People often tell me the reason they have stopped going to church is because the people that go to church are hypocrites. I always try to move on and ignore the obvious hypocritical statement they just made to me about hypocrites, and try to dig deeper into the real reasons why.
I have heard countless examples of church people seeming to have it all together, and the possible church newcomers just aren't at that place in their lives yet. They feel unequal and inadequate. They think that we are better people. They feel like church going people are perfect.
My family is guilty, ourselves, of making it seem like We always have it all under control every moment we are walking through the sanctuary. No one knows that we woke up 30 minutes before we came in, scrambled around the house to find clean socks, had to get a few bean and cheese tacos on the way in so the kids don't complain of hunger to their Children ministers/ teachers. Then we are in the parking lot trying to unpack the kids while I'm nodding and smiling to our friends and potential visitors, all while really trying to distract everyone from Vicky trying to clean spilled bean and cheese off a few kids in the backseat. Then we walk in and have our game faces on - we don't have money issues, work problems, sleep depravity, or any hint of any notion that we can't remember what the sermon was about last week!
My point? We are real people, with real issues, but we feel the need to mask these real world issues as if walking through the church doors suddenly solves all problems. We become fake. We try to make it seem like we are perfect. We become plastic people that others can't relate to, and I believe this is why people shy away from church.
I believe that many people are like us as well. I think that church is a great place for us, but we limit ourselves so much because we aren't being truthful. We need to strive to be authentic and real. Sure, we still might not tell you that we woke up late, but we will do our best to make ourselves relatable. When it all comes down to it, it will only benefit us, our friends, and those seeking an authentic truth.
After all, Jesus was real, he didn't hide the fact that he was tired, hungry, or devastated by the loss of a friend. He left it all out there, and last I checked, we refer to him as being perfect.
I have heard countless examples of church people seeming to have it all together, and the possible church newcomers just aren't at that place in their lives yet. They feel unequal and inadequate. They think that we are better people. They feel like church going people are perfect.
My family is guilty, ourselves, of making it seem like We always have it all under control every moment we are walking through the sanctuary. No one knows that we woke up 30 minutes before we came in, scrambled around the house to find clean socks, had to get a few bean and cheese tacos on the way in so the kids don't complain of hunger to their Children ministers/ teachers. Then we are in the parking lot trying to unpack the kids while I'm nodding and smiling to our friends and potential visitors, all while really trying to distract everyone from Vicky trying to clean spilled bean and cheese off a few kids in the backseat. Then we walk in and have our game faces on - we don't have money issues, work problems, sleep depravity, or any hint of any notion that we can't remember what the sermon was about last week!
My point? We are real people, with real issues, but we feel the need to mask these real world issues as if walking through the church doors suddenly solves all problems. We become fake. We try to make it seem like we are perfect. We become plastic people that others can't relate to, and I believe this is why people shy away from church.
I believe that many people are like us as well. I think that church is a great place for us, but we limit ourselves so much because we aren't being truthful. We need to strive to be authentic and real. Sure, we still might not tell you that we woke up late, but we will do our best to make ourselves relatable. When it all comes down to it, it will only benefit us, our friends, and those seeking an authentic truth.
After all, Jesus was real, he didn't hide the fact that he was tired, hungry, or devastated by the loss of a friend. He left it all out there, and last I checked, we refer to him as being perfect.
I've felt like a plastic person many times in church. Smile, Smile, Smile, now clap and sing.
ReplyDeleteWaiting for your next post! It's not like you have 4 kids or anything lol
ReplyDelete