Churches aren't Museums, they're Hospitals

I heard in a sermon once, a line that has stuck with me and will forever. The pastor said "Churches aren't museums, where people should come in and out to see all the perfect people. Churches are hospitals. Everyone in here has problems they need help for and we can't fix them ourselves."


That's brilliant. If you didn't catch it the first time, read it again! *this is me...waving my hanky*



So why then do church goers (including myself for 21 years) feel the need to act like we are perfect, not really talk about tough issues or real life struggles? Why do we dress to the hilt and when people ask us how we are, we don't really tell them? And then why when someone does tell us, do we not really care and rush them to get them to stop "complaining?"



For 24 years of my life, I thought that's what churches all over the world were like and I felt guilty and sinful for having questions about topics. I felt convicted for struggling with real life temptations. But I found a church in Huntington, WV that kept it REAL and made no bones about the fact that everyone in there was struggling with something, and people genuinely wanted to see Jesus get you through that season of trials and tribulations. It's at this church that I saw faith REALLY work and I saw people REALLY in love with Jesus...and these were REAL people with REAL issues who REALLY talked about them. What a freeing feeling to know that you could admit your failures and there wasn't any judgment because they had gone through or were currently going through the same struggle. People prayed with you and checked up on you and it was truly sincere. It's amazing when it's not just that ONE lady in the choir who has invested her time and prayers into your situation, but in fact the whole choir. Or not just a friend who knows what you're going through, but everyone around you in your seating section at church!

Maybe it was a size thing...maybe when a church gets too big, you can't have that intimate connection with people. Or maybe when a majority of your church (or at least the people in leadership and true power) have enough money for issues to not really be relevant, that you don't "speak of such things." Maybe it's a regional thing? People aren't more important than time in certain places...if you can believe that.

I miss this intimate, human, Godly, sincere connection with brothers and sisters in Christ. I know that every church is different and that no one is perfect, but I just miss that honest, vulnerable "we're real and you can be too" approach to a conservative NOT...and I repeat... NOT a seeker sensitive message from the Word. You can be real and still get that FIRE from the pulpit that makes you wave that hanky and give a "wooo preach!" I miss that.



Anyway, needless to say. I'm a sinner. I've sinned and made mistakes. There. I said it. But I'm not going to feel ashamed anymore, because I fell and bumped my knee. That scar is my reminder of what NOT to do anymore. Those memories and shameful feelings are things I don't want to relive and because of this, I can share my testimony with others. AND NOT BE ASHAMED. I know that I grew up in the church and I KNOW that I "knew better" and "if I'd been stronger in my faith with the Lord things wouldn't have even crossed my mind," but I'm human. I've sinned and I have asked for forgiveness MORE than I needed to about issues that God has already forgiven me for. That stage of my life is over and I am seeking to be more connected with real Christ lovers who sin, but aim not to on a daily basis, but know that it's going to happen, and that you can't live in a state of shame your whole life. And guess what? I'm most likely going to sin again sometime soon...and I'm forgiven for that one too.



So because of my experiences, I promise to tell the world my testimony and represent Christ daily. I want people to know that its ok to be sick when you're seeking the Master Healer to fix you. It's ok to be let down by people who go to church...we're not perfect in ANY way and it's ok if you've fallen a MILLION times over the same thing. Make this the last fall and move on from the shame and guilt of not being perfect.



Christians aren't perfect, but Christ is.