A Place To Go

Well, this is a subject that has been on my heart for a long time.  I would like to know if I am crazy, so please share if you agree and comment if you don't (or do).  But, really, if you feel that a message needs to get out, I don't care if you copy this and pass it on as your own...(somebody asked me that :P)

    Well on to deeper things.  People in this day and age are always looking for that one thing, that one place they can belong.  Where they are accepted for who they are and where they come from.  Where they can be real.  A place to go when they are hurting and when they are joyous.  I want so badly to tell them, that this place exist.  I want so badly to tell them that this wondrous place is called Church.  But that isn't true.

Wow I know, I probably just offended  about a billion people.  And I am one of them.  This is an insult to me, because I am part of the Church.  

But, look at us.   Really look at us.  We are supposed to be the body of Christ, and still there is amenity between the denominations.   I am not saying that we should agree on EVERYTHING, but we all believe the same core beliefs.  This doesn't make them different species.  I myself have been to many different denominations, all of them are the body of Christ, Brothers and sisters in God.

   We are supposed to be the love of Christ, yet we turn people away
.  
"Gay people can't come in this church."  "You are the wrong color."  "I don't like that person."  

How many times have I heard this.  How many times have I thought something like this.  We are the Church.  We are supposed to LOVE everyone.  I am not saying we have to agree with everyone, but, we are commanded to love the world.  No matter what they look like, who they hang out with, what they have done, what they say.

Is it any wonder why people berate the church.  You wonder why we are called hypocrites.  I know, I am one of you.  I am probably more guilty than you.

But the worst part is that we turn a blind eye.  How many people have stopped reading this because it is offensive?  We don't even realize that we ignore this.

"We can only do so much."  "Someone else can do it."  "I am only a person, I can't love everybody."  

These thing I say to myself all the time.  God is with us, there is nothing we cannot do.    We seem to forget that.  

This doesn't just make me angry (for I am ranting which tells you that much) But  it fills me with sorrow.

We are told to bring those to church.  But how can we reach people, change people.  If we don't even come ourselves.   Now I am not just saying the building, but our souls.

What do we bring to church? 

Our stolid faces, good manners, dry eyes, still feet, stiller hearts? 

We tell people that the church is a place to be loved for who they are.  We aren't ourselves at church.

We tell people that church is a place where they are judged only by God.  Yet, we leave all our 'baggage' at home.

We tell people that this is a place of comfort, yet we seek none there.

We tell people that church is a place to bring their broken lives to God, yet ours lay at home in a box.

We tell people this is a place of worship, yet we sing with only our mouths.

I know I didn't really believe it either till I read it someplace else.

But, how many times have I asked the question "are you alright." And had wanted only a "yes"  How many times have I given that answer.

How many times have I judged someone.

How many times have I not asked someone to church because I didn't 'Like them."

How many times have I put on a front and come to Church, taking none of my problems with me?

how many times have I stood in the worship crowd, and sang only with my mouth.

How would I have looked at a person if they started dancing in church?  But isn't that worship.

Why are we afraid to be real at Church?  

I don't know, only that I must stop pretending.  I cannot tell people these thing about church, and not do them.  You may not see these things.  But you should trust every person at your church.  You should be able to trust every Christian.  

Church is a place for the broken, why do you think I am there?

It is the place to go, when no one else wants you.  Yet people are afraid to come.  If you don't want to come to church, tell us why in the comments.  

Let us show them that Church is a real place with real broken people.  You know, I had a friend once who didn't want to come to church until she had her life together.  Isn't that sad.  People think they have to get better to come to church.  But church is a place for the broken.  

No one will know that unless we show them that we are broken too, take off our mask and show the world that we are not perfect and that is why we need a savior.  

Come, spread the word of a real church.


Tori, over and out.