Sad thoughts
The other day Len posted a link to an article in Simply Youth Ministry, Adam McLane wrote "Left for Dead by the Church".
I followed the link and read what Mr. McLane wrote on his blog. My first reaction was to joke, I always make jokes to myself when I see something that upsets me. My joke was to wonder if Len had decided to take on a secret identity without telling me. I knew he had not but the excerpt in the blog so closely resembled what happened to Len in our old church he could have written it.
My second reaction was to cry. I cried because it so closely resembled his story and the story of so many other youth workers I know. Secret meetings where the lie to be passed on to the congregation is set. Then the youth worker is included and their ability to provide for their family is tied into their going along with the lie.
I also cried for the churches because I sometimes wonder if there are healthy churches out there. The church is the face Christians put to the world what they see in the church is what the world thinks God is. We are Christ's representatives called to walk his path. We invite the world into our churches and say come learn about God here. When we treat each other this badly what is the outside world suppose to think of us. We preach love, honesty, and the Ten Commandments, but too often the church doesn't live them.
No wonder the world laughs at Christians and condemns the church as bull. If the church doesn't act like it believes what it preaches why would the world want to come in and join.
I once thought I would like to work in youth ministry. I love working with teens and I love serving God and once upon a time I had thought that a church was the perfect place to do that. Now I know better, I have seen too many wounded soldiers on the church battlefield to want to put myself through that. I can serve God better healthy and whole outside of the church. Maybe someday Church will again be about serving God and not ourselves, but until then I weep for the wounded.
I followed the link and read what Mr. McLane wrote on his blog. My first reaction was to joke, I always make jokes to myself when I see something that upsets me. My joke was to wonder if Len had decided to take on a secret identity without telling me. I knew he had not but the excerpt in the blog so closely resembled what happened to Len in our old church he could have written it.
My second reaction was to cry. I cried because it so closely resembled his story and the story of so many other youth workers I know. Secret meetings where the lie to be passed on to the congregation is set. Then the youth worker is included and their ability to provide for their family is tied into their going along with the lie.
I also cried for the churches because I sometimes wonder if there are healthy churches out there. The church is the face Christians put to the world what they see in the church is what the world thinks God is. We are Christ's representatives called to walk his path. We invite the world into our churches and say come learn about God here. When we treat each other this badly what is the outside world suppose to think of us. We preach love, honesty, and the Ten Commandments, but too often the church doesn't live them.
No wonder the world laughs at Christians and condemns the church as bull. If the church doesn't act like it believes what it preaches why would the world want to come in and join.
I once thought I would like to work in youth ministry. I love working with teens and I love serving God and once upon a time I had thought that a church was the perfect place to do that. Now I know better, I have seen too many wounded soldiers on the church battlefield to want to put myself through that. I can serve God better healthy and whole outside of the church. Maybe someday Church will again be about serving God and not ourselves, but until then I weep for the wounded.
posted by Chris | 10:12 AM
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