Your Church, day 46: 100 Days to Brave (Advent, Day 8)

This one is still a little tender. Not that the hurt is there, but the emotions. Mostly, it is wanting to honor the people, regardless of the things left said and unsaid.

Before we hitched our ride to Pennsylvania, McFive lived in the exotic land of North Carolina. And it was beautiful. Both being from Foursquare backgrounds, Big Strong Man and I decided to embrace the south and join the local Baptist church. It was conveniently located to where we lived, we loved the people there, and there was a lot of ministry opportunities. It was a great fit for us for about one year, before the church split happened. 

Church splits. These are so very sad and painful. Whatever the rationale, there always seems to be hurt feelings. As it was, Big Strong Man and I decided to leave with some others and participate in a church plant. After a good run, that seemed to be coming to an end and, desperately, I asked one of our pastors if we, the church, were dying. 

The thing was this, we wanted out. Our very closest friends in the church had been hurt by fellow church members and left. For a few weeks, more and more families continued to leave, like a flood. Driving to church one Sunday Big Strong Man and I poured our hearts out to one another and decided that that very Sunday would be our last. 

The strangest thing happened that Sunday morning, though. Singing along to worship, the Lord pierced Big Strong Man's heart and asked him to name the other members of our church. How many names could he place? The Lord continued, pressing B.S.M. further and asking who B.S.M. invited. Who was there because B.S.M. when out of his way to invite? To bother getting to know?

And B.S.M. had to admit, no one. He hardly knew their names -these people we have been having church with for over a year- and he invited exactly zero people in attendance. 

Ultimately, we stayed. The Lord wasn't done with the church and neither was He done with our being there. In the end, we stayed there and tried to plug-in until it was time for us to move away.

When we are being honest, we can admit that there were many kind people at that particular church in North Carolina. We finished strong and chose to obey the Lord even when we would occasionally feel the desire to leave.  

Annie writes: 

I once asked my Pastor Scott Sauls what happens when you stay in a church even when you are hurt or it seems hard. He said, "That's when you grow up."

Equally as good, Annie writes:

If we unplug from our church, we're unplugging from our family of believers. Our support system.

                                   

Be Brave: 

This Sunday, go to church. 

If you don't have a good one, call someone and ask. 

If you've been hurt, go back anyway- to the one you know or one you don't. 

But step back through the doors and see what happens next.

 

Advent, Day 8:

Babe's Blanket and Bottle