Letter to a (“Retired”) Church Goer 1
Hello. How’re you? I crave your indulgence to reason with me today. Tomorrow is Sunday and that means in most places a day of cooperate worship to God and I really wish you’d participate in it.
Now I know you don’t go to church or buy the church idea and I don’t judge you. In fact I think I understand some of the points you’ve given and reasons you have for not participating and honestly I feel you. I must at this point apologize on behalf of the church for what it and they did to or have cause you. I use “It” because you left the church as a whole and “They” because the church is made up of people who together hurt you. I wish I could go back in time and make sure they treated you better but I can’t.
I want you to understand something Dear Friend. That the weaknesses of the church and its members is exactly why I go to church. These weaknesses point to the validity of the gospel. What is the Gospel? That God sent Jesus to die for every human who is a sinner and grant us salvation. This is the plumb line of all humanity — that we are all sinners. The gospel is further that Jesus’ death secures grace to help us live right and above sin. But even with this we fall and fail.
I’ve heard you say you quit church because it was full of hypocrites. But that’s all the more reason you should go to church. Because even I who write and you who read — are a hypocrite. You may not be churchy but there are things you claim to stand for and still fail at. We’re all hypocrites and sinners and that is why we need God — to provide grace and strength to help us conquer sin and live right. Majority of the people you see in church are there because they realize how weak they are and are seeking God’s strength and grace. You should join them.
And this extends to the church. If imperfect people make the church then the church will not and cannot be perfect. I know it annoys you that there is sin and politics in the church but it is made up of humans and hence the frailties. Like human relationships and marriage you have to tolerate and not expect perfection. And tolerance doesn’t mean mumu following as you accuse we church goers of. There is a stage where you might have to leave the congregation but not church because of big obvious gospel contrary sins that are not confronted. There’s a reason God allowed the protestant revolution happen and there are many churches out there. Please find one and immerse yourself in. The decisive factor is an accurate bible believing and preaching church.
I know you have several other biffs with church like the staunch orthodox almost legalism of our older churches and I will address this in another letter but I plead with you to honestly and rationally reason with me on the above points.
In conclusion I am Happy you still read your bible and listen to Christian music. I’m happy you didn’t dump Christ altogether. But Dear Friend don’t allow Satan trick you into believing you can practice social isolation Christianity. Yes you can but it is not the best and I know you don’t settle for less. There is something a community of believers accomplishes. See what a community of drunkards accomplishes and imagine one of true worshippers. Its an underrated beauty. Don’t allow church hurt or Satan’s deceit cheat you of it.
