This article is the second in a series that will be my effort to respond to two people who visited my site searching for answers to why they were “tired” and “weary” of the church.
One of the reasons we grow tired and weary of the church is that we warp our minds to think that Christians are perfect. We tend to expect Christians to act like saints only to discover that no one is perfect. The truth is that we are all on the road toward perfection. There are many bumps along the way.
If we cannot expect Christians to be perfect, then we can expect Christians to make mistakes. Congregations (and even denominations) are going to fight and split, and you will see church members and pastors make mistakes of every size. As a church grows together into a close Christian community, it gets easier to avoid and weather these types of bumps. However, if a church is reaching out to new people and growing larger, it is harder to keep the sense of community strong.
If you are in a position where you are weary of the church due to its infighting, politics, and/or just plain mean people, there are a few things you can do. First, remember that Christians are people. We make mistakes, and our love is limited by our imperfections. We must to learn how to accept God’s love and how to reflect God’s love to others. Second, build strong communities (as per the first article in this series). Third, focus on God’s vision for your church. If you can discern a central vision, it will direct the energy of the church in a positive direction, especially for large churches that need a central vision to connect all of its smaller communities.
