Drugs. Alcohol. Fornication. Divorce.
The list goes on and on.
There’s tons of topics out there that people in church have tried to avoid forever.
Hopefully the day is coming soon, if it hasn’t already, where people in the church realize that they are actually real people and that real life stuff will happen to them.
Because let me tell you, life does not automatically become perfect once you start a personal relationship with Jesus, or however you want to put that.
Church should be that place where you can be honest about what’s going on in your life and where judging others for their life circumstances just doesn’t happen.
So, how do you feel your church is in discussing those topics that just aren’t easy to discuss?
Kim Jones says
We may avoid talking about them, but we can’t avoid suffering through them. nnThe thing is, when we (the church body) put on our “my life is so uber perfect that I can barely stand myself” masks and act like those issues don’t come to roost in our homes/families/congregations, we do the devil’s work for him! When we don’t talk about the, we isolate ourselves, fighting our demons alone and that makes us easier targets. And good Lord, when we do open up and try to talk about them, half the time (or more), the “good Christian folks” we fellowship with use our stumbling blocks to make themselves feel better about their own. It’s what I call “kick ’em when they’re down Christianity.” I wrote something on this “form” of faith last year and your post made me realize it was time to publish it. http://www.road-to-revelation.com/blog/2011/04/18/kick-em-when-theyre-down-is-this-the-new-face-of-christianity/ nnThanks Adam – for giving me the “kick” that I needed and for not being scared to speak up!
Kim Jones says
We may avoid talking about them, but we can’t avoid suffering through them.
The thing is, when we (the church body) put on our “my life is so uber perfect that I can barely stand myself” masks and act like those issues don’t come to roost in our homes/families/congregations, we do the devil’s work for him! When we don’t talk about the, we isolate ourselves, fighting our demons alone and that makes us easier targets. And good Lord, when we do open up and try to talk about them, half the time (or more), the “good Christian folks” we fellowship with use our stumbling blocks to make themselves feel better about their own. It’s what I call “kick ’em when they’re down Christianity.” I wrote something on this “form” of faith last year and your post made me realize it was time to publish it. http://www.road-to-revelation.com/blog/2011/04/18/kick-em-when-theyre-down-is-this-the-new-face-of-christianity/
Thanks Adam – for giving me the “kick” that I needed and for not being scared to speak up!
Douglas Lee says
I had an Elder leave because I preached through 1 Corinthians 6. He didn’t think there was any sexual problems in the church.nnIs it mean to say that one who refuses to be anything but ignorant is a FOOL?
Douglas Lee says
I had an Elder leave because I preached through 1 Corinthians 6. He didn’t think there was any sexual problems in the church.
Is it mean to say that one who refuses to be anything but ignorant is a FOOL?
Brian Eubanks says
My church doesn’t do a very good job at discussing uneasy topics. Unfortunately if crap happens in somebody’s life, there is usually somebody quick to judge.u00a0 We’re suppose to wear this “Christian” mask, act a certain way, and pretend everything is perfect. They expect us to act like robots, even though God didn’t create us to be robots.u00a0 nnThe ironic thing is… I’ve found people outside my church that I can discuss difficult topics with. When I confess what I’m feeling to these people and make myself vulnerable, I feel so free. They don’t have all the answers. They may be even walking through the same issues. The difference is that I now have somebody else walking through the same issues with me. We can sympathize with each other. We can share how God is changing our life. nnI’m not doing any of those sins you mentioned (not that it matters.) I’ve felt lonely lately. When I tell somebody at church I feel lonely, the usually response is, “How can you feel lonely, you’ve got Jesus?” The friends outside my church response would be for them to say, “I feel lonely too.” We start spending more time with each other, and in that process, we discover more about how God works.
Brian says
My church doesn’t do a very good job at discussing uneasy topics. Unfortunately if crap happens in somebody’s life, there is usually somebody quick to judge. We’re suppose to wear this “Christian” mask, act a certain way, and pretend everything is perfect. They expect us to act like robots, even though God didn’t create us to be robots.
The ironic thing is… I’ve found people outside my church that I can discuss difficult topics with. When I confess what I’m feeling to these people and make myself vulnerable, I feel so free. They don’t have all the answers. They may be even walking through the same issues. The difference is that I now have somebody else walking through the same issues with me. We can sympathize with each other. We can share how God is changing our life.
I’m not doing any of those sins you mentioned (not that it matters.) I’ve felt lonely lately. When I tell somebody at church I feel lonely, the usually response is, “How can you feel lonely, you’ve got Jesus?” The friends outside my church response would be for them to say, “I feel lonely too.” We start spending more time with each other, and in that process, we discover more about how God works.
Brian Eubanks says
Oh, and if some people in church found out that I drink alcohol, I’d be called up front so people could lay hands on me and try to cast out all those evil spirits. Never mind the fact that I’ve never been drunk in my life. I don’t try to hide the fact that I drink, but I don’t go around telling people in church that I do. That would be like suicide.
Brian says
Oh, and if some people in church found out that I drink alcohol, I’d be called up front so people could lay hands on me and try to cast out all those evil spirits. Never mind the fact that I’ve never been drunk in my life. I don’t try to hide the fact that I drink, but I don’t go around telling people in church that I do. That would be like suicide.