An Open Letter to the Church

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(This post was copied from my wordpress blog)

I've been mulling over my thoughts and feelings for the past few days now and I think I'm finally ready to express what has become a very serious concern for me. So, I present this very open letter to anyone who claims to be a believer in Christ, and more specifically, to the church as an institution.

With everything that has been going on lately, I've really had to re-examine myself and my actions. Consequently, this also led to my observations of the church as a whole. This is where my struggle begins.

We have failed our mandate.

I am grieved by the state of the church today. I weep whenever I see hate, sorrow, anxiety, impatience, harshness, hypocrisy, and pride take priority within the church. We unabashedly spew injustice, legalism, and dogma to those we were called to love and then wonder why church attendance is so low.

How easily we have forgotten that the very core of our story, the Gospel, only begins with the sacrifice Jesus made for us. It continues with his life, his teachings and his examples. He exemplified the very virtues that we should try to uphold every single day: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

He condemned no one, but offered his loving embrace and Truth to anyone who was willing to listen. He had compassion.

Yet, time and time again I watch in horror as those who are supposed to be the embodiment of all this good fall into the exact opposite. How little we cried out against the wrongs of our history, but how quickly we were to point accusatory fingers at others for their wrongs.

We sat idly by as organizations like Westboro Baptist Church openly harassed members of the LGBTQ+ community, and even showed our solidarity with them during events like "Chik-fil-a Day" (Remember that day in 2012?). Or, how about those times we made Kaepernick's peaceful protest about #blacklivesmatter, about him "disrespecting the flag". We ignore the fact (or at least, pretend it's not as bad as it seems), that people are abused and rejected by the church because of some imagined or real sin. If a person makes us uncomfortable, we shut them out.

I have never been more ashamed of my association with the word Christian as I am today. If you happen to be reading this and have been hurt by a "Christian" in any sense of the word then I apologize from the bottom of my heart. The hurt and pain and judgment that has been shown to you is not what Jesus taught and it is appalling that you had (maybe even continue) to experience that. I hope that you can find it in your heart to one day forgive us.

This has to stop.

The strongest evidence that we have failed our neighbor is being evidenced right now by the state of our country. We have allowed racism and politics to pervade our sanctuaries; something that should have never even been tolerated outside of the church, much less in. You want revival to happen in America? Stop judging and start loving. Look at yourself: truly, openly, honestly, and focus on the things that you need to work on and just love those around you.

If we are going to teach and preach that all people are worthy in God's sight, then it's time we actually lived like we mean it.

When asked, Jesus said that the greatest commandments were to love God with all your heart, soul, and mind. In the same sentence he also added, love your neighbor as yourself. There was no caveat, no addendum, no exceptions. Love God, Love People.

We have not been loving our neighbor, and by extension we have not been loving God.

This is my call to action. This is my desperate plea.

Be better.

No longer tolerate injustice. No longer be enslaved to politics. No longer be bogged down by the dogma. No longer let there be a barrier between you and the people you were called to love.

Let us all strive to be more like Jesus. Right now we are so far from it.

In a lot of ways, I feel that we are guilty of far worse than the police officers who have shown just how brutal they can be. At least we know where they stand.

No, we just pretend like nothing is wrong as we savagely rip apart the souls of the downtrodden, the hopeless, and the weary. Instead of being a refuge, we have become a snake pit.

If Jesus were to give his speech to the Pharisees today, it would be aimed at us. I honestly think we would be the ones to be driven out of the temple with the whip. There is no place in God's kingdom for what the church has become.

Doesn't that make you weep?

You can try to justify, or argue. You can write me off completely. But I think deep down we all know the truth.

We must be better.

Grace and Peace.

Anger: A Problem or Catalyst?

As I write this I can see the gentle falling of the rain outside through the window nearby.  I find myself wishing I was out there rather than in here.  To just sit and soak for a little while lost in my thought with no one around, just me and God.

However, life doesn’t really allow for such flippant displays of emotion at the moment.  I guess I’ll have to add that on my list of why it sometimes sucks to be an adult.

I find myself feeling worn out lately.  In turn I have found it difficult to write much of anything here on this blog, but I always find it a source of catharsis to get my thoughts out and it can also double as a great place to have (or start) conversation so I find myself here once again.

The pastor at the church I attend has been preaching on the “seven deadly sins”, or (more accurately I believe) the seven core sins.  The series has been somewhat fascinating as I have never had a pastor speak on them in such detail and because I have enjoyed his point of view of them.  This past week he spoke of anger and some of the reasons people get angry.  The overarching reason was that anger happens when a goal/expectation is blocked by something/someone, and his example was that of someone being really hungry and seeing a beautiful apple tree with ripe apples that was blocked by a wall that could not be climbed over.

Most simplistic summary ever.

Anyway, he mentioned three sources of anger that are common, but I wanted to touch on one in particular because of my own experiences with it.

Probably one of the biggest reasons I’ve ever seen anyone get angry is because they have been hurt.  Whether it was through a bad relationship with a friend or significant other, or through a terrible experience with parents, etc. people tend to let their hurt play out in their anger.  Consequentially, this is also brought on by unforgiving attitudes as well.  How often do we say something just to be hurtful?

“Remember how you did ‘x’?”  “That was over 10 years ago, and what about ‘x’?”

Back and forth it goes in one vicious circle and nothing gets done except causing more hurt, and it is so easy to let that hurt fester and boil until it becomes a bitterness and resentment that is near impossible to hide.  I find a lot of people I know who are jaded about something have some bitterness toward it.  This also happens to be one of the forms of anger that I struggle with the most because I tend to internalize all of my anger and frustration because I find that exploding on others is more detrimental than helpful, however, if I don’t do anything to resolve my anger internally it will eventually lead to explosive anger so internalizing is just as dangerous.

I find myself under constant watch of myself lately because of this very tendency.  I don’t know if life in general has just been beating me up, or if I am slowly becoming a grouchy old man, but either way it requires constant vigilance to watch the words I speak, how I speak them, and to whom I speak them.  Oftentimes I fail, and the only thing I can do is thank God for his patience with me, stand back up and brush the dust off.

Anger is not inherently evil, or even a bad thing.  Even Jesus got angry (very angry sometimes).  It is all about how we channel that anger.  It can be a powerful tool that stirs us out of our slumber and into action.  And there are times when we should be angry, even outraged.  Sex trafficking makes me incredibly angry (and should do the same for you), slavery makes me angry, racism makes me angry, bullying makes me angry, any form of prejudice or hatred displayed to those who are different or you don’t agree with.  All these things bring a side of me that is not normally visible out.  There is nothing wrong with anger.

My problem (and all of you can probably relate on some level), is that I let me anger get the best of me at times and I end of saying or doing things that I regret later.  Because while I may have meant what I said, I may not have meant it the way it was said (such a fine line).

How do we deal with anger like that?  I know what I do personally, but I know there isn’t any one “right” way to do it.  I’m sure we could all agree that there are wrong ways to handle it, but what about the good ways?  Sometimes, my anger leads me to cleaning up around the house, sometimes it leads to my writing, and other times I just have to seclude myself in my room or somewhere and just listen to some music quietly while I exhaust my anger at the ceiling with my rampaging thoughts.  If I get to that point, I won’t leave my spot until my mind has calmed down sufficiently that I’m not thinking about the event that made me angry.

I find that this become especially true when dealing with others.  Sometimes my anger is justifiable, and sometimes I’m frustrated over the most inane thing.  For instance, when people leave cabinet doors open (anywhere not just at home) I feel a spike of anger.  Doesn’t make a drop of sense to me, but it happens, so I close the door and move on without saying much if anything, but other times something happens and my anger builds and I can immediately pinpoint the reasons why I’m angry and they are good, logical even, and just.  Yet, when dealing with people I have to balance whether or not it is worth the fight that would ensue if I bring up my anger.

Suffice to say most days I keep it to myself (and my wife too sometimes).

How do you deal with anger?  What are some of the reasons you get angry (reasonable or silly)?

Grace and Peace

America a Christian Nation?

This post stems from a conversation I was having with my wife this past Sunday on the way back from church.  We had a guest speaker and his topic was on the “Immorality of America” essentially.

I’m sure you can see where this topic is going.

I won’t go into the bigger details he spoke about or how I had to force myself not to tune out as soon as he said the words “Christ and Country”, but suffice to say there were things mentioned that I did not agree with.  But, I also think I don’t see Christianity the way a lot of others seem to.

To explain, I want to address a couple of things this speaker brought up that seem to permeate the Christian culture right now, and have for a while.

Decline in Churches and Attendance

This is a big deal to a lot of people.  It used to be that you could find a four thriving churches within a 20 mile radius of each other, especially here in the south (better known as the Bible Belt to some).  However, it seems that lately churches have been dwindling down to minimal numbers and many are shutting down altogether.  I can understand why some might be upset by this but I can understand why people are leaving more often a little more.

I’ve heard the implied statements that people don’t go to church anymore because they don’t want to hear the truth.  I’ve felt the undertones of blame thrown at Atheists for “being blind to the truth” and for pulling people down with them.  Of course, you could also interchange the word Atheists with homosexuals, corrupt politicians, etc.

“They’re ruining America with their sinful ways; they are the ones we have to watch out for.”

Please, they just want to be treated with love, respect, and equality.  Just like everyone else does.  Like they should. Because it is their right (enter my paradox of wanting equality via Constitutional Rights vs. disagreeing with the life choice).

The real reason people don’t go to church?  They don’t see the point.  Having grown up in the south I have seen where the stereotypes of Christianity come from.  I have seen how people who are legitimately looking for help get crushed and thrown by the wayside because they didn’t fit within the “acceptable” realm when they walked in (dress, hygiene, smell, or anything else that doesn’t fit the status quo for that church culture).  Would you want to go to a place that would make you feel lower than dirt?  You can do that well enough on your own at home, right?

Others may not want to go because, outside of feeling judge unfairly, they have pursued a different approach to life and thus feel that it is irrelevant to them.  Still others just want nothing to do with a group of people who have such a reputation.

Now, I do know that there are several exceptions out there.  Not everyone is going to be the monumental jerks that we’ve become to the world, but they seem to keep to themselves for the most part.  So the ones that need to speak up the most are quiet, and the ones who need to shut up for once are yelling at the top of their lungs.  What is wrong with this picture?

[[Side note: I acknowledge that I have a tendency to oversimplify things.  Please read all statements on this blog in general as if I am trying to portray an idea rather than straight details and facts (generally).]]

America is a Christian Nation

This one really gets to me most days.  The fact of the matter is America is not a Christian nation.

“Of course not, not anymore at least.  With all the immorality, America has gone down the drain and it’s all the _______’s fault.”

No, you don’t get me.  I’m saying that the US never was, nor will it ever be, a Christian nation.  Was it founded on very Biblical principles? Yes.  Were several of the founders Christians or some form of deist/theists? Yes.  Does this mean it’s a Christian nation? No.

Here is why:

Outside of the obvious fact that an abstract and inanimate things can’t “get saved” and become Christian, there is already a nation for Christians that is claimed: The Kingdom of God (or Heaven), where Jesus is the Monarch and we his subjects. 

Beyond that, the “People of God” is no longer limited to the Israelites as we understood it to be in the Old Testament.  But with the New Covenant, came the ability of any individual to join the ranks of this theistic monarchy by simply believing and confessing (easiest immigration laws ever).

But we are placed on the world in various countries and must follow the authority over us.  In the US especially we are apt to place blame on the government for the way things are these days.  While not wholly false, it is also only partially correct.  Because, the fact of the matter is, we are the makers of our own demise.  We vote into office our Presidents, our Senators, our Representatives, Governors, and Mayors into those positions.

We do.

Then we get mad when they do exactly what they are expected to do: Over promise and under deliver.  Seriously, what was the last thing you did to change the way things are? Can you think of anything?  Me either.  Because I don’t do much in the way of politics.  I am just as guilty about letting our government do their own thing until it directly affects me personally then I might start fighting back.  Of course, by then, it’ll probably too late.  So, the way our economy is, the way America is – that fault lies with everyone.  Not just those in positions of authority.

Anyway, these are just a few thoughts that came to mind this week.  I could go off on several tangents that take roots in these two topics, but what benefit would that be?  Additionally, if my tone came across as an attack to anyone I apologize.  I am merely trying to write out some observations.

Grace and Peace.