Tuesday, December 05, 2006
Hunting
So I realize there is no such thing as the perfect church but why do I seem to be drawn to the highly dysfunctional ones? I have always had issues with the KJV only fundenmentalism our church is established on, but I simply felt it was where God wanted me to serve. Recently however our leadership has begun heavily pushing numbers. Publishing the weekly attendence and tithe broken down by SS class. I was not happy with this but kept my mouth shut, now we have also begun getting numerical goals for each class. So finally I expressed my concern and in true Pharsiee fashion was told that numbers represent souls so if I did not care about numbers I did not care about souls. Shorthly after this conversation I was called to the Pastors office and informed that my teaching in the Adult II SS class was no longer needed. Then to top it off I was informed that my wife needed to dress nicer at church. So needless to say we have begun looking for a new church. I want someplace that believes and teaches consistently with scripture but that still loves people. Whay is that balance so hard to find. It seems that the churches that love people reject the Word and the churches that love the Word reject people.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
It has taken many years and numerous churches for us to find that balance. We have visited too many congregations along the way and it truely is sad to see that state of churches today. You have to question the focus of the church leadership that is so quickly to dismiss a teacher that questions thier drive to increase thier numbers. Sad, but it looks like He is telling you it's time to move on.
Oh, and this is Anji, by the way.
Hey the better half of the clan. It definitely made the choice to move an easy one, although the process is never easy. The hardest thing is having to up root the kids. But that is life.
to alex and the better half:
This is heartbreaking!!!! I think what makes me the most heartbroken is the comment about the cloths you wear! Did they support this with any scripture or did they merely explain that this was just an outpouring of their snobbery and shallowness? I know that question borders on possible out of place judgment (some brotherly judgment is appropriate) on my part, but good grief!!!! I really would like an answer to that question.
Do they know you guys at all????? If they knew you half as well as I do they would know that you both make great efforts to study the word and live it out in truth and love. While I do not put either of you on a pedestal by any means, I see you as one of the most Christ like couples around. If that is not the kind of teacher or congregates that they want and they seem so obviously resistant to change, then I guess you have no other choice but to dust off your sandals and move on. I hope and pray that you guys can find another church family soon. I pray that you can glorify God in this incredibly frustrating situation.
Ok-on a more factious note .. . perhaps you should let them know that you tithe and give offerings rather than spending too much money on fancy cloths. HA! I wonder if they would have let John the Baptist come to their services? They probably would have suggested he take a bath and get a real job!
I am commenting because I don't know how to post to this thing. I am just sad now about the whole church thing. The anger has pretty much burned out. The whole clothes issue took me back to junior high and sensitive issues. I remember realizing for the first time in seventh grade that you did not wear red socks with sandals. A harsh awaking to someone who never before really considered what they looked like. I found it mattered a great deal to some kids, and that difference was a great opportunity for them to attack.
Sadly enough, out of all of this, I dressed up a few times just to prove that I could if I chose to, that i just didn't often choose to. I had people talk to me that never had. For the first time, I felt much more accepted in social circles. It hurt that this was the case at church. But out of all this, I have decided that at times, perhaps I must conform a bit to culture if I want to be heard by those who are absorbed by the culture. My real friends will always be those few souls that do not care about culture, but about the depth of things, but my hope must be that some of those absorbed by culture will someday be real friends. So, I have given up the fight, the statement I have made with my not dressing up. And it is a relief to not be fighting it. Not my best choice of battles I think. Not that I plan to go overboard, or change who I am. Should I start appearing in fashion magazines please slap me upside the head:) We watched "The devil wears Prada" last night. (Yes, the TV is back for a week or so) It was an apt commentary in a way on all this, and I thought about sending it to my ex-pastor as a Christmas gift. Well, it was fun to imagine. Hopefully, I can lay down my unfashionable arms, without laying down my true self as the girl did in the movie. So I must in a way thank my ex-pastor. I was moving towards this change, and in reaction to his comments, I thought of moving away from it, but decided not to. There was some wisdom in what he said and stated, just not in the way it was presented or in the focus on it versus other qualities. And I breath freer air now, in the church we visited, there were a decent amount of blue jeans, they read from the NIV, and some folks raised their hands in worship along with the pastor, in stead of being ridiculed by the pastor for this. I like fresh air. I like less rules. I am very sad to loose many of the relationships at Trinity. That makes me very, very sad, but I am looking forward to wide, open country free of legalism. God grant that I may find a little wildnerness yet.
We're hunting, too, and I'm happy about it, too. Never felt at home in our San Antonio church. Outside serving - that was great. So I'm hoping for a church that will have some people that also feel most at home outside the church and i'll hook up with them.
Keep us up to date where you guys land and why -- it will likely color my vision of the churches we visit, too.
by the way, Cyndi, the red socks -- awesome -- i think you should wear your nicest finery, and red socks and birks to your old church on one last visit.
(my junior high moment involved Rustlers -- after that i wouldn't let my mom buy any jeans that had anything on the pockets -- and i still generally won't wear brands)
Post a Comment