“I hate the church.” As many are
becoming aware, there is a Christian sub-culture that fundamentally proclaims
this harsh notion. Further, they are choosing to rebel against the church by
living out their faith independently. This sub-culture has stirred up a
conversation that must not be quickly jettisoned as ignorant speech. Why does
this Christian sub-group acknowledge the church with such callous protest? Is
the church truly deserving of such brutal criticism?
As a post-modern, I will be the first to admit that we
are a generation of rebels. We see ourselves as revolutionaries in a world that
is poisoned by its delusions. Give us something to take a stand for, and we
will be there at the vanguard. More often than not, the majority of us have no
clue as to how we latched onto these rebellious notions. Nonetheless, this is
who we are; we are a generation who find their identity as revolutionaries, or
as our parents see it - defiant children. Yes, we are not even taken seriously.
However, can we blame you? After all, does not our disposition spit in the face
of our elders? It seems that we have all become deaf to one another, while
shouting are criticisms back at one another. I’ll be the first to admit – we are
fools.
For those of us that decree, “I hate the church,” we have
ignorantly left God out of the equation. After all, it is his church right? Yes,
the church is filled with broken people trying to follow a perfect God. Is it
not inevitable for there to be something in it to loathe? Perhaps we have
become too quick to judge. Do we truly believe that the church is too broken
and detestable that God is not at work? If this is the case, our GOD is too
small. A God this small is not worth believing in. God is far too great and
magnificent for me to place any limitations on him. The living God is
continuously at work no matter how pathetic our attempts are to follow him. He
knows we are human. He did create us! There will always be a need for grace on
this earth we have been given. And we must be willing to accept it. Can we
possibly know who God is and how he is working in the world to its entirety? I’d
say let’s just shut our mouths, hopefully we have some humility to accept that
God’s plans are greater than we could possibly conceive.
Now to those that remain satisfied with the church in its
current state, will you not listen to your inheritor’s plea? Do not turn your
back on us! At the core of this rebellion is a sentiment of genuine concern. At
the very least we need to be thankful to have a generation that cares deeply enough
to say something. I will choose to believe our God will heal these deaf ears of
mine, and I pray the same to you. For, we are in desperate need of one another.
We are together “the church,” wherever we are. Choose not to believe in a God
that continues to cause disunity. This is our doing, not his.
20 “My prayer is
not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their
message, 21 that
all of them may be one, Father,
just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have
sent me. 22 I
have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and
you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know
that you sent me and
have loved them even
as you have loved me.
24 “Father, I want
those you have given me to
be with me where I am, and
to see my glory, the
glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
25 “Righteous
Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known
to them, and
will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be
in them and
that I myself may be in them.”
John 17:20-26
Let us reflect on our
Lord’s prayer upon us. Pray for one another.
