One of the (many) problems with Church

What is church? What are churches? What is the main purpose? What is the point? How can organizations that are supposed to serve God also be powerful forces in the evil that happens in this world?

I think the main problem occurs when churches see themselves as God. God and church are very different things.

Jesus is powerful, he is perfect. He is the redeemer, the saviour, the educator, the enlightener. He is good. Everything good comes from God. God is love. He is all-knowing and all-powerful.

The church is made of the followers of Jesus: the people who have recognized the redemption and accepted it. The people who are called to love others as a result of God’s great love that saved them. Sometimes Christians think that because they are called to love as God loves, they can also judge as God judges or discipline as God disciplines. However, that is so very incorrect. God is perfect and sinless, whereas humans are imperfect and sinful. We are ever-affected by our subjective perceptions and realities. There are a whole host of factors that influence every single move we make. How then, are we to have any right to act as God does, to be God? We are not perfect and good; we are primarily self-serving. In most cases we act out of self-interest. And sometimes that’s ok, it doesn't mean we are constantly hurting others. But it does mean that our worldview and scope of reality is very small and focused around ourselves. So as Christians we have no right to act as higher beings. Being a Christian doesn’t mean you’re a good person, it doesn’t mean you’ll make good choices, it doesn’t mean you’ll do good things. As a person progresses in their faith, there should be outward signs of their commitment to God, as we are called to love. But it doesn’t mean people will always do the right thing.

We will all make bad choices.

I was 17 years old when my view of church and Christians was shattered. Through a series of unfortunate events involving dishonest church politics, my family left the church I had attended as a teen. I didn't understand how a pastor and an organization meant to serve God could also deliver such pain. I spent many months crying and yelling in my room, unable to express my pain to anyone else. After that I had a very negative opinion of church and of adults in leadership. I had expected them to be act as God. I had expected them to be Jesus. Obviously, I was let down. No one can live up to that standard. My trust in people was gone. My trust in the church system was gone.

And that’s when I learned the difference between Jesus and the church. Jesus is what Christianity is about: a personal relationship with Jesus. We’re not to depend on others; we’re to depend on Jesus. Jesus doesn’t lie, he doesn’t cheat, and he doesn’t act selfishly. Jesus is dependable, he is worthy of all our attention and praise and dedication. There is no human on earth that has lived or will ever live that deserves that dedication and attention and trust. And if we depend on people, if we look to people to guide us and be there for us, we will always be disappointed.

That doesn’t mean that we aren’t supposed to gather together and be a part of a faith community. That is an important part of being a Christian. But being a part of a faith community isn’t what Christianity is all about. And it certainly isn’t what is going to save you, or support you, or give you strength. 

Everybody sins and falls short of the glory of God. That means that only God holds that glory. So look to God.

Because there is a big difference between God and his followers.

God will not hurt you, he will not wound you, and he will not forsake you. He will not lie, he will not break promises, and he will not cheat you. He will be there for you. He will not let you down.

I can’t say the same for his supporters.