New post on HPN
<http://podcast.heltsley.net/?author=2>
Quest for Truth 27 Discipleship Part 3: The Importance of Church
<http://podcast.heltsley.net/2015/quest-for-truth-27-discipleship-part-3-the-importance-of-church/>by
keith <http://podcast.heltsley.net/?author=2>
An attempt to answer the question: Why should I go to church?
Several excuses, and reasons why people hate the church are addressed. In
searching for the haters, opponents, and obstacles that people have in our
culture today, several sources are considered.
Here's my notes on some of the top problems brought upp on chat forums, blog
sites, and online news sources. Some represent rants, some make honest
observations, and some try to address the problems.
Be sure to listen to the podcast to heaar how Nathan and Keith address these
concerns.
People like Jesus. Though his miracles, , and resurrection may be a little hard
to grasp, people get his teachings. The love of JesusÖ people like love. They
get the love stuff.
However, the perception is that church people are hateful, and donít model
teachings of Christ.
KH: That could be, but people aren't perfect, and the bad experience only means
to seek god, and his truth elsewhere.
service is boring, oppressive, restrictive.
KH: Excuses only serve to remove yourself from the body of Christ. Why let
idiots win? If you're a christian, and part of his body, you need to grow and
develop. Where else will you do that if you cut yourself off?
People feel theyíre not accepted.
KH: Just another excuse. Is this a barrier that's real, one that the individual
has created out of u nreasonable behzavior, or just encou ntering a truth and
not dealing with it well?
The church is the body of christ, how is that possible?
KH: Forget the office politics that any organizzation will have, whether
religious or social. It's all about getting closer to god. Start with Jesus,
and his life when talking to others in seeking for what the truth is. Weíre all
hypocrites, the ones to worry about are those who think theyíre not.
óa christian blog.
Church is characterized as being full ofÖ social cliques, rivalry, and back
stabbing. Its compared to survival reality shows.
KH: Actually a humorous look at some of the impperfect people, and attitudes
that are in a consrtant srtate of work. The real christians are the ones who
stick with it to work out the troubles. Flawed people working together, to do a
greater work.
--a pastorís blog.
The church sends a contradicting messageÖ Godís love is unconditional, but not
for me. Conditions are made to exclude me.
KH: There are many sins. We all have them, and need work to overcome them.
Truth is devastaating when it strikes home on our own personal sin. Granted,
people may not ha ndle their responces well. Chalk it up to one of those bad
experinces, and choose to either move alo ng, deal with it here, but keep
seeking to be part of the body of Christ somewhere. Don't run awaay with your
sin, find a group who ccan help get you through the struggle with it.
--A complaint that homosexuals arenít welcome.
Addressing the question: I had a bad experience at church, and Encounters with
psycho christian wackos. Should we just quit going?
KH: Would you stop going to a doctor, just because you had a terrible experien
ce with on? You may not go back, but surely tyou would go somewhere. Don't let
the idiots cut you off.
Church is boring. Handheld games make it more endurable.
Maybe an interesting cell phone app/game to teach the bible and morality?
KH: Cute, but who hasn't had a boring experience. Keep going. The app is a good
idea, but for use somewhere else outside of worship service.
We can grow in christ just as well in, or outside of attending church so
thereís no need to go regularly... right?
Mat 23:2-3Ö Jesus taught to attend, even though the pharisees didnít practice
what they preached.
They preached against my sinÖ homosexuality.
KH: Sin is sin. Trhy to look past the bad experience and attitude that others
may have dumped on you. Sensitivity and awareness of a sin is the beginning of
conviction from the Holy Spirit, and the strugle to live with it. Sometimes we
aren't delivered from a sin , but the struggle becomes a growing point to trust
god more.
They were too blasphemous. Vocal christians are abusive, and why seek god among
that abuse when we can hang out with people like us, without the abuse.
KH: People are flawed. You can't expect everybody to understand where you are
in your personal struggles. Consider how you reacted to abrasive attitude.
Hopefully you're not doing things to stir it up. Maybe you could be the
ambassador to bring tact into the situation, to help them u nderstand. Again,
you have the option to stay and try to fix the broken attitude, or if not, at
least find a place where people are more like you, and where you can join the
body of christ. Don't let the idiots cut yourself off. One problem with finding
only people "like you" is now you run the risk of being that close minded,
closed group who doesn't accept those who aren't like you.
People want to be served, but when asked to serve, they balk, and leave.
KH: Ha, I find that to be the other way around. People who serve tend to be the
ones who stay and thrive. Asking people to serve, using their natural strong
ppoints, will be the thing to let them excel, and thrive in a church body. They
typically flee if they get forced into a job they aren't qualified to do, or is
beyond what they are skilled. Also when they become over burdened, and feel
abused by doing too much.
--from a christian based forum.
The church is shrinking because...
Demographics shifting, and minorities not being reached. Also aging with not
enough younger members.
Technology not being usedÖ not embracing the social media of the millennial. An
example of a use might be to ask for texts during the sermon to answer top
questions before its done.
KH: Easier said than done. Though technology is an u ntapped source of
outreach.
Leadership that drives people away. Bullying, guilt trips, etc.
KH: It happens less than portrayed, but when it happens... leave, and find a
place where god is the center of worshiop.
CompetitionÖ people are shamelessly choosing other options for leisure time on
the weekends.
KH: Not a church problem exactly, but one centered on the individual.
Priorities.
Religious pluralismÖ or finding other religions are just as socially, moral,
and ethicalÖ maybe even more than christians.
KH: Really? How do you know what any group, religion, or social group stands
for if you don't plug in? Get involved. Participate.
The worship experienceÖ Traditional services are inadequate, and attempts to
upgrade to contemporary methods come across poorly done.
KH: Is this about style... entertainment... being served... or is this about
god?
Phony advertisingÖ or telling people that all are welcome, but visitors find a
non-diverse congregationÖ Either shunning those who are different, or sending a
message that youíre welcome, as long as youíre just like us.
KH: See above comment on being offended by sin. You have the option of leaving,
and adding diversity. Or You can leave, and perpetuate the appearance of
members fit a single mold. If this is a problem, you're only making it worse by
not joining.
ófrom an article on Huffington Post
Can you love Jesus and hate the church? Jesus loves the church, he laid down
his life for it. He loves the lost, the hurting, and the church.
Ephesians 3:7-12 The church is to show wisdom to the rulers of the world. Matt
16:18 on this rock Iíll build the church, and hell wonít stand against it.
Avoid criticism from one church/denomination to another. People are flawed, and
make mistakes. Do those imperfect people come together for a purposeÖ to help
the world? People hurt peopleÖ Howís this soundÖ the church hurt me, the bank
hurt me, the restaurant hurt me, the gym hurt me. Who hasnít been offended, or
been the offenderÖ you still go, or find a different bank, restaurant, gym,
etc.
KH: All christian denominations are part of his body. We don't all serve the
same function. We're all different body parts, doing different things in that
body. Don't trash what one part is doing, just because they're not your body
part.
What to do? Church members be accountable, own up to and respond to criticism.
Non church members, Attend a local church, and be active in the solution.
ófrom a pastors blog.
keith <http://podcast.heltsley.net/?author=2> | August 3, 2015 at 12:39 pm |
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