ASHAMED OF CHURCH AND STICKING WITH IT
Recently I was in a rather intense but respectful conversation with a small group of active Christians, most of them active pastors, when one of them turned to another and said, “I’m ashamed of the church.” He wasn’t talking about individual Christians, but the church as an institution. We were nearing our time together, so we didn’t have an opportunity to explore it further, but it got me to thinking. In many ways, as I review my 50-plus years as a pastor, I’d have to agree with him. When I review the behavior of the institutional churches, I’m often embarrassed, and too often ashamed of the way the institution behaves, speaks, and represents the faith in our society.
Too often, society and culture have shaped us rather than the other way around. The way we exercise power, avoid conflict, become overly judgmental, walk by the needy, and place institutional success ahead of our faithfulness has caused many to walk away while claiming to be spiritual but not religious. Being religious in such people’s minds is allowing the institution to behave in ways that are embarrassing—even when I am part of the guilty party.
STICKING WITH IT
At the same time, I’ve never considered “walking away from the church.” Why is that?
First, I believe that God created the church in Christ.
Second, while I don’t understand it, I don’t think God made a mistake or is defeated by the sinfulness of humanity.
Third, I do believe that God called me to be a pastor to the church and I feel the commitment to be faithful to God’s call.
Fourth, I believe that it is in being faithful to my call, rather than walking away from it, that I will discover the true depth of God’s spirit of redemption that is Good News for humanity.
VIA DOLOROSA
I know that this is the season of Advent, rather than Lent, but my reflections have led me to a deeper reflection on the Via Dolorosa. I’ve thought about what must have been part of Jesus’ final journey toward the cross. Consider what he had just experienced. Those who were considered most learned in the faith had become the very ones who condemned him—I’m speaking of the priests, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the others most invested in the faith.
Even his closest disciples, with whom taught and shared the faith, abandoned him and at least in one case denied him and in another betrayed him. Some people are willing to sacrifice themselves for a great cause, being comforted by the legacy they leave behind, but what if you saw that your hoped for purpose was failing?
What I’m suggesting is that Jesus had even more reason than we do to walk away from those who had proved faithless. To an outside observer, it would appear that his whole life was a failure. Yet he remained true to the end.
So if we are related to the Body of Christ, is part of our faithfulness revealed in our continuing to relate to the one who didn’t abandon us? Is that part of our true journey of faith by which we grow closer to God?
I wish I had the answer, but for now, I pray for the strength to trust God and believe that God may have better wisdom than I do.
Steve, well written! Your focus on Jesus’ not abandoning the worship community in spite of its failures is spot on! At the same time, you and I would agree that we need to seek and be open to new expressions of worship, fellowship, and service for the greater good.
Thanks for a good reflection on this.
Steve, I agree with your final conclusion including the beliefs that led you there. When we read the letters of Paul, Peter, John, James, Titus, and Jude it’s pretty clear that the same issues plaguing the institutional church today are the same issues these Christian leaders faced in the first century. We humans don’t have the answers, but we must look to the One who does. I hear some Christians today talking about the difference in believing in Jesus and following Jesus. I find that encouraging. I think the answers lie along the path of following Jesus which is much easier to say than to do. I pray for the courage to truly be a follower of Jesus.
Great topic and one that I’d like to see explored further. Also, I don’t think people walk away from the church because they’re ashamed of it; most leave because they’ve been hurt by people in the church; the hypocrisy of pastors and theologians is too painful to dwell on! Thanks, Steve, for your faithful post.