"Church"

"The Church" as in the body of Christ followers, the one that Christ took as his bride, the one full of broken sinners who have acknowledged their evil and repented through the loving grace that came from the Cross. That Church? Oh, it's a good one. A holy one... a loving one.

Unfortunately, due to all of our fallen humanities, "the church" that is on every corner, street, country road you turn on isn't always that way. Somehow, rules, regulations, and being more "Christian" drown out the love we are called to have for one another. Oxymoronic, don't you think?

Exactly what does being "more Christian" look like? Someone says to be more "Christ-like" and I can follow. Tell me to be "more Christian" and I am a bazillion different levels of confused. I'm sorry, what?!

I will take it one step further... churches are led by people. People who are sinners, who have fallen natures, and who are not perfect. Yep, I get it. Here's what I don't get though... somewhere along the lines, some (certainly not all) of these people in these positions forget that they're people... humans. They start feeling a little bit more like God, a little bit less like fleshy masses that talk too much. And then next thing you know, they don't just "sin" and "repent", they begin to live lives of sin... fall into paths of sin and even when they are "caught" or confronted, they use their position to excuse themselves from the responsibility that everyone else seems to have. Bizarre, isn't it?

If a cop speeds, I would still call him if someone broke into my house. If a teacher fails an exam, I would still call him to help me learn. If a plumber clogged his own toilet, I would still call him if my septic tank burst... maybe it's a double standard, but send me a pastor who is condemning me for specks when he has planks? I don't know... I just seem to shut down.

I, in no way, lump all pastors together... nor do I think they shouldn't be allowed to sin. I don't blame God, I don't doubt God and I don't mean to elevate myself and sins above theirs. However, I struggle with the idea of being put on the defensive about "church" in the sense of a Sunday morning event, and a "pastor" in the sense of a person who condemns and hurts others while he is lying, cheating, stealing, etc. We all sin. We all fall short of the glory of the Lord (I know, unfortunately I seem to have a lot of experience with doing so), but when did it become acceptable to hurt fellow brothers and sisters in Christ over a building that people spend a few hours in? When did someone's power trip and ego become so fragile that someone misses a stroke and they are condemned to Hell?

It breaks my heart, to think of those who have been turned off of "church" because of things like this... because they never got to be a part of "Church" and know the Lord's love for what it truly is. I can only pray that though I know I am a sinner who often fails to show that love, that I can become more cognizant of such sadness.