Stop right there. We are asking the wrong question. How about what is right with the church? Think back to all the ways your church experience was life giving for you. The people you met whom you love to this day. The kindness you encountered there, the generosity, the times you genuinely experienced God.
While we may feel it our responsibility to condemn the church and its leadership for all the ways it has failed us or others, perhaps our role could be to spot all the ways our church got it right, and verbalize those, openly celebrating the demonstration of God through His church? He is the One with the right to judge, and even so, “God did not send his Son into the world to judge and condemn the world, but to be its Savior and rescue it!” (John 3:17 TPT) Jesus puts us in right relationship with God, our connection with Him transforming us from the inside out. Because each of us are in process, so is the church.
Our churches, either as institutions or as a collective of Believers, certainly do not get everything right. As parents we have all had ample occasions we cringed over things our children said or did, but we never abandoned our love or admiration for those same children. We correct them, maintaining strong faith in who they are as majestic little human beings worthy of esteem.
Scripture speaks of the washing of the water of the Word of God. (Ephesians 5:26) Indeed, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV) “Being equipped for every good work”, is in expression of good hearts!
Jesus modeled for His disciples washing one another’s feet. I cannot wash your feet without getting low in humility first. With attentive love, in celebration of your good heart holding in my own heart all the ways you have “got it right”, I can be truly in position to apply the cleansing word to you. Bowing, let us join the Psalmist in prayer,
Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit,
Without Your revelation-light, how would I ever detect the waywardness of my heart? Lord, forgive my hidden flaws whenever You find them. Keep cleansing me, God, and keep me from my secret, selfish sins; may they never rule over me! For only then will I be free from fault and remain innocent of rebellion. So may the words of my mouth, my meditation-thoughts, and every movement of my heart be always pure and pleasing, acceptable before Your eyes, my only Redeemer, my Protector-God. (Psalms 19:12-14 TPT)
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
While we may feel it our responsibility to condemn the church and its leadership for all the ways it has failed us or others, perhaps our role could be to spot all the ways our church got it right, and verbalize those, openly celebrating the demonstration of God through His church? He is the One with the right to judge, and even so, “God did not send his Son into the world to judge and condemn the world, but to be its Savior and rescue it!” (John 3:17 TPT) Jesus puts us in right relationship with God, our connection with Him transforming us from the inside out. Because each of us are in process, so is the church.
Our churches, either as institutions or as a collective of Believers, certainly do not get everything right. As parents we have all had ample occasions we cringed over things our children said or did, but we never abandoned our love or admiration for those same children. We correct them, maintaining strong faith in who they are as majestic little human beings worthy of esteem.
Scripture speaks of the washing of the water of the Word of God. (Ephesians 5:26) Indeed, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV) “Being equipped for every good work”, is in expression of good hearts!
Jesus modeled for His disciples washing one another’s feet. I cannot wash your feet without getting low in humility first. With attentive love, in celebration of your good heart holding in my own heart all the ways you have “got it right”, I can be truly in position to apply the cleansing word to you. Bowing, let us join the Psalmist in prayer,
Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit,
Without Your revelation-light, how would I ever detect the waywardness of my heart? Lord, forgive my hidden flaws whenever You find them. Keep cleansing me, God, and keep me from my secret, selfish sins; may they never rule over me! For only then will I be free from fault and remain innocent of rebellion. So may the words of my mouth, my meditation-thoughts, and every movement of my heart be always pure and pleasing, acceptable before Your eyes, my only Redeemer, my Protector-God. (Psalms 19:12-14 TPT)
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
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