Friends,
While reading Ed Stetzers book “Compelled by love” I came across a quote that made me think about my Church and how I feel about the people I worship with. The quote goes like this “Can You Love Jesus and Ignore His Bride?” I have to admit I never really gave that too much thought. Then when he explained how Jesus thought of the Church as his Bride it all made sense. Ed also writes in his blog “if you consider yourself a Christian but don't love and enjoy a covenant relationship with a local body of believers, you are essentially saying "I love Jesus, but I don't love His wife.". I have to admit I do love my Bride. I love all my Brothers and Sisters in my Church family and really enjoy worshipping with them. But last night during a business meeting I was sad to learn that a number of members have left our family. I then wondered why.
In a recent survey about people leaving a church( conducted by Life Way)it was concluded that 58 percent of those studied said they stopped coming due to relational problems. For example, 26 percent said Church members seemed judgmental or hypocritical; 20 percent didn’t feel connected to people in the Church and 15 percent said churches were unfriendly, unwelcoming, or cliquish.
Wow! I have heard some of these comments from people who not attended Church regularly or nonbelievers, but not from members. I know we have had some problems in our Church but not to the extent listed in the Life Way survey. But I have to wonder how much the individuals contributed to the experiences they had with the Church. Were they judgmental themselves? Were they friendly, welcoming? Did they even try to connect with some people? Friends I feel there has to be some give and take here. I believe we have to come out of our shells and make the first move sometimes.
We need to go up to that person we don’t know and shake their hand. One guy came up to me just last week and ask how long I have been going to Westwood and I told him on and off for 5 plus years. He said he never noticed me there. But come to think of it I have never noticed him neither. That’s what I am talking about. That tells me I need to go to some of these folks I see every week and greet them. I need to stick around a little bit after Church or come in early and just start up a conversation with someone I don’t know. It’s funny I do that all the time when I am waiting in line at Wal-Mart or out somewhere so why not do it at Church?
Friends like I said before I love all my peeps at Westwood and every weekend is like a family reunion. We have a group of older ladies who are like grandmothers to me; I have some other guys and gals who are just like Brothers and Sisters. I can just go on and on about them. But the whole point is we have to love the Bride and this means we have to love the Church just as Jesus did and everyone in it. Ephesians 5:25 (ESV) gives us instructions “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”
Father God,
Thank you finding my family and I a Church that we can call home, a place where we can share our love for you and our love for one another. Father please continue blessing our extended family and help us reach people who feel unloved and unwelcomed in your home. Father we love you and are thankful for the many blessings we have received from you. It’s in your name we pray Amen!
While reading Ed Stetzers book “Compelled by love” I came across a quote that made me think about my Church and how I feel about the people I worship with. The quote goes like this “Can You Love Jesus and Ignore His Bride?” I have to admit I never really gave that too much thought. Then when he explained how Jesus thought of the Church as his Bride it all made sense. Ed also writes in his blog “if you consider yourself a Christian but don't love and enjoy a covenant relationship with a local body of believers, you are essentially saying "I love Jesus, but I don't love His wife.". I have to admit I do love my Bride. I love all my Brothers and Sisters in my Church family and really enjoy worshipping with them. But last night during a business meeting I was sad to learn that a number of members have left our family. I then wondered why.
In a recent survey about people leaving a church( conducted by Life Way)it was concluded that 58 percent of those studied said they stopped coming due to relational problems. For example, 26 percent said Church members seemed judgmental or hypocritical; 20 percent didn’t feel connected to people in the Church and 15 percent said churches were unfriendly, unwelcoming, or cliquish.
Wow! I have heard some of these comments from people who not attended Church regularly or nonbelievers, but not from members. I know we have had some problems in our Church but not to the extent listed in the Life Way survey. But I have to wonder how much the individuals contributed to the experiences they had with the Church. Were they judgmental themselves? Were they friendly, welcoming? Did they even try to connect with some people? Friends I feel there has to be some give and take here. I believe we have to come out of our shells and make the first move sometimes.
We need to go up to that person we don’t know and shake their hand. One guy came up to me just last week and ask how long I have been going to Westwood and I told him on and off for 5 plus years. He said he never noticed me there. But come to think of it I have never noticed him neither. That’s what I am talking about. That tells me I need to go to some of these folks I see every week and greet them. I need to stick around a little bit after Church or come in early and just start up a conversation with someone I don’t know. It’s funny I do that all the time when I am waiting in line at Wal-Mart or out somewhere so why not do it at Church?
Friends like I said before I love all my peeps at Westwood and every weekend is like a family reunion. We have a group of older ladies who are like grandmothers to me; I have some other guys and gals who are just like Brothers and Sisters. I can just go on and on about them. But the whole point is we have to love the Bride and this means we have to love the Church just as Jesus did and everyone in it. Ephesians 5:25 (ESV) gives us instructions “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her”
Father God,
Thank you finding my family and I a Church that we can call home, a place where we can share our love for you and our love for one another. Father please continue blessing our extended family and help us reach people who feel unloved and unwelcomed in your home. Father we love you and are thankful for the many blessings we have received from you. It’s in your name we pray Amen!
2 comments:
Sweet posts. I have always believed that a lot of people look for reasons not to go to church. A lot of people in church look for reasons to quit going. If you look hard enough you can find something. Missed you this Sunday in class.
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