I was listening to the radio recently and there was a conversation about the church ideologically versus the church functionally. This, along with numerous other conversations, articles and general “happenings” have brought me once again to the subject of “the church”.
The early disclaimer that I will insert here is this: I have been in and out of church since I was little. In fact, my earliest memory is falling over a pew and cutting my eye {there’s a scar there to this day} but anyway, I digress.
I share that, not as a qualifier but because I’ve seen a lot go on in and around church. And when I’ve had enough, I drop out. No pomp, no circumstance, I just quit.
And therein lies the rub {and the connection to the original point}. How is it so easy to just walk away from an institution whose primary purpose was meant to be connection?
Is it an indictment against the eclesia? Is it the off centering of my own moral compass? I think it’s an interesting combination or perhaps an intersection of the two.
There are some really great churches, preachers and teachers around who are doing great things in peoples lives and in communities. But for the ones that are doing more harm than good, the impact is deep and lasting.
It seems that the pulpit staff is far more interested in attracting masses and money than providing a message of instruction, guidance and healing. And members seem more concerned about the man {woman} and what is happening behind closed doors than learning, sharing and being a better self.
It is interesting because historically the church has played such an integral role in the lives of individuals, families and communities but today folks can barely share what {if anything} they LEARNED during a service let alone go out and actually APPLY it.
The “church” seems always to have a long list of what NOT to do:
Don’t smoke
Don’t drink
Don’t curse
Don’t fornicate
Don’t take the Lords name in vain
Don’t have abortions
Don’t talk back to elders
Don’t miss choir practice
Don’t miss Bible Study
Don’t forget to write your tithes and offering checks
But when it comes to the DO or HOW-TO list???
Do be sure to pay your tithes and your offering … even if you can’t make it to church.
And while that illustration may not be true in INTENTION it certainly is true by PERCEPTION – just Google ‘why people are leaving the church’.
There is very little character building or teaching people how to be better each day; and as people are hurting themselves and others at an alarmingly increasing rate this should be reason to re-shift focus to a Message rather than a Man {Woman}.
Copyright © 2014 Tamika Brown and TheFynePrynt.com
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