I have enjoyed being a Christian, and I still do. I remember where I was, but not my age, when I first got saved. I was in a Sunday school class, approximately 10 years of age, and my teacher was known as Mr. Alexander. Each week, we were asked to learn a new Bible verse, which I did faithfully. I enjoyed learning from the Bible.
As I've grown older, I've have found a lot of disappointing things in the various churches I've attended. There is a huge misunderstanding in many of them, and it breaks my heart. Religion has become a label that causes a lot of separation. I know because I was raised to recognize it. My mother was Church of God, which is where my family attended. My adoptive father was raised Catholic and my mother constantly put his life-long beliefs down. Isn't that a sad thing to show your children?
In adult life, I have attended a number of churches, and I liked most of them. However, I found after some time that there were a few that I attended that didn't teach the complete truth. Isn't that the same thing as lying? It is to me. One church I attended for several years created friendships that were wonderful. I, to this day, am thankful to each of them for the love they shared. It was at this church that I was devastated to find they taught something that dumb-founded me. We were learning about God being the same yesterday, today and always. Shortly after hearing this. our teacher, the pastor, stated that the gifts of the spirit died with the apostles. Now, I know there are many who believe this. My question to you would be, why? If God is the same yesterday, today and always, how is it even remotely possible that the Spiritual gifts died with the apostles? I find that to be contradictory to the teachings in the whole Bible.
I left that church shortly after that. I found that I suddenly felt it more of a chore, a duty, to attend church. I didn't want to get out of bed. I wanted to sleep in, but went out a sense of duty. That is Not what a reason to attend church.
Prior to all of this, my best friend at the time had asked me to visit her church. When she offered again, after this happened, I chose to go. When I walked in the doors of that church I was overwhelmed with the peace and love that radiated there. It was like a huge hug from God himself. I started attending there every week.
Towards the end of that season in the church, I was deeply hurt by the pastor. I needed help so I asked for it, with full intentions of repaying the churches kindness as soon as I could. Devastated, a friend who drove me home apologized for what had happened as I cried all the way home. You have to understand, I didn't ask for money, I simply needed diapers for my infant child. I later found help somewhere else, but I was crushed in spirit. I turned from the church for quite a while.
I did not turn away from God when this happened, but I did turn away from organized church. I began to study God's word on my own. I searched any way I could to learn about the churches around me. What I found was how many religions were talking down about other religions. Church of God, Catholic, Episcopalian, Lutheran and many others. What I found was not only shocking, it was down right unreal to me. How could anyone condemn others and still claim to be Christians?
My experience with the pastor of the second church that hurt me, a non-denominational church, caused me to shy away from everyone and every type of church that I would find putting down another church's beliefs. Don't all of us follow the same God? Don't we all believe that Christ died for our sins and was raised from the dead for Us? So tell me, what's the problem? I am still baffled by it.
This is my personal perspective on all of this. I don't care what church you attend as long as you believe that God is God, he sent his only Son to save those who choose to believe, and that His Son was raised from the dead to save us from sin. Labels are just that, labels. As Christians, we need to respect the differences and love All of God's kids. Is that really so hard to do?
The last 2 churches I attended had great pastors, and I loved the fact that they taught the word of God, truthfully, with open honesty, and the ability to apply God's word to real-life situations that we may experience in modern times. My only problem was with the members. No, I don't expect perfection from anyone, ever. But I do believe every person who walks in the door of a church should not only be greeted by the greeter at the door, there needs to be more from the congregation members. More people need to greet people crossing the threshold of the church doors than the one or two standing there handing out the flyer of that days message.
Why not have four to six members who, not only say welcome and give you the weekly flyer, but then they take you to meet other members when you're new. For the congregation members who are not greeters, one of them should walk with the newly arrived person and express appreciation that they are there, ask if they're doing OK, and when they need someone to be a friend, or to pray, step up. Either Be that person, or introduce the hurting person to another member who is able to relate or understand their need or situation. And offer to pray with them.
Many churches offer coffee and breakfast foods inside the foyer of the churches. I attended one not long ago. I was greeted by an elderly lady who was helping serve anyone who wanted to eat or get something to drink. The problem was, there was not a single person after that encounter who offered a seat for me to sit with them as they also ate and chatted with friends before the service. Not a single one! I sat down at one of the tables and introduced myself to the ladies at the table after asking if I could. Of course, they said I could sit with them, but they continued talking to each other and I appeared to be invading their space. I did not feel welcome at all.
I will not say that all churches are like this. However, I will say there are far to many that are than there should be. Even one is to many, but there are more churches out there that distance themselves from people that are new than there are churches that accept new people. Can you see the problem? We all say that everyone needs God, we need salvation and we need to spread the word of God all over the world. Let me tell you something right now that is more true than most want to accept: We need to welcome people who are new, we need to greet fellow members with love and respect, and we need to quit acting like we love everyone when the ones we really love belong to our click. That is a reality I've seen all to often, and it really breaks my heart.
As for me, I love all of these people. I am not judging them. I am simply pointing out the desperate need to show Genuine love, God's love, to everyone, period. Welcome everyone with open arms, be that shoulder to cry on. Be that person to rejoice with others when they share something good that's happened in their lives. Be the person who loves unconditionally, because if we, as Christians, keep living divided, how do we expect to be the light that God told us to be, for the world. I, for one, would not go to church after all my past experiences in them, if my love wasn't based on God and His word. The pastors of churches cannot be the Only ones sharing God's word. We, the Church, need to step up and do our part. Reach out to the community and show God's love. I don't care if you're in the grocery store, or sitting in your own living room, be the love of God. Don't just talk about it, Be that love.
My heart goes out to anyone who is hurting, rejoicing or anything in between. And my heart goes out to You if you've ever experienced a situation like I've had, or any other disheartening situation in a church. Don't lose faith in God. His love is Real, and He won't let you down, ever. If you ever get a "no" to what you want, try to remember that it's because God has something better waiting for you if you simply don't give up.
I love all of you and my prayers are continually with you. May God's blessings rain down on you. God bless you.
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