Tuesday, May 12, 2015

We is the Church...Insights from reading, "Searching for Sunday"...

  I remember when I was in high school, there was a woman who started attending the church I was a part of, who rumor had it, had formally been a prostitute.  When I was informed about this detail, about a women who in no real form or fashion I actually knew, it was said in such a way as to warn me to stay far, far, away from her...that she was bad news and if I wanted to stay on the Christian straight and narrow I needed to keep my distance from her.
  Fast forward several years later, but still in the same church, and I remember inviting a friend to come to church with me, who upon arrival felt so outcasted by others because of her blue hair and propensity to want to smoke, that I soon found, within a few weeks of trying to force herself into the Christian mold, she decided to run in the completely opposite direction and  stay as far away from that building as possible from there on out!
  Then jump ahead to several years ago, when I started working at a new job and met one of the nicest, funniest, most intelligent people I have ever known.  He was/is by far one of the most down to earth and accepting people I have ever met and oozes love more than any Christian I've known,  either in or outside of the church walls, in most of my life!  Yet, he would never call himself a Christian and he tries to keep his distance from the likes of "us" because of all the gay bashing, criticism and judgementalness he has to deal with in order just to live his life.
  I could go on, naming more and more stories of people or situations like these....moments in my life where I've been left to wonder, "Is this really what it means to be Christian?!  Is this the kind of Church Jesus died for?!".  And  I would be the very first to admit that I don't have perfect theology, but it's strange to me to think that a God who taught "love one another" would condone a Church body that so often is more concerned that people "get it right", than about showing them to Jesus.
  I guess that's why I like authors like Rachel Held Evans so much.  Reading her works makes me feel less alone in this Christian life, like someone else gets it, someone else understands, and that maybe I'm not the only one who thinks that maybe we're missing what the point really is!  So of course, I just had to get my hands on a copy of her newest book "Searching for Sunday" and honesty, I was in no way disappointed in reading it!
  This new book is about the Church, or more specifically the authors roller coaster relationship with the Church  (loving, leaving and finding the church, is the books tag line after all).  But honestly, I think her story could be any one of our stories.  I know for me, as someone who grew up in the church, then left for a bit, only to come back and now has to deal with the struggles of being part of this community, I could relate to so much of what she said and what she had gone through.
    I guess one of the best reminders she shares in her story is that "what makes the gospel offensive isn't who it keeps out, but who it let's in" and that "The Kingdom of God is like a bunch of outcasts and oddballs gathered at a table, not because they are rich or worthy or good, but because they are hungry, because they said yes...and there's always room for more"!
  In the chapter on "Dirty Laundry", Rachel quotes Walter Brueggenmann who says, "Churches should be the most honest places in town, not the happiest place in town".  And she follows it up by stating that the Church should function much like "a recovery group, a safe place where a bunch of struggling, imperfect people come together to speak difficult truths to one another.  Sometimes the truth is we have sinned as individuals.  Sometimes the truth is we have sinned corporately, as a people.  Sometimes the truth is we're hurting because of another person's sin or as a result of forces beyond our control.  (And) sometimes the truth is we're just hurting, and we're not even sure why".
  That's what I long for...a church that real about who we are as individuals and a body....a church that doesn't keep the "sinners" out, because we recognize we are all sinners....and a church that isn't afraid to have those tough discussions about life, love and taking up our cross.  Yet, I  also know that this kind of church is messy....maybe even more messy then then current church!....and I am not all that sure that humanly speaking, I am ready for that.... I'm not even  sure I am ready to claim my part in the current mess!
  So for now, I guess what's best is just that I remember that I am not alone and that in terms of the Body, "all we have are imperfect people in an imperfect world doing their best to produce outward signs of inward grace and stumbling all along the way.  All we have is this church...this lousy, screwed-up, glorious church...which, by God's grace, is enough"!
 
 

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