is? Maybe its larger struggles aren't ones you identify with - I'm also not a political person and I bend over backwards to understand others and make myself clear. But I'm also a mess. Sometimes I wonder why I ought to have any role in the church.
2. Look forward to the day when broken people no longer minister to broken people, but when wholly redeemed people find their fill in Christ.
While you wait, remember that as frustrating as the local church can be, there will be times when you need the Gospel so much that you're oblivious to it, and then need the church to give it to you in a way you can't. It's what gets me through, anyway.
Sounds like a totally sucky situation. I'm torn. I think don't give up meeting with believers. There are some times, though, when I think a particular group can be so broken that it's good to begin meeting in another situation...
ReplyDeleteBut I do hate that protestant tendancy to run and start something new every time there's a little disagreement... so that's a hard differentiation to make.
Hi Ian.. it's Devi from FA. Have you heard of Bob Roberts? He's a pastor from Texas and has a lot of great stuff on simple church, church planting and that sort of thing. I've heard him preach and love his idea of what the church should be doing, i.e. empowering its members to be in their communities reaching out to people who don't know Jesus.
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