Just Stay

This is one of those posts that may create some criticism, but that's fine. I'll take it. It seems there have been a number of posts about how the church needs to change to meet the needs of the post modern people who are coming to the religious world (terrible term, but it's the best I can do at this point) or those who have already belonged to a church, but have moved on. I agree, there are many changes that need to occur. We have looked at our vision on a number of issues and many times have just accepted the positions that our forefathers and mothers have taught. So the answer, at least in most of the articles I have read, has been to leave. Many either quit the church completely or go to another.

May I say this. Quitting changes nothing, nor does going to another church. You are more likely to exact change if you, in a humble and gentle spirit, continue to express your views from a biblical perspective and keep loving. Now, before you criticize, I have been there. I have left a church because things weren't going the way I thought they should. Guess what? That church is still bogged down in the same issues they always have been. Leaving changed nothing. Obviously, I don't live there any longer, but many of my friends still do. They, too, have left to attend other places.

What I find happening in most cases is once you go somewhere else, you find the aren't perfect either. In such cases, and I've seen this happen, people jump from church to church to church. In my humble opinion, they should have just stayed where they were. I know this sounds morose, but people die, and so do attitudes. The change that we want to see does not come over night. It is a process. And in some cases, it's a lifetime.

I understand that there may be a time to go. My encouragement to you would be to think long and hard. Think long term and not short term. Think of the good you can do. And if it is, truly is hopeless, then go. Our habit has been to leave at the drop of a hat. That's not good either.

My advice? Keep plugging. Keeping being what God intended you to be. Besides, the way you live in the world is more important. When we come together as a group, it is to encourage and to praise God. What we do the rest of the week (and when we are worshiping with our brothers and sisters for that matter) is to be Jesus to everyone we meet. Okay, blast away. I've been where you are. I love you and hope the best for you. Keep being what the Lord has intended you to be. JW