So you are disillusioned and all bent out of shape with the church? What’s that? Oh, you see imperfect elders who seem to be such average human beings and who sometimes move more slowly than a snail? And imperfect deacons who imperfectly "deke?" Imperfect members who are struggling with temptation, sin and the devil – and sometimes lose a battle? And imperfect preachers who don’t talk or preach or dress or do other things the way YOU think any good preacher would do them? On and on the list might go if you interview the right – no, I mean the wrong – persons in the pews. Some are shocked to see hypocrites in the church who act like....hypocrites! Weak people who act weird. Lukewarm members who are, well, lukewarm about the things of God. People who don’t show up but an hour a week unless something extra fun is going on. People who spend more on sodas and snacks and maybe movies and ball games each week than they give to the Lord or to send Bibles to Africa or support an inner city ministry to feed hungry kids or send a missionary to preach Christ and rescue people headed for hell. And then those pesky people in worship who don’t pay attention to the sermon but spend more time texting than they do listening and studying the Bible text. And how about those people who won’t sing a note but argue loud and long against using a piano in worship? And those young people and the way they dress with their shirt tails hanging out and holes in their jeans?! And, oh yeah, let’s don’t foreget those inconsiderate babies who cry like babies and distract me from watching and critiquing all these other people who are paying no attention in worship and doing all this bad stuff! And the young mothers and daddies who let the babies get away with it! Why, the nerve of some people!
Come on now my disillusioned brother/sister! Of course we should address the very real problems often present in the pews. But let me tell you something – there ARE good people sitting on the same pew as you who choose to take a different view! They are as aware as you are of all the bad, sad, stinky stuff at worship and in the church at times. But they don’t come to church looking for that stuff. And they don’t get so fixated on it and frustrated by it that they walk off their job as members of the body of Christ. Instead, they focus on God and His Son. They look for good in others and draw strength from the fellowship of other Christians and the "like precious faith" we share in Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:1). And you can be sure, my "down on the church" friend, Jesus knew there would be a lot of stinky stuff and imperfect people in the pews when He died for you on the cross! Jesus is still up on His church, whether you are or not. The apostle Paul wrote these words to an imperfect but sincere group of Christians at Rome long ago – "Now I myself am confident concerning you, my brethren, that you also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another" (Romans 15:13). Oh that all Christians might hold those convictions about the church! Hummingbirds and vultures sometimes fly over the same space, but they are looking for very different things – and each finds what he is looking for. Now – which view do you choose from your pew? You will likely find what you are looking for. Just saying.
Dan Gulley, Smithville, TN
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