I Believe in God, but I'm Not a Fan of the ChurchSample

IMPERFECT PEOPLE

Let’s face it, sometimes we can hear the word “church,” and we have a slight (or maybe not so slight!) shudder. A sad reality is that the church and the people who are a part of it have caused a lot of pain and suffering throughout history. Perhaps you are intimately familiar with the hurt caused by the church, whether from people in it or by a system or structure that is hurtful. Read these words and let them sink in: the pain and suffering you have felt because of the church or religion are real and valid, but it does not come from Jesus. By reading through the story of scripture, we know that hurt inflicted on others in the name of religion greatly pains Him. It is not what He desires for His people.

God’s perfect design for humanity was forever altered in Genesis 3. As you read, He has some pretty strong words for Adam and Eve because of their sin. These consequences will be felt for generations to come. If sinful, imperfect humans are involved, it’s going to be messy and broken. The truly astounding thing is that it doesn’t matter! God’s design for the church to grow and flourish and reach the ends of the earth still stands. Despite our human failings and despite how much we have given the church a bad name over the generations, it will continue. This means, as followers of Jesus, we need to look beyond the imperfect Christians that make up the church to behold the perfect Christ. Over the next several days, we’ll dig into how we can reclaim God’s original vision for His church.

Ask Yourself:

-How have imperfect people influenced your view of the church?

-What is something you need to let go of in order to behold the perfect Church within an imperfect church?

-What are some current misconceptions that you have about what the church should/shouldn’t do?

Pause to Pray: Father God, help me see that you are bigger and greater than the church's failings; help me see YOU in the midst of it all…

Take a Next Step: Healing often begins with forgiving the person(s) who caused the hurt in your life. It won’t erase the painful experience, but it will allow you to receive God’s healing and restoration in your life. Who do you need to forgive?