Years ago I went to a church I really loved. I loved that they concentrated on loving the community. They went out not only on Sunday’s but also during the week to help people who were less fortunate or who were in need. Over half of the money they had went to helping people or organizations that helped people. I felt like I was doing the work God wanted me to do. The issue that I had with them, and the reason I ultimately left, was in how they dealt with their church members. I felt like in times of need they fell short on recognizing the need for help and how to properly help. I felt like they wanted the person to get past their need or their hurt, or hide it, quickly and get back to the “status quo”. At the time I left I was homeless, pregnant, and going through a divorce. I couldn’t wrap myself back up in a nice little bow and move on. So I moved on.
I found myself at a church that I needed. They were the fellowship and compassion I had been looking for. I had never experienced a church who loved their members as much as they did. They recognized that people would fall and would need time to rebuild themselves. I rebuilt myself there. I put myself back together over time.
When I was put back together I had figured out, at least partially, where God wanted me. I knew I needed to help people in need. To feed people, to teach people to hold onto more of what they make, and to help them spend less on the “necessities” of living (since the likely hood that people would find themselves making more Money is slim). I began to ask myself what my church was doing to help those outside the walls of the church. What were we doing To help the 15.3 million children who live in food insecure homes, or to combat the fact that over half of public school children live below the poverty line. How about this statistic: if you can consider yourself middle class (making over $50,000 a year) you are doing better than 75% of Americans. I am not ok with this and I need a church who isn’t either.
I find myself praying for God to show me where I am supposed to be. So out i go once again.
As for today’s sermon I leave you with these thoughts:
Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have for such sacrifices are pleasing to God- Hebrews 13:16
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done. On EARTH as it is in heaven -part of the Lord’s prayer
Check out the Roman Catholic Church. Ignore all of the adverse propaganda about priest and child abuse; while there may be and/or have been some going on; that not the whole church. Catholic Charities (CCA) is huge in the whole World for doing good charitable worK EVERYWHERE. And they do tend to take care of their own.
RG Simer
Amen. Not every church is good for every person, and no church is perfect. We are all a work in progress. Glad you found a place where you felt fully ministered to by God’s body.