A close friend of mine recently joined this new ministry. She's been going to studies, going to church every Sunday and she even went on a retreat a couple of weekends ago. I've witnessed an amazing change in her; spiritually, mentally and emotionally. One of the people she met in this ministry she became really close with and spoke so highly of when she would tell me about her. This person was helping her out so much with her walk with God, and I was just amazed at how much of blessing she had become in my friend's life.
Well, a few days ago, a problem came about and my friend was not happy with what she was being told from this particular person or the two other people that were brought into the equation. They didn't agree with a decision that my friend had made so they felt they should try to help her "change her mind." She was in a relationship with a certain guy before she made the major changes in her life. They basically were telling her that this guy was detrimental to her new life. They thought he was some kind of demon in her life. (her words, not mine) If anything, she could help him in his life just like the new people she had met helped her, but they didn't see it that way. My friend is far from a follower, she's very much so a free thinker and once her mind and heart are set on something, there's no changing that. I guess they had never encountered someone like her at their church.
I got in the car with my friend the other day and the first thing she turns to me and says is: GIRL! Now if you don't know, in "girl language" that meant she had something very important to tell me and I should focus all of my attention on her. I did just that. She proceeds to tell me that she met up with the group of people from church that were trying to change her mind. Well, since she had no intentions of changing her mind, they told her to.... LEAVE THE CHURCH. She went on to tell me that not only did they feel like she should leave the church but that she was "poisoning" everyone else by staying there. Ludicrous, right?
For a moment, I was at a loss for words. I had only heard about this type of thing happening. I've never witnessed it firsthand. I was livid. How could I not be upset for my friend? She had come to love this ministry and the people in it and now they were telling her she needed to leave.
The whole car ride I just sat in the passenger seat thinking intently on the story I had just been told. It then came to me that this very situation is where the negative connotation that "church people" receive comes from instances like the one my friend had experienced. I'm a "church person" myself, but it would never cross my mind to do something like that to someone nor would I ever think that something like that would happen to me. I enjoy every uplifting moment of being at church and being able to worship such an amazing God. Why try to take that from someone?
I guess what I'm trying to say is as "church people" we want to openly welcome more people into the church so they can worship along with us. We shouldn't PUSH people out, especially because they're not following someone's "rules". I think the more situations like this occur the more people will continue to equate "church people" with something that holds this weight of negativity. They're given reasons to think this, after all.
I'll finish by saying this... The church is meant to be made up of people who are committed to LOVE each other and to HELP each other mature and so become more holy. (and don't get holy confused with being perfect)
I got in the car with my friend the other day and the first thing she turns to me and says is: GIRL! Now if you don't know, in "girl language" that meant she had something very important to tell me and I should focus all of my attention on her. I did just that. She proceeds to tell me that she met up with the group of people from church that were trying to change her mind. Well, since she had no intentions of changing her mind, they told her to.... LEAVE THE CHURCH. She went on to tell me that not only did they feel like she should leave the church but that she was "poisoning" everyone else by staying there. Ludicrous, right?
For a moment, I was at a loss for words. I had only heard about this type of thing happening. I've never witnessed it firsthand. I was livid. How could I not be upset for my friend? She had come to love this ministry and the people in it and now they were telling her she needed to leave.
The whole car ride I just sat in the passenger seat thinking intently on the story I had just been told. It then came to me that this very situation is where the negative connotation that "church people" receive comes from instances like the one my friend had experienced. I'm a "church person" myself, but it would never cross my mind to do something like that to someone nor would I ever think that something like that would happen to me. I enjoy every uplifting moment of being at church and being able to worship such an amazing God. Why try to take that from someone?
I guess what I'm trying to say is as "church people" we want to openly welcome more people into the church so they can worship along with us. We shouldn't PUSH people out, especially because they're not following someone's "rules". I think the more situations like this occur the more people will continue to equate "church people" with something that holds this weight of negativity. They're given reasons to think this, after all.
I'll finish by saying this... The church is meant to be made up of people who are committed to LOVE each other and to HELP each other mature and so become more holy. (and don't get holy confused with being perfect)
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