I was listening to Rob Bell today and he said this:
"If church isn't the place above any other place where you can be as honest and raw about the actual junk in your life, then I don't want anything to do with church. If church doesn't lead the way in being the kind of place where you can be transparent and honest about your struggles, then it isn't church... If this time and this ritual with this tribe of people isn't the kind of place where you can actually reflect and you can actually go into the most dark, painful places, and you can have people come around you and carry you, then we're just pretending."
I had to pause my iPod and think about this. It's funny because church is usually the opposite of that; we don't want people at church to see all our mess. We want those people to think we have it all together. When I found out I was pregnant, I know my parents REALLY did not want anyone at church to find out. But we had amazing community, and instead of being judged we were surrounded with love. However, I think that's often not the case. In too many congregations, people are really judgmental. I like that Rob Bell says those people are just pretending. It's true.
I don't have a church home right now, although I have been going to a church I think I might like. But I do have this kind of community with my small group. It took awhile, but we are all pretty honest about our junk, and I love it. Once again, Rob Bell is so right.
"If church isn't the place above any other place where you can be as honest and raw about the actual junk in your life, then I don't want anything to do with church. If church doesn't lead the way in being the kind of place where you can be transparent and honest about your struggles, then it isn't church... If this time and this ritual with this tribe of people isn't the kind of place where you can actually reflect and you can actually go into the most dark, painful places, and you can have people come around you and carry you, then we're just pretending."
I had to pause my iPod and think about this. It's funny because church is usually the opposite of that; we don't want people at church to see all our mess. We want those people to think we have it all together. When I found out I was pregnant, I know my parents REALLY did not want anyone at church to find out. But we had amazing community, and instead of being judged we were surrounded with love. However, I think that's often not the case. In too many congregations, people are really judgmental. I like that Rob Bell says those people are just pretending. It's true.
I don't have a church home right now, although I have been going to a church I think I might like. But I do have this kind of community with my small group. It took awhile, but we are all pretty honest about our junk, and I love it. Once again, Rob Bell is so right.
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