Conversations

As I have returned to school and have gone back to work I am getting a fresh glimpse at the hearts of ordinary people and what I hear makes my heart hurt. One of the most pronounce subjects that come up in conversations are the hurt feelings that people have experienced in church. Many families have stopped going to church because they can worship God on their own and don't want to be with a bunch of hypocrites. These conversations are very sincere and you can feel the hurt that has not healed. In one instance I was just talking about the church that I go to and the anger that arose out of the conversation totally took me by surprise. The unfortuate event surrounded a pastor not marrying this couple because they lived together, only to find out he was addicted to pornography and released from the church right after that situation. I sat there and had no words. Unfortunately this is not the only conversation that I have had over the past few weeks that follows the same hurt and removal from church.

Let's be honest Church can be a very difficult place to go and love Jesus in the midst of all our sin. Satan has done a great job of making Church about ourselves and not about worshipping God. There has been times that I have come home crying from Church wondering why I go, but my love for the heart of Jesus and his church has always won out. I love Church I love the people even imperfect as we are, I love the building, I love what it represents in my life and I know that the last thing God wants for our lives is to abandon our family no matter how disfuctional we are.

My challenge has become to be like Jesus, to welcome everyone in so as they come into his house they know the love that he has for them. I will never be perfect but after these past few conversations I realize that just going to church on Sunday is life and death to some that are just looking for a reason to come back and stay. I am reminded that I am Jesus to someone that is trying to discover his love and a home to come and worship him in. My prayer is for the church to be reminded of the role that they play in the kingdom and to examine their purposes in the community and to love the world the way Jesus does.

Ephesians 1: 22-23
And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

I would love to hear from you:
www.lisapricewarrior@yahoo.com