The Church can't fight back.

This entry is different than others.  It is a newsletter article I wrote recently.  It is religious in nature.

In recent months, weeks, even years, I have been involved in several discussions about the future of the Church. Some of these discussions have been focused on the faults of specific churches. Other discussions have been about the universal church. Discussion always swirls around what the church has done wrong, what the church should have done, why people are mad at the church – and other things. I'm sure you have heard similar things and been involved in similar conversations.

During one of these discussions, I heard a wise ruling elder say. “It is easy to get mad at the church. The church can't fight back.” I've been thinking about this a lot. Initially I saw the truth of this statement as it applied to local congregations I had served and knew. I reflected on people who had left the church. They left because something did not go as they wanted it to in the church. I remember when I was a little girl there was a man in our church, he was always at church on Sunday, but around town it was known -- he was not an honest businessman. People said – I don't want to go to church with hypocrites and the church is full of hypocrites. That is so true – the church is full of hypocrites. “since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) We all have problems. We all have secrets. We all are human. But to be mad at the Church is absurd. The Church can't fight back.

There are people who leave the worshiping congregation because something was done they didn't like. What would happen if we left our families and our jobs because we didn't get our way? We would all be wandering around on the streets. Things happen all the time that are not 'what we like'. The call to discipleship is not to be waited on. Jesus says “Whoever wants to be first must be last” (Mark 9:35) When we are disciples of Jesus we are to put our desires and our pride aside and be servants. Still they leave and withhold their support. The Church can't fight back.

I now can see the wisdom of this statement universally. Whatever priests of the Roman Catholic church did and however badly the bishops handled it, the Church can't fight back. Whatever the United Presbyterian Church (doesn't exist any more) did in 1969 is over. The Church can't fight back.

These attitudes drive away possible disciples. I hear people say all the time that the church seems to be a mean place and not a loving place. People avoid us because we seem to be mean to each other and to our leadership. I had a colleague in Kansas City who received death threats because of her ministry. She couldn't fight back either. The pastor can't fight back.

If we are to see the Christian Church in general and the Presbyterian Church in particular survive, we need to get over this attitude. We must understand ourselves as servants – not as people to be waited on. The fellowship and discipleship of Jesus Christ is not about us and what we want. It is about what Jesus calls us to do at this time and place.

“Wherever you go, God is sending you.

Wherever you are, God has put you there.
He has a purpose in your being there.
Christ who dwells in you has something He
wants to do through you where you are.
Believe this and go in His Grace and Love and Power.” Richard Halverson