Category Archives: The Church

What Is Church Hurt? Breaking the Silence on Spiritual Wounds

13 Wednesday Aug 2025

Posted by in Church, Pain, The Church

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What comes to mind when you think about church?

A kind pastor with a gentle presence.

Piano or organ music.

Smiling faces and loving embraces.

The sounds of creaking pews or the rustling of old hymnals.

Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels.com

Church is supposed to be a safe place for believers to gather, build relationships, and deepen their walk with God. But what happens when the very place you run to for comfort and safety becomes the source of your deepest wounds? Church hurt is real, and for too long, it’s been swept under the rug by church leaders, well-meaning parishioners, and denominational organizations. Today, we’re pulling it into the light—because what stays hidden can’t be healed.

The Biblical Counseling Coalition defines “church hurt” as the painful experiences faced when individuals are exploited within a local church setting. In these situations, spiritual language or even Scripture may be misused to justify harmful actions and protect those responsible. Additionally, church hurt encompasses instances where someone is emotionally, mentally, spiritually, or even physically harmed by one or more individuals within the church. This issue appears to be widespread, and in recent years, “church hurt” has gained significant attention on social media platforms and discussion panels among evangelical leaders.

What makes church hurt so painful is that it’s not just relational—it’s spiritual. It’s one of the most intimate relationships we find ourselves in because we know that our spiritual being cannot be hidden from God. In any other relationship, we subconsciously know that we might be hurt somewhere along the way. But the church is different. The people who wounded you weren’t just friends or acquaintances; they represented the body of Christ in your life. When they failed, it felt as though God failed. When the very people and institutions that should protect us betray us, we are often left in a rubble of disappointment, disillusionment, and despair. 

Throughout the Scriptures, we are told story after story about the challenges of making disciples of Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul said it best. “In hard traveling year in and year out, I’ve had to ford rivers, fend off robbers, struggle with friends, and struggle with foes. I’ve been at risk in the city, at risk in the country, endangered by desert sun and sea storm, and betrayed by those I thought were my brothers (2 Corinthians 11:26 MSG).” 

After almost 20 years of serving in full-time ministry, I have experienced my share of slings and arrows from the Christian community. But each year I continue to serve brings with it a constant reminder that loving and serving God’s people is a risky business. We can be deeply hurt by those we love, but you are worth the risk. 

Many people in our church services have been directly impacted by a moral failure of a former pastor, church infighting, a toxic church environment, or a manipulative friend misusing the name of Jesus. Scriptures have been used to justify abuse, shame, and condemnation, causing the abused to simply walk away altogether, not just from their church but from the faith.

How do we heal after being betrayed by those we trusted? How do we walk with those who have not only been hurt by the Church but also abused by spiritual leaders? How do we find the strength to try again after several attempts to find a healthy church family? Many church leaders are internally asking the same questions as they are also trying to minister to those who are considering leaving not only their church, but their faith altogether.

Psalm 34:18 tells us, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” God isn’t indifferent to your hurt. He sees it, He grieves it with you, and He longs to bring healing.

Church hurt is the worst kind of hurt. It’s like getting stabbed in the back while the person holding the knife is looking directly into your eyes. When the very people and institutions that should protect us betray us, we are often left in a rubble of disappointment, disillusionment, and despair. 

Many people in our church services have been directly impacted by a moral failure of a former pastor, church infighting, a toxic church environment, or a manipulative teaching of scripture to justify abuse or shame.

So what do we do when the hurt has seeped in and we are unable to stop the constant flow of pain?

After Paul gives us his long list of ministry woes in 2 Corinthians 11, he continues in Chapter 12. “I do admit that I have fears that when I come you’ll disappoint me and I’ll disappoint you, and in frustration with each other everything will fall to pieces — quarrels, jealousy, flaring tempers, taking sides, angry words, vicious rumors, swelled heads, and general bedlam” (2 Corinthians 12:20–21 MSG). 

From the beginning of the Acts church, there has been a fear of hurt and disappointment. Church is made up of imperfect people, after all. So how do we work alongside a perfect God to build His Church alongside Him, while simultaneously healing and helping others heal? 

Paul gives us some direction in 2 Corinthians 13 (MSG). 

1. Test yourselves to make sure you are solid in the faith — Where has the enemy caused confusion and chaos in relationships, your prayer life, conversations, and situations? Have you done the hard and holy work of pursuing personal healing through counseling, prayer, fasting, repentance, and forgiveness? Ask yourself, “Is my faith in Jesus Christ solid or has a season of disappointment and hurt cracked my once solid foundation?” 

2. Don’t drift along, taking everything for granted. Give yourselves regular checkups — Sometimes we have to leave a church to stay with Jesus, but don’t stay gone for too long. Pursue a new biblical community under a safe shepherd. Pursue daily time in the Word of God, reflecting and resting, worshipping privately and corporately, and staying in close connection with mentors and those who love you. Church doesn’t have to look like it always did, but you need a community that will hold you accountable to those regular checkups.

3. Don’t just put up with your limitations; celebrate them — Paul boasts of his weaknesses because in them God’s great strength is revealed. Celebrate the thorn in your flesh and the scars that have become your testimony. What you have walked out — the hurt, the abuse, the disappointment — will help others share their stories and invite them to know a Jesus they have always wanted to know who doesn’t punish us for weakness but shows up in greater strength! Silence is the enemy. Sharing your testimony is healing for you as long as it’s not an act of revenge. Speak of your victory in Jesus Christ.

4. Allow God to demonstrate his supernatural strength in your life — Paul ends with this, “And that’s about it, friends. Be cheerful. Keep things in good repair. Keep your spirits up. Think in harmony. Be agreeable. Do all that, and the God of love and peace will be with you for sure.” 

As I said earlier, being in ministry… whether as a pastor, a volunteer, a mentor … it is risky. We risk hate from nonbelievers and we risk pain from fellow believers. But it is worth the risk. You are worth the risk. Every time we choose to cross the threshold of a church building after a season of hurt, we are reminded that the Body of Christ is worth the risk because He made us so through His death and resurrection.

Maybe there is a part of you that yearns to be in a church community but another part of you wants to simply run away. Cling to God. He has positioned you to be a voice for the voiceless even when it’s scary or painful. Ask the Lord for wisdom to know when to stay and when to go, and believe he is with you in the coming and the going, the beginnings and the endings. 

If you or your church is experiencing hurt, you don’t have to walk through it alone. Reach out to The Ephesians 612 Group to restore hope, truth, and peace in your troubled community of believers.

Betrayal Trauma and the Church

10 Wednesday Aug 2022

Posted by in mental health, My Story. My Faith., The Church

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The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.– Psalm 34:18

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When violence, physical or emotional, is witnessed or perpetuated against someone, trauma is often the outcome. The spirit and sense of one’s very being become crushed.

For Christians, of course, trauma is of great concern.  Jesus came to heal and to bring justice, as well as to invite us into his perfect eternal kingdom, where pain and sadness no longer exist. Jesus is the one who takes dead things and brings them to life:

For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes (Revelation 7:17).  

We are promised life through living water.

Therefore, all the sexual, physical, and emotional abuse and violence all around us are opportunities for our faith to provide a haven. They are also opportunities for the church to be an incubator where the very being of our personhood might come back to life again. Unfortunately, trauma is often ignored or hidden, even in the church.

Approximately 60% of the US population has experienced at least one traumatic event and 1 out of 3 will develop PTSD. It is highly likely you or someone you know has experienced trauma: physical, emotional, spiritual, or sexual.

As a Clinical Certified Trauma Professional, I spend my days walking with men, women, and children who have experienced some type of trauma. There is one type of trauma that I am seeing more of that people may not be as familiar with—betrayal trauma.

If someone close to you has ever broken your trust, you’ve probably felt the sting of betrayal. Regardless of the infraction, betrayal can leave wounds. But betrayal trauma goes a step further, leaving deep wounds that can feel impossible to heal because you’ve been betrayed by someone or group you trust. Betrayal trauma is a type of trauma that refers to the pain and emotional distress that occurs when a trusted institution, loved one, or intimate partner violates someone’s trust. Betrayal trauma may occur alongside things like gaslighting and lead to anxiety and depression. However, through the grace of God and good therapy you can heal from this trauma.

Types of Betrayal Trauma

There are four different types of betrayal trauma.

  • Parental: When a parent or caretaker, someone you depend on for your needs to be met, abuses you or fails to protect you from harm.
  • Intimate Partner: When the person doing the betraying is your intimate partner. This can take place when your partner is having an emotional affair or a physical affair. If one of the partners has an active sexual addiction, there is often betrayal present.
  • Institutional: When an institution impacts you in a way that is in direct opposition to what they portray themselves to be or their stated mottos and goals. This can also occur when the institution protects the perpetrator instead of supporting the victim or “whistleblower.” This may include a religious institution, educational institution, the military, healthcare systems, etc.
  • Interpersonal: When a trusted friend, peer, or individual betrays your trust.

Betrayal trauma occurs when a person or an organization that you depend on goes outside your expectation of them in a way that is hurtful to you. The amount of trauma caused has to do with the impact on you. If your car gets rear-ended in traffic, your level of trauma may not be as profound as if you were to find out that your spouse of 20 years has been carrying on an affair with your best friend.

Betrayal trauma is the trauma that results from betrayal by a trusted person or institution. Betrayal trauma theory seeks to understand how an individual will interpret that betrayal and store it in his or her memory. This theory predicts that the more necessary a person or institution is deemed to be in a person’s life, the more likely there will be an “unawareness” or “blindness” to that betrayal. Third party observers are often left wondering, how can they not see what is happening?

We can’t blame those who are the victims of this type of trauma because too often they are unable to see it until the pain is too profound, and the damage is done. But, as Christians, we can do much more than we currently are to help in the healing process.

How can the church be The Church?

1. Be a caring community.

There is one fundamental way in which the church as the Body of Christ can be critical partners to the mental health community in a survivor’s healing journey. Trauma survivors need to be seen, valued, and connected to a caring community. The church is called to be the living body of Christ, and that is spiritual work. Because trauma survivors need to feel safe, the church commits itself to provide shalom love and gracious hospitality.

Any kind of trauma changes the body so that the traumatic experience gets trapped inside a person. The church can create an environment that gives the individual body a chance to heal.  The church and her leaders need to learn to be listeners, receiving the stories of trauma survivors. Just simply listening and bearing witness to the truth of another’s experience is a significant step in the healing process.

It’s not easy to be a listener. It can feel very heavy. But we must remember that Christ’s Light is unquenchable—and darkness can not overcome it. And that is the gift the church can give back to those in need.

2. Refuse to excuse or explain away abusive power.

Every church should develop policies that assure no tolerance for any type of sexism, abuse, or bullying. The church should have the highest ethic for treating people with respect and have the highest motivation for protecting the vulnerable. When we, as Christians, live our lives reflecting our beliefs, we become a true refuge. If we show tolerance of evil, either through our actions or words, we perpetuate the trauma and potentially drive someone away from God.

3. Have a relationship with the mental health community.

Churches that are advocates for trauma survivors preach the Gospel and have a collaboration with mental health experts. There are many things churches are good at, but mental health counseling is not one of them. Too often, spiritual leaders step out of their lane into areas they need to refer out. But when a church finds good Christian therapists who are clinically licensed, they are exhibiting the love of Christ but ensuring the best for the ones in need.

4. Encourage people to talk to Jesus about their pain, trauma, abuse, and healing.

It’s so heartbreaking to talk with those who have experienced betrayal trauma and they are unaware they can rely on God’s strength. Churches should encourage constant communication with God. And it’s truly quite simple to have prayers and verses available to give to those who are in need but don’t know where to even begin.

  • A trauma victim’s prayer: Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, until the destroying storms pass by. Psalm 57: 1
  • A trauma victim’s hope: God sustains me in a desert land, in a howling wilderness waste; God shields me, cares for me, guards me as the apple of his eye. As an eagle stirs up its nest and hovers over its young; as it spreads its wings, takes them up, and bears them aloft on its pinions, the Lord alone guides me. Deut. 32: 10-12a 

In Colossians, Paul wrote to those who believe:

For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory. (Col. 3:3-4)

The trauma survivor is not crushed. Within the survivor is a life hidden with Christ and in God. That is a powerful reminder of the hope and healing that comes from God Almighty. The church can provide sanctuary, a place hidden with Christ in God for all who have suffered from any type of trauma.

“Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death and burst their bonds apart. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! For he shatters the doors of bronze and cuts in two the bars of iron.” — Psalm 107:13-16

The Gift of Good-bye

24 Sunday Apr 2022

Posted by in My Story. My Faith., The Church

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God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful:

wise counsel

clear understanding

simple trust

healing the sick

miraculous acts

proclamation

distinguishing between spirits

tongues

interpretation of tongues.

All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when. — 1 Corinthians 12: 4-11

This morning, as I was sitting in church, the pastor said something that has resonated with me all afternoon. He was talking about the importance of truth in the midst of today’s culture. It seems as though even self-proclaimed Christians are denying Jesus, ignoring the inerrancy of the Bible, conforming to sin, and living spiritually reckless lives. He mentioned that many Christians know about the nine gifts we are given according to scripture but we are likely unfamiliar with the tenth gift; that is the gift of goodbye. Now he was saying that with a bit of humor because that isn’t listed in 1 Corinthians 12. But as I’ve thought about it, I do believe it is a gift God gives us.

Jesus and the man

The Gospel of Mark tells us the story of a man who encounters Jesus. This man ran up to Jesus and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

This man clearly knows the importance of God’s kingdom and he understands that it is Jesus who holds the answer.

The man is focused on the right thing but he mistakenly thinks he has all the power to make it happen. Jesus obviously sees this discrepancy in the man’s question versus his heart.

“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”

The man is eagerly agrees with Jesus: “Teacher . . . all these I have kept since I was a boy.”

He has worked hard; he has kept the rules; he has tried his best. It all looks good on paper. He is probably thinking he has this wrapped up and well on his way to the heavenly promised land.

Then an amazing thing happened. It’s easy to overlook it. Scripture says, “Jesus looked at him and loved him.”

Read that again.

This is the only man in the entire Gospel of Mark whom we are explicitly told Jesus loved. And that’s startling given what the love of Jesus looks like in this story.

 Jesus loves this man too much to allow him to continue in his self-deluded little world that says his hard work is the way to God. Jesus refuses to invite this man into further ego-driven beliefs that just because he has checked off all the necessary boxes, he is on the narrow path to God’s kingdom. Instead, Jesus issues a command.

In scripture, Jesus often spoke in parables. It wasn’t always easy to understand the basic point but not in this case. Jesus was direct and incredibly clear. And with this one command, Jesus undermines the whole foundation on which the man has built his life.

“One thing you lack,” [Jesus] said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

No negotiation, no misunderstanding. He must sell everything.

At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.

And there it is. The crux of the man’s story. He had great wealth. Why is that important? Because Jesus demands it all. That is the command. Period. It’s not just a hard command. It’s impossible, and it was supposed to be.

It’s an important moment because Jesus loves the man—and he lets him walk away. Jesus doesn’t chase after the man or change the rules. He simply says good-bye.

Jesus demands it all.

True then. True now.

Why would Jesus make the price so high? Why would Jesus demand something that can’t be done? Not because he’s cruel and harsh, but precisely because Jesus is love.

You see, the man had reduced God’s commands to something he could achieve. It was like a daily checklist that needed to be accomplished. He couldn’t see that this wasn’t about works but rather it was about the heart. If the man had simply surrendered to Jesus in that moment, he could have honestly said to Jesus, “I can’t do it alone.” But his identity was wrapped up in things of the world therefore there was no place for Jesus in his life. Not truly.

So, how does this relate to today and even the “gift of good-bye?”

Think back to what Jesus said to the rich young man. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor.” It’s easy to react to that: Of course he doesn’t mean I should do that. That would be ridiculous and impractical. He was only talking to that man. He just means I should be more generous. Yes, I think I can manage to be a bit more generous. I don’t have to actually suffer.

And that’s precisely the problem. We find a solution to the problem of obeying the commands of God—but we aren’t obeying Him at all. We decide what scriptures to live by and what scriptures to ignore. We decide that things, places, events, people are much more important than our relationship with God. We affirm sin and water down hard words of God to avoid upsetting people. We cling to traditions instead of God’s Laws. Our lack of obedience to God is exactly why Jesus said to the man, “Go, sell everything you have.”

Every command found within the pages of Scripture will expose your worldly anchors if you stop and listen. It is uncomfortable. It is hard. But it is there, in that authentic place, that you will truly learn to whisper those two little words: I can’t.

I can’t continue making the choices I’m making. I can’t continue hanging with the wrong people. I can’t continue to water down my beliefs. I can’t.

Two and a half years ago, I said, “I can’t.” I could no longer be part of a denomination that denies the divinity of Jesus Christ. I could no longer keep quiet about the way God was being pushed out of that worldly institution. I could no longer serve alongside those who mock God by claiming He makes mistakes. I fell to my knees and said, “I can’t.” And in that moment, the Holy Spirit gave me the gift of good-bye.

“And if no one will … even listen to what you have to say, leave that place, and once outside it shake off the dust of that place from your feet. Believe me, Sodom and Gomorrah will fare better in the day of judgment than that place.” — Matthew 10:14

Shaking off the dust of some place or someone you love is not easy. But without the gift of goodbye, given by the Holy Spirit, it is not possible. I’ve watched as several people I know and love have embarked on these good-byes within their own lives. It’s heartbreaking but also freeing. The more you push away from the world and all that it stands for, the closer Jesus Christ is to your every breath. Jesus showed us how to love, even to the point of good-bye. And sometimes it is through our good-bye that we show the most love of all.

What about you? Are you like the man, clinging to the riches of your world? Do you find the comfort of disobedience easier than the discomfort of giving it all away? Perhaps it is time for you to say, “I can’t” so you too can receive the gift of good-bye.

Time To Return

23 Monday Aug 2021

Posted by in My Story. My Faith., The Church

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Therefore, the Lord proclaims:
If you return to me, I will take you back
    and let you stand before me.
If you utter what is worthwhile,
        not what is worthless,
    you will be my spokesman.
They will turn to you,
    not you to them! — Jeremiah 15:19

Wait. What did he just say?

“If you return to me…”

Why have I never heard this verse before? And why now?

I was sitting in church, only our second visit to this particular one, and the words uttered by the pastor seemed to scream at me. “If you return to me…” It wasn’t a coincidence. I actually don’t believe in them. It was a direct word from God to the core of my soul. At that moment, those words were meant for me and me alone. I felt that a spotlight was shining down on me, calling me to once again take my rightful place as a spokesman for God. Now the answer was up to me.

“If you return to me…”

To say I can be stubborn would not be completely off base. But I didn’t really consider that I was stubborn with God. I actually thought I was rather obedient. But the light had definitely been turned on to highlight my sinful ways. The truth is, I didn’t realize I had ever left God. Clearly, I had.

I was called to ordained deacon ministry many years ago for those who may not be familiar with my backstory. Coming from the Greek word diákonos (διάκονος), my calling was to mimmick that of Phoebe and Stephen, as a messenger or servant of God.

What exactly was my calling? It was mental health counseling, specifically as a Biblical counselor. Sometimes it would be in an office setting. Other times, it would be in another country. It was often trauma-related, and always spiritual. I was mandated by God to not only share the Gospel, but to also Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. — Matthew 28:19-20 I was called to deliver the message to those in need that their healing could only come from Jesus Christ.

Because of the uniqueness of my call, God set me apart to live a higher standard, thus, ordaining me before Himself and the Church. I had absolutely no desire to be ordained. But God wouldn’t leave me alone. From the time I was a young girl, I fought with God about my life and what I would do with it. Even after obtaining my mental health license, God continued to convict me in my work. I would offer people secular tools to deal with their problems, knowing in my heart that I was denying them the one thing that could ultimately heal them. In the end, I surrendered to God, knowing the tremendous amount of pressure I would face the moment I said, “yes.” Backlash from the mental health community. Isolation from peers.But most of all, I knew what it would mean on my eternal soul.

My dear brothers and sisters, don’t be so eager to become a teacher in the church since you know that we who teach are held to a higher standard of judgment. — James 3:1

After saying yes, I felt like the world took over. As with all of human history, man and God collided. I stayed quiet as I was ushered by the local church into the pulpit rather than supported within the true nature of my calling. I began to fill a role as preacher and administrator in order to please those I admired. As a consequence, God’s desire for me as His servant took a backseat in my life. This was the reality of my existence for seven years.

But God.

Oh how precious those two words are. But God intervened when I cried out to Him to rescue me from a place I didn’t really know how to escape. Leaving the local church was awful. There is no other way to say it. But it should have been freeing. Unfortunately, I focused so much on the pain that I had no room to see the freedom. And somewhere along the way, I left God. I left Him.

I never stopped believing. I never stopped loving Him or desiring Him. But I stopped being with Him. I stopped seeing Him in my life. He was there but kept at a distance. All the while, my mental health practice was growing.

I would have patients tell me that God spoke to them through me and still I didn’t reach to Him. I witnessed miraculous healing from traumas and grief. I heard many stories of newfound faith after working with me. And still, I neglected Him.

The truth be told, I was living out my true calling while ignoring the strength of my savior. No wonder I was so tired all of the time. No wonder I was so empty.

If you return to me, Janean…

So there I was, sitting in a new church and all eyes were on me as the Lord called me out. Okay, maybe the eyes of those within the building weren’t on me but I can tell you that the angels were collectively holding their breath as they awaited my answer.

So don’t be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, or of me his prisoner. Instead, share in suffering for the gospel, relying on the power of God. — 2 Timothy 1:8

There it was. The mandate from God, placed on my heart. It was time to pick it back up obediently and be as Christ commanded me to be. I am called as a deacon in the Church. I am to work alongside those suffering in this temporary world, pointing them to the salvation promised by Jesus Christ. I am to sacrifice my comforts, my wants, and my will for His alone. I am to share in the suffering of others for the sake of the gospel, relying on the power of God. What about you? God calls each of us in very unique and intentional ways. We don’t get to pick and choose how we are to serve. God chooses for us. Are you obedient? Or, are you ready to return to Him?

But the Lord stood by me and gave me strength, so that the entire message would be preached through me and so all the nations could hear it. — 2 Timothy 4:17

If we don’t talk about it, it doesn’t exist

18 Sunday Jul 2021

Posted by in The Church

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I read an article recently by Rev. Josh Moody about pain and the church. It’s astonishing how many people … good-hearted Christians … who have been hurt by or who have hurt other church folk. It really makes you realize that the brokenness within each person doesn’t miraculously heal by sitting in a pew. I actually think church hurt is the most traumatic pain a Christian might go through outside of a death of a loved one. And yet, we don’t talk about it. Ever.

How many times have you noticed a fellow church member’s continued absence? If you sit near them, you are much more likely to notice momentarily. But did you reach out to them? Did you let them know they were missed? It’s not something we typically do. That vacant seat is more than likely empty because of some type of church hurt. And yet, we don’t talk about it.

Healing from a trauma of any kind is a slow process. It takes time, intentionality, and lots of prayer. But church trauma is different because it usually surrounds a betrayal or rejection of the very people who are supposed to walk in all the shadows with you. They are the ones you’re supposed to lean on when the rest of the world breaks your heart. So, when you get hurt by the church, you become a leper, outcast and alone to suffer and beg for the scraps of pity that are thrown your way.

This morning I had some serious wounds re-opened. And it stinks! I cried. I got mad. My heart rate shot up and my hands shook. I thought of words I won’t repeat. But here’s what I didn’t do. Pray.

In the moment of my pain, I fell right back into the pit of despair without grabbing onto the only absolute lifeline — God.

All through scripture, we read about ordinary people in the midst of deep pain. It is so easy to think of these stories as just stories. But these stories are our stories, too! And they give us a blueprint as to how to navigate through life. Even the messiness of church.

“Most of the writing in the New Testament about how to live in a church exists because the church has never been perfect. Most, if not all, of the letters were written to solve problems in the church:

  • Galatians to solve legalism (Galatians 1:6–7, 3:1–3, 4:9, 5:1).
  • Colossians to solve heresy (Colossians 2:4, 8).
  • 2 Timothy to solve tension in succession (2 Timothy 4:9–16).
  • Philippians to solve conflict and selfish ambition (Philippians 2:3–22). 
  • 1 and 2 Corinthians to solve a whole host of problems centered around the issues of human pride in gifting and speaking that led to loveless and arrogant religious activity. 

And that’s not even to mention the letters to the churches in Revelation (chapters 2–3), one of which is so unhealthy, it makes Jesus want to vomit (Revelation 3:16).” (Moody, 2015)

It might not be something we want to talk about but if scripture addresses it, it must be pretty important to God. And if it’s important to God, we should find it important, too.

In Moody’s article, he gives us three steps to consider taking when we’ve experienced hurt within the church. This hurt can come from a pastor or other church leaders, members, sister churches, even visitors. It can come in the form of an off-the-cuff comment, an ill-placed joke, an anonymous letter, gossip, avoidance, lying, and straight-in-your-face verbal assaults. Sometimes hurt is intentional but other times, it happens and no one is aware except for the victim. Regardless of where the hurt comes from or how it happened, there are some good steps to follow to begin to heal from the grief.

1. Stay in God’s manual for our grief.

Unashamedly, unshakably, and unreservedly draw your hope for life and healing from the teaching of the Bible. The more we are centered on God’s truth spoken in love (Ephesians 4:1–16), the more we will grow up into maturity and the more resources we’ll have at our disposal to heal from hurt ourselves and to avoid hurting one another.

The temptation will be to avoid God’s word. But keep reading the Bible, even if for just a few minutes each day. It’s like eating. What counts is every single day getting what we need to get through that day. Knowing God’s word will help us as we process hurt and find truth to satisfy and guide us.

2. Pursue the holiness you hope for in others.

Passionately, sacrificially, and deliberately persevere in pursuing Christ-like discipleship. When you’re faced with betrayal or disappointment, it will require perseverance — supernatural perseverance. Learn. Grow. Forgive. Repent. Repent some more. Fight the good fight. Urge each other on. Do not give up meeting together. Stay on the path of discipleship, knowing it will be rugged at times. Trust that the good work God is doing in you and in other believers around you will ultimately be for the good of all who believe in him.

3. Trust that love will eventually prevail.

Love anyway. It seems impossible in the moment, but it’s the call of every Christian in every situation. In the end, only love will abide (1 Corinthians 13:13). And without love, our lives will be meaningless and unfruitful (1 Corinthians 13:1–3). Love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8). Therefore, the wisest and safest way forward is always love. Love as if your life depends on it.

To love someone is to seek his best. I can love someone without even liking him. I can find someone frustrating, but still genuinely and truly want what is best for him. Love does not mean avoiding tough conversations or life-on-life accountability, but doing those sorts of things from a loving, humble, gracious, and patient position which is from a mind and heart like Christ’s.

Jesus said you could tell his disciples by how they love one another (John 13:35), and so we who are loved by him love each other in turn — even through the darkest, most difficult days. (Moody, 2015)

It took me a bit to get back into God’s word. I was genuinely angry at God for allowing my pain to happen. Let’s be honest, we all love the free will God gives us until we experience pain. Then we want Him to fix it. But that’s not how it works. He gives us the ability to fix our own situations by leaning upon Him and His word.

By not staying in God’s word for a while, I was unable to pursue holiness as defined by Jesus Christ. I was completely parched yet refusing to drink the living water. You can’t live your life for Christ when you aren’t filling your life up with Christ.

But loving those who hurt me… that I did. And it’s because I loved them and still love them that the hurt reopened today. Unlike a year ago, however, I’m grateful for the love I have for the gossips, the dividers, the rejectors, and the silencers. I’m grateful because we are all broken, sinful people. And if I can still love with all of my heart someone who hurt me, then that means that I can be loved, too.

A year ago, I wondered if I’d ever step foot in a church again where I would be able to take down some of the wall I have built around my heart. Thankfully, I’m finding that place again.

“I am aware of the many ways the Church has failed me, and I have failed her. Yet I claim this Church as mine. She is my mother; my home. A broken home, yes! Broken because you and I are broken.” — Sr. Macrina Wiederkehr, OSB

Moody, Josh. “Help in Overcoming Church Hurt.” Desiring God, Desiring God Foundation, 1 Sept. 2015, http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/help-in-overcoming-church-hurt.

The Day Christians Forgot

13 Thursday May 2021

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As I sit here in my office, I can’t help but notice the busyness all around me. Cars flying by. People walking here and there. Children playing on the playground behind me. Life is busy today. And as I notice this, I can’t help but wonder if any one of these people know today is Ascension Day. Today marks the moment when Jesus Christ completed his work on earth and ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. Today is a BIG day. Did you miss it?

Ascension. It’s not really celebrated in our society. Even churches will give a cursory acknowledgement of it but it doesn’t get the same headlines that Easter or Christmas receive. And yet, without it, the Holy Spirit would not be with us. Without it, many of the promises of Jesus would not be fulfilled.

Forty days after his resurrection from the dead, Jesus and his disciples went to the Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem. It was there that Jesus explained that He would send a counselor to guide them — the Holy Spirit. He promised them the Spirit but asked them to remain in Jerusalem until the day the Spirit would come (it is called Pentecost).

So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, “Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?”

He replied, “The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him. —Acts 1 6-9

It was in that moment that Jesus Christ finished his work here on earth. He would now prepare a place in heaven for each of us. And it is that promise that is the gift of our salvation. To be forgiven for our sins here on earth is incredible but to have a place prepared for us by Jesus to live with him for all eternity is priceless.

So why don’t we celebrate Ascension like we do other Christian holidays? I think it’s because we have stopped believing in resurrection power and promises that come with it. We have stopped believing that we have been raised with Christ. We talk about our time with Jesus as if it’s in the future. When we do that, we deny him in the present.

So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. —Colossians 3:1-3

“Seek the things that are above…” One translation (the NLT) says it like this: “Set your sights on the realities of heaven.” How much of a reality is heaven in your life? Do you focus on the things of the world so much that you miss out on the reality of what Jesus Christ has done for you? The resurrection is not the end of the story. He defeated death but he did much much more. And we neglect to honor that when we focus on things of this world.

Author Stephen Seamans said of Colossians 3:1-3, “Paul was not merely making a suggestion. In the original Greek, the verbs are in the imperative mood. That means he was giving a command. They are also in the present tense, which implies continuous ongoing action. Paul, then, was insisting that the Colossians do this, keep on doing this, and do it always. His concern was not that these young Christians would be too heavenly minded, but not heavenly minded enough.”

Why should we be so focused on heaven when we live here on earth? Because that is where Jesus is. And that is where our hearts should be. If we continue to only think of Jesus as the earthly being, we will fail to live into the new creations that we are.

We can’t see all things through the risen Christ if we only see him as the earthly Jesus. We cannot stay stuck here in this world, in all of the dismay that surrounds us. We must glue our eyes to heaven, not as a “when is He coming back” but rather as a “that’s where my heart is.”

So, if you haven’t already, take a moment to acknowledge the Ascension. Take a moment to give thanks for the fact that Jesus Christ continues to reign and that we are right there with him. Take a moment to worship the Lord our God.

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Paul DID speak about hell

02 Sunday May 2021

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I was sent a message today with the question, “Did Paul really not ever preach on hell?” Apparently, my friend’s preacher told the church that Paul didn’t talk about hell when sharing the Gospel. Instead, the preacher insinuated that if Paul didn’t preach about it, hell either doesn’t exist or isn’t important. *sigh*

“Yes, my dear friend, Paul warned of hell because he taught exactly what Jesus Christ taught.”

First things first … Paul never says the word “hell.” This is true. The word was not found in the Greek language. But to simply say he did not tell his listeners about hell is distorting the truth because Paul absolutely spoke of eternal consequences.

Paul spoke of the fate of ponērós. It is the Greek word for wicked. He taught that ponērós are condemned and will suffer God’s wrath. 2 Thessalonians 2:12 says, “All will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” Truth in Paul’s teachings is believing in Jesus Christ. Therefore, anyone who does not believe in the truth equates to wickedness.

Romans 2:5, 8 says, “But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed…But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.” Paul describes God’s action against unbelievers and deniers of the truth with the word “wrath.” Wrath is never used when talking about salvation and sanctification. Why? Because the believer is not wicked, requiring eternal judgment.

Paul is clear that those who are unrepentant of their sins and reject the Lord will face God’s wrath on the Day of Judgment. “It is because of these things (lust, idolatry, greed, sexual immorality, and other sinful deeds) that the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient.” Colossians 3:6

However, Paul doesn’t just give us the fate of the ponērós. He tells us the good news that those who believe in Jesus Christ will have eternal salvation, showing his listeners that there is a choice to be made: eternal salvation or eternal judgment.

• “Therefore, since we have now been justified [declared free of the guilt of sin] by His blood, [how much more certain is it that] we will be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” — Romans 5:9

• “For they themselves report about us, tellingwhat kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to [look forward and confidently] wait for [the coming of] His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus, who [personally] rescues us from the coming wrath [and draws us to Himself, granting us all the privileges and rewards of a new life with Him].” — 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10

• “For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died [willingly] for us, so that whether we are awake (alive) or asleep (dead) [at Christ’s appearing], we will live together with Him [sharing eternal life].” — 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10

Paul wrote the letter to the Galatian church to combat false teaching. He opposed the false teaching so strongly that he said, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” — Galatians 1:8-9 Eternally condemned certainly does not equate to anything good.

Paul wants everyone to fully understand that they have a choice to make. And they must make it quickly. “He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers. But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness.” — Romans 2:7-8

Paul continues his teaching of hell. Romans 2:9, “There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil.” This is a picture of the afterlife because we know that those who do evil don’t always experience trouble and distress. It is most often the righteous who are persecuted and go through tribulation (trouble). Paul is teaching that those who reject God and do evil will experience trouble and distress in the next life rather than this one. It’s satan’s way of seducing us into turning our backs on Jesus Christ.

Paul was profoundly intent on sharing the Gospel everywhere he went. He did not leave out the parts that made people uncomfortable or offended them. He understood that their eternal souls were at stake with each word he spoke. Unfortunately, there are many preachers today who fail to live by this same conviction. They twist the words of scripture so that it’s more appealing to sinful ears. And the result is more sin, more wickedness, and more lost.

But Paul wasn’t finished. 2 Thessalonians 1:8-10 is one of the most important passages about hell that Paul preaches. “He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among those who have believed.”

Everlasting destruction. This means that the punishment for those unbelievers and twisters of truth is to be “shut out from the presence of the Lord” eternally. If this isn’t hell, what is?

Paul talks of eternal destruction several times.

• The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. — Galatians 6:8

• And in no way be alarmed or intimidated [in anything] by your opponents, for such [constancy and fearlessness on your part] is a [clear] sign [a proof and a seal] for them of [their impending] destruction, but [a clear sign] for you of deliverance and salvation, and that too, from God —Philippians 1:28

• For there are many, of whom I have often told you, and now tell you even with tears, who live as enemies of the cross of Christ [rejecting and opposing His way of salvation], whose fate is destruction, whose god is theirbelly [their worldly appetite, their sensuality, their vanity], and whose glory is in their shame—who focus their mind on earthly and temporal things. — Philippians 3:19

• “They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” — 2 Thessalonians 2:10

Quite simply, the ungodly will be destroyed, but believers will be given eternal life. Therefore, ‘eternal destruction’ is the severity of the punishment awaiting the enemies of God for eternity. Considering that Jesus spoke of heaven as a place of joy, the place where those not of God’s kingdom would be hell. Although Paul does not use the Greek words translated “hell,” he speaks about extensively.

Finally, Paul was an extraordinary apostle and his example is one to follow. But Paul was a sinful human being. Our ultimate teacher is Jesus Christ. Paul did not contradict Jesus so we can look to Jesus’s teachings for a final authority.

Jesus talked about hell more than any other person in scripture. In Luke 16, he describes a great chasm over which “none may cross from there to us.” In Matthew 25, Jesus tells of a time when people will be separated into two groups, one entering into his presence, the other banished to “eternal fire.”

Jesus says hell is a place of eternal torment (Luke 16:23), of unquenchable fire (Mark 9:43), where the worm does not die (Mark 9:48), where people will gnash their teeth in anguish and regret (Matt. 13:42), and from which there is no return, even to warn loved ones (Luke 16:19–31). He calls hell a place of “outer darkness” (Matt. 25:30), comparing it to “Gehenna” (Matt. 10:28), which was a trash dump outside the walls of Jerusalem where rubbish was burned and maggots abounded. Jesus talks about hell more than he talks about heaven, and describes it more vividly.

The fact is, without hell, there is no eternal punishment. Without eternal punishment, there is no need for salvation. Without salvation, there is no need for Jesus Christ. Be warned, my friends, of the false teachers. They tickle your ears with the teachings of satan, luring you closer to eternal destruction.

Good vs. Evil – the fight for the Church

26 Monday Apr 2021

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“On April 26, Dr. Ray surrendered his credentials as an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church. Our pastor’s actions were done with a heavy heart, but also with a clear conscience.”

Most of you have likely not heard of Mt Bethel UMC in Marietta, Georgia even though it’s the largest Methodist church in north Georgia. This church has been a beacon in that area for over 175 years. They believe quite simply, “At the center of our mission is a great desire to evolve and stay relevant in our community–to find new ways to share an unchanging Gospel in a changing world.”

Sounds good, right? Well… this church has been in the religion news outlets the past few weeks. Why? Because the pastor of this very large, growing church believes in the truth of the Holy Bible. Rev. Dr. Jody Ray has been the senior pastor of Mt. Bethel for five years and has made it quite clear of his unwavering orthodoxy belief. The North Georgia Conference… well … it’s led by a very progressive bishop. Without so much as a consultation, the pastor received word he was being reappointed effective in less than a month. He and the church were caught off guard and requested the bishop reconsider. The answer was a strong, “no.”

“As an elder in the church I certainly understand the appointive process,” said Ray. “Unfortunately, my options were to accept the move, take a leave of absence, or surrender my credentials. That’s not exactly the way colleagues in the Order of Elders expect to be treated.”

So Rev. Ray announced today he was surrendering his credentials rather than stay embedded in the nightmare that the United Methodist Church has become because of the battle between good and evil.

For those not familiar with the ordination process in the UMC, it’s a long, exhausting process reaped in unobtainable expectations. In other words, it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s easily 10 years from start to finish, and more intensive then many residencies. Beyond the incredible hard work, time, and tears, the road to ordination is deeply personal because God calls us to the ministry and God ordains us. Unfortunately, many people have forgotten that very powerful fact. God is the ONLY one who can ordain us.

So why am I talking about all of this? Because I’ve been in a similar situation as Rev. Ray. Being placed in that position — new appointment, leave of absence, or surrender credentials — it’s incredibly painful. When you surrender your credentials, your life does not simply gone on. Your life is changed. You are changed. You ache deeply. You question yourself. You even question God. It’s not a simple choice. But it’s a necessary step when you can no longer represent a denomination because of their departure from God. And just like Ray, it all came down to being pro-sin or pro-Truth.

There are more and more of us who are being pushed out of the UMC simply for our unshakable faith in the inerrancy of scripture. It’s hard to even process that a church is no longer a place to hear Truth. It’s no longer a place to learn accountability to what’s right and wrong. It’s a place where the world has been embraced while God has been replaced. But so many churches from many different denominations are taking this approach. I focus on the UMC because of my personal experience.

There are several private forums online for those of us who are traditional believers. These forums provide a place for us to listen, lift each other up, discuss scripture, and pray together. Unfortunately, we are forced to be in hiding for our beliefs. Recently, we were warned to be very careful because we were being targeted. One person wrote, “Some one invited a friend of mine who could lose his/her job if affiliation here [the forum] was known. I recommended NOT participating here. Some clergy and lay conference staff are very vulnerable.”

It’s difficult for most people to understand the gravity of the pain clergy and laity are in because of the progressive leadership of the UMC. Threats, verbal assaults, loss of jobs, loss of friends… and this is only the beginning. With the split of the UMC looming , many more innocents will become victims of this fight.

For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves because they have an itch to hear something new. They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths. — 2 Timothy 4:3-5

Scripture tells us over and over to be aware of false teachers. God knew that this day would come. And He clearly knew we would fall prey without constantly abiding in Him.

Friend, if you find yourself in the midst of this battle, the time has come for you to rise up. Remaining lukewarm is no longer an option. Eternity is on the line. So I leave you with these words from the Apostle Simon Peter:

But there were also lying prophets among the people then, just as there will be lying religious teachers among you. They’ll smuggle in destructive divisions, pitting you against each other—biting the hand of the One who gave them a chance to have their lives back! They’ve put themselves on a fast downhill slide to destruction, but not before they recruit a crowd of mixed-up followers who can’t tell right from wrong.

They give the way of truth a bad name. They’re only out for themselves. They’ll say anything, anything, that sounds good to exploit you. They won’t, of course, get by with it. They’ll come to a bad end, for God has never just stood by and let that kind of thing go on.

God didn’t let the rebel angels off the hook, but jailed them in hell till Judgment Day. Neither did he let the ancient ungodly world off. He wiped it out with a flood, rescuing only eight people—Noah, the sole voice of righteousness, was one of them.

God decreed destruction for the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. A mound of ashes was all that was left—grim warning to anyone bent on an ungodly life. But that good man Lot, driven nearly out of his mind by the sexual filth and perversity, was rescued. Surrounded by moral rot day after day after day, that righteous man was in constant torment.

So God knows how to rescue the godly from evil trials. And he knows how to hold the feet of the wicked to the fire until Judgment Day.

God is especially incensed against these “teachers” who live by lust, addicted to a filthy existence. They despise interference from true authority, preferring to indulge in self-rule. Insolent egotists, they don’t hesitate to speak evil against the most splendid of creatures. Even angels, their superiors in every way, wouldn’t think of throwing their weight around like that, trying to slander others before God.

These people are nothing but brute beasts, born in the wild, predators on the prowl. In the very act of bringing down others with their ignorant blasphemies, they themselves will be brought down, losers in the end. Their evil will boomerang on them. They’re so despicable and addicted to pleasure that they indulge in wild parties, carousing in broad daylight. They’re obsessed with adultery, compulsive in sin, seducing every vulnerable soul they come upon. Their specialty is greed, and they’re experts at it. Dead souls!

They’ve left the main road and are directionless, having taken the way of Balaam, son of Beor, the prophet who turned profiteer, a connoisseur of evil. But Balaam was stopped in his wayward tracks: A dumb animal spoke in a human voice and prevented the prophet’s craziness.

There’s nothing to these people—they’re dried-up fountains, storm-scattered clouds, headed for a black hole in hell. They are loudmouths, full of hot air, but still they’re dangerous. Men and women who have recently escaped from a deviant life are most susceptible to their brand of seduction. They promise these newcomers freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption, for if they’re addicted to corruption—and they are—they’re enslaved.

If they’ve escaped from the slum of sin by experiencing our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ, and then slid back into that same old life again, they’re worse than if they had never left. Better not to have started out on the straight road to God than to start out and then turn back, repudiating the experience and the holy command. They prove the point of the proverbs, “A dog goes back to its own vomit” and “A scrubbed-up pig heads for the mud.” — 2 Peter 2

An Open Letter to the Church

08 Friday Jan 2021

Posted by in The Church

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Dear Church,

Where are you? Your doors are locked. Your windows are dark. Your community rooms are empty. Your ministers are unavailable. Where are you?

Yesterday, we witnessed in our nation’s capitol a scene that we never expected in this country. A protest, legal in all rights, turned into a violent riot by a small group of angry citizens. After the dust settled, many were hurt and four were deceased. Blame began to go around and the anger… it festers still.

Looking back on our history, during times of trial, the Church has emerged as the one and only sustaining hope. Why? Because in times of peace and in times of war, the Church has offered the world Jesus Christ. So, I ask again, Church, where are you?

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:23-25

Over the past year, I recognize you had to make some difficult decisions. Decisions that you have never been faced with before. I get it. In March, we were all navigating each day without working instruments. We were told that Covid was going to wipe out a third of the world’s population. It was like an enemy we had to battle but could not see. It was scary. So, the world shut down. And along with the world, the Church shut down too.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16

The plague (a.k.a. “black death”) spread throughout Europe in the 1300s. Over 90% of those who contracted the plague died of it within a week, costing Europe 30-60% of its population in the fourteenth century. In that era, ministers, priests, monks, and nuns courageously cared for the sick and the dying, knowing that it might cost them their lives. Indeed, many did succumb to the black death because of their work. It wouldn’t be until the seventeenth century that the black death and various mutated forms of it would finally disappear.

Martin Luther was one of many ministers who was faced with a plague. And when this disease reached his city, Luther said:

I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine, and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance infect and pollute others, and so cause their death as a result of my negligence. If God should wish to take me, he will surely find me and I have done what he has expected of me and so I am not responsible for either my own death or the death of others. If my neighbor needs me, however, I shall not avoid place or person, but will go freely.

“If my neighbor needs me,” represents the attitude of a godly pastor in plagues, in wars, in times of fear.

Church, where are you?

Now, before I get a slew of angry messages, let me clarify. I recognize that during the first couple of weeks of covid, everything was in chaos and closing seemed like the right thing to do — for a couple of weeks. Some churches have developed an online ministry with viewers from around the country. This is a good thing. For some people, the idea of walking through church doors is too much but watching online is easy. There have been some out-of-the-box ministries that have emerged and for those things, God is glorified. But …

Many churches are still closed 11 months later. Eleven months! Why?? Your congregants are not without the ability to think. They can make decisions for themselves. These past 11 months, the Church has been needed more than ever. And we — the Church — have failed.

Open your doors to the sanctuaries the people need. Trust them to have the ability to decide if they can attend in person or not. Allow singing to return and … for the love of God Almighty, stop preventing hugs! Strip the stages of the sets and let the cross become the only focus.

Look around this country. The anger, hostility, lawlessness… it’s incredibly overwhelming. For the past year, we have been locked down. Riots have been unstopped throughout our country. Lines have been drawn. Jobs have been lost. Politicians have used our difficulties for their gains. And people are lost. Seriously lost. Every way you turn there is pain and it feels there are no places left to find solace.In the past, when people have encountered true pain, they have migrated to churches or sought out ministers. After tragedies such as school shootings, terrorism, natural disasters, people seek the Church as their source of hope. But for some reason during the most difficult season many of us have ever encountered, the Church has shuttered the doors. Ministers have become silent or snarky, dropping one-line zingers on social media. Social justice has taken the place of Jesus Christ as the one to worship. Zoom meetings, online worship, virtual communion …. these things are nice tools but they do not fulfill the role that we are meant to fulfill as found in Acts. People NEED people!

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15

People are hurting. They need human touch. They need to come into a sanctuary and worship alongside others. They need to be missed when they aren’t there and checked on. They need to be heard. They need to listen. They need a place where fear isn’t the focus. Rather, the focus is faith. Church, where are you?

You skipped Easter. You skipped Advent. You skipped Christmas. You skipped Epiphany. But even more important, you skipped fellowship and support. You skipped youth events and Bible studies. You skipped the opportunities to hold prayer vigils and healing services. You skipped opening your doors yesterday when the fears of your people were at the brink of explosion. Church, where are you?

Stop preaching a gospel lite. Instead, preach the Bible — all of it.

“If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.” Hebrews 10: 26-27

Stop trying to skirt around sin and start naming it. Help people to understand the absolute need for repentance. It’s the only way to be free of the shame and guilt they carry around … and yes, they carry it around with them even if they refuse to acknowledge it. People need to know there is one place in this world where truth is still truth. They need to know that someone will actually have the courage to tell them that the gospel is not just love. It’s so much more. And quite honestly, Church, you have failed. You have failed to hold the people accountable to the Word of God. You have failed to be available to the hurting people. And you have failed to condemn the things that the world wants to celebrate.

But, praise God, there is grace. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matt. 7:13-14

The Church doesn’t have to keep following the wide road. We can choose the narrow path. Lord, have mercy, it’s a hard road; a lonely road. But it’s a road that Jesus himself instructed us to follow if we want to be with him in our eternal home. Church, stop living in fear. Stop affirming sin as okay. Stop remaining silent when the world begs to hear you roar.

Sincerely,

The Broken World

Music For The Soul

07 Monday Dec 2020

Posted by in My Story. My Faith., The Church

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I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play
And mild and sweet their songs repeat
Of peace on earth good will to men

And the bells are ringing (peace on earth)
Like a choir they’re singing (peace on earth)
In my heart I hear them (peace on earth)
Peace on earth, good will to men

Friday night my husband and I had the privilege of attending a Casting Crowns concert at the historic Ryman in Nashville. It was a night of Casting Crowns classics and Christmas songs. I cannot begin to tell you how good it felt to be in this beautiful venue listening to live music. Although we were socially distanced and masked up, there was a wonderful sense of normalcy about the evening.

In the midst of The First Noel and Silent Night was I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day. Let’s be honest, when you are decking the halls, you are probably not singing that particular song. It’s not the song that comes to mind for most people when singing Christmas tunes, although it may be familiar to you. I have always liked the song but often put it out of my mind until I happen upon it mid-December.

So, Friday night, I’m sitting alongside my husband, enjoying these joyous sounds of the season when the band began the first haunting notes of …Christmas Day.

For those of you who have not had the opportunity to attend a show at the Ryman, the atmosphere is quite unlike any place else. Known as the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman was built in the 1800s. It originally opened as the Union Gospel Tabernacle by Thomas Ryman, a Nashville businessman who owned several saloons and riverboats. Ryman conceived the idea of the auditorium as a tabernacle for the influential revivalist Samuel Porter Jones. He had attended one of Jones’ revivals with the intent to heckle, but was instead converted into a devout Christian. Church pews, stained glass windows, and an intimate 2,300 seats give the audience a chance to experience the music in a spectacular way.

The first few notes seemed to bring a slight hush over the auditorium. As Mark Hall (lead singer) began to sing, something changed. I don’t know quite how to explain it but there was a definite change in the air.

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play
And mild and sweet their songs repeat
Of peace on earth good will to men

Have you ever really listened to the words of this song? I’m not sure I ever really had, even though I could sing along with the best of them on this song.

And the bells are ringing (peace on earth)
Like a choir they’re singing (peace on earth)
In my heart I hear them (peace on earth)
Peace on earth, good will to men

Originally written by Henry Longfellow in 1863, the song began as a poem. Longfellow had experienced some significant pain in his life. A father of 6 children, his wife had died after her dress had caught fire. Longfellow tried to save her, sustaining significant burns himself which caused dramatic scars and considerable longterm grief. His oldest son was injured in the Civil War, causing paralysis. On Christmas day, 1863, Longfellow could hear the church bells across the village as well as the singing of “peace on earth”. The bells and songs seemed to compete profoundly with his observation in the world of injustice and violence. How could there be peace on earth when all around him there was such despair?

And in despair I bowed my head
There is no peace on earth I said
For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men

Oh how those same words can be applied today! As Mark sang out that verse, the very presence of God seemed to overcome the Church. Before I could scarcely take a breath, emotion only available from the Holy Spirit took over and a river of tears began to fall that would not be contained. The tears fell for the disappointments of the past year. They fell for the pain caused by people I loved. They fell for the loss of church. They fell for closings and cancelations. They fell for destructions of our cities and loss of life around the world. They fell for the anger in my own heart and the hearts of all those around us. And with that, I too bowed my head in despair.

But the bells are ringing (peace on earth)
Like a choir singing (peace on earth)
Does anybody hear them? (peace on earth)
Peace on earth, good will to men

It’s difficult to describe the complete submersion into the music. I know there were several instruments playing but all I could really hear were the bells and the angelic voices as they continued to proclaim “peace on earth.” I wanted it to stop and I wanted to stay in that moment forever all at the same time. I just could not seem to contain the sobs.

Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor does he sleep (peace on earth, peace on earth)
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men

And with that, hope emerged. Yes, hope has always been there but I have spent so long burying it I suppose I had failed to see how right could ever prevail again in my lifetime. I know it sounds dramatic but that has been my heart. But you see, God refuses to be silenced. He refuses to let go once you take hold of his grace. He refuses to let dark prevail even when darkness can seem quite inviting. The truth is that it has felt like the wrong would win…. or rather that the wrong DID win. I simply do not know how to heal from this year. I do not know how to trust my heart again with those around me. I do not know how to serve God with reckless abandon anymore. Then rang the bells more loud and deep. Those bells are not the ones found on church steeples. Those are the bells of the holy choir and when they invade the silence they will not be ignored. Every closed off part of your soul will vibrate from them, awakening you to something more profound than words can describe.

Then ringing singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men

And the bells they’re ringing (Peace on Earth)
Like a choir they’re singing (Peace on Earth)
And with our hearts we’ll hear them
Peace on earth, good will to men

Do you hear the bells they’re ringing? (Peace on Earth)
The life the angels singing (Peace on Earth)
Open up your heart and hear them (Peace on Earth)
Peace on earth, good will to men
Peace on earth, Peace on earth
Peace on earth, Good will to men

It’s Advent. It’s an anticipation of the coming. But in that moment in the Mother Church on a Friday night the Holy Spirit came. My dear friends, don’t miss it like I almost did. Don’t miss the light of day for the dark night of the soul. 2020 is not our identity. The disappointments, the challenges, or even the loses are not the finale. Do you hear the bells they’re ringing? Peace on earth. Peace on earth.

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