Come See for Yourself

Okay, so I have been going back and forth about whether or not to even write this. For a while this has been on my mind, off and on, and after a conversation I had on Sunday it's on again (thank you S ;). I attend a church that I absolutely love: I love the teaching, love the worship, love the pastors, LOVE their approach to handling finances, etc. Naturally, when I hear negative and ignorant comments I take it personally...this church is my family. Of course, the entire body of Christ is, too, but these are the brothers and sisters I am close to and live life with. Also, and I really shouldn't let this bother me, I know, but if you knock the way our church does things, you knock me because I have "bought in" to it. You are basically saying that I am ignorant or deceived, which I am not. That's all I will really say about that, because this isn't about me.

You have probably heard the medical term "autoimmune disorder." Let me give you the dictionary definition for this term, then scripture from the Bible (which is our source, right?):

autoimmune disorder - the failure of an organism to recognize its own constituent parts as self, which allows an immune response against its own cells and tissues.

Wow, that was even more perfect than I thought it would be, but I'll get back to that. Now hear this:

Romans 12:3-5

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

and this from 1 Corinthians 12:

But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

I really should have to say no more, but I will. The people in my own community, and even some I have sat in Bible study with, who continue to speak falsehoods and ignorances (spellcheck says that's not a word, but I like it) attack themselves. Do they not know? Probably not. I must admit right now that I have done the same thing with other churches whose doctrine I may not fully agree with. I am reminded that I said of a certain "mega" church, "There's got to be something wrong with a church that big." But in my defense I will say that my comment was based on actually hearing lots of their teaching, which is very feel-good. Nevertheless, I am eating my words. There is a time to speak against wrong teaching, but we have to tread lightly. And for heaven's sake KNOW what you're talking about! The problem I have with the things said against my church is that they are wrong and founded on untruth. People don't take the time to investigate or listen for themselves. They just speak foolishness and harm themselves in the process. Quit it! You do not recognize as self the parts you are attacking. Who wants to go and be part of a church that passes out open letters against other churches in an attempt to fill their own pews? Really? Okay, I feel that my blood pressure is beginning to rise, so I digress ;)

The bottom line is this: come and see for yourself. That's the stance our pastor takes, which is why I wasn't sure I should even write this, and why I haven't mentioned the name of the church (if you know me, you know which one it is). He doesn't argue or debate, but simply encourages people to check it out for themselves. So that's where I have to land, too. Come and see for yourself.

And for those not in my community, be careful that what you speak is educated and in love...with the goal of protecting people and not recruiting them. Pure motives, always. The church at large has a severe case of rheumatoid arthritis right now and no wonder its crippled. Shame on us!

Addendum:
I'd like to add the following verses. They need no commentary.

John 13:34-35 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

John 17:20-23 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one — I in them and you in me — so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

1 John 3:10 This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not God’s child, nor is anyone who does not love their brother and sister.