Honestly - Matt

So the deal apparently is that I respond to my wife's postings either in agreement or with some kind of loving retort, so here goes. (This is my first ever blog post.)

Christianity has become too nationalistic, America is behind the rest of the world on this because of it's young age, but going back to the unfortunate reformation age each nation state created its own state form of Christianity, Lutherans from German states, Presbyterians from Scotland, Puritans (and Church of England) from England, etc. Although this is largely a generalisation I still think its a fair point to make. It was like a massive power grab for the religious support of the populace who were largely unsure of why to follow the Catholic church. Unfortunately in America it wasn't a nation or a King that created a religion, it was much worse, it was an economic system that created a Christianity that is so far removed from the real world that many of the people who used to find Catholicism so abhorrent have managed to find there way back home to the true church. Capitalism is to blame for a church that loves getting bigger and largely desires the same evidence of growth that a fortune 500 company would look for. More employees, larger real estate, more consumers (members) through the door each week. It is a sad case, so it is no wonder so many of us are disillusioned with our churches and are either leaving or are finding other ways to worship. Churches think they can stand alone as non-denominational which is completely against what the churches teach. That we are one body of believers in Christ. No church stands alone, but they seem to want to. Pastors look for target markets, making their church undesirable to certain groups in society. We church plant in suburbs whilst inner cities go without that crucial locality of a church and access to a body of people who can testify through action to the saving grace of Christ, we do this because we don't want to do life with these people. I think we also do it because Capitalism says be successful, and you can't be successful right away in an area that requires turning around with regards to their feelings towards Church, that takes too much time. What we need is a unity not more non-denominational churches. We need a general consensus, a rejection of the complex theological grids that bind us and an embracing of the acting out of the Love of Christ to our neighbors.

Or in others words, yes dear you are right.

Matthew

Honestly.

SO this might be a controversial post, but I feel led to say these things. Before you read on, do know that I say these things out of love and frustration with not only the church but also with myself. I always tell the patients I work with to get things out so the feelings don't just add up and cause an implosion, so this is my attempt at taking my own advice.

I am seriously frustrated right now. I don't do controversial well and it doesn't sit well with my heart when I am. I've been feeling so much like God is challenging my preconceived notions of my faith and 1) it's scary and 2) it's uncomfortable.

Matt and I have been beyond frustrated with the state of the Church. I don't hate church, just think that we, as the bride of Christ, are not living up to the example that we are meant to. First of all, there are so many individuals who are so focused on their comfortable, middle-class lifestyle. They think that by passively giving money to this cause or bringing in food for that drive, they are showing charity to the poor and orphans. No. No. NO. Yes, those are all great things, but I'm feeling more like TIME is a greater investment that canned goods. Getting out there are realizing that there are things besides Ikea shopping and middle school youth group movie nights.

The other thing that drives me mad is the idea that in the United States, being a "successful church" means building on and expanding. In my town, I can't even tell you how many churches I drive past on a typical Sunday. Maybe if a church is failing it's because God wants the congregation to join up with another, thus uniting the bride. There are so many things out there that are causing divisions in the church that I feel like the enemy may be getting a hold of us and misdirecting us to focusing on the divisions rather than being united.

Why are we as believers wanting to drive a wedge between us and the world? Are we not meant to go into the world to make disciples of all the nations? How can we be exemplifying Jesus Christ by condemning sinners when we ourselves were once lost but now have been found? How is that ok? How am I alone in seeing the gravity of this?

I'm angry, frustrated, and broken. God is literally breaking my heart with this right now. So, what do we do? I want to challenge you to pray on this. To really think about this and to examine your heart and see what God is saying about all of this. I know that because I feel so alone that I've been distancing myself from the Bible and prayer but that isn't the answer, either. I want to encourage you that if you feel like I do, you aren't alone.

I sense change coming to the church. Let's get out of ourselves for a second and fix it. Let's be the bride that we were always meant to be. In Jesus' name, amen.

<3 C