CHARIS SHALOM

Well, I’m not a drunk, a prostitute, a pimp, unmarried but living together, or a drug addict - and the last place i would go or think about going to find comfort, acceptance, love, or help would be the average evangelical church.

And when I was a drunk, a prostitute, a pimp, unmarried but living together, and a drug addict - I did not think I was doing anything wrong, I had plenty of comfort, acceptance, love, and help from people who admitted to having the same faults as me.

I think part of the problem is the average evangelical/christian sits in a ivory tower instead of getting on the level of the people who was once like. And frankly, the world sees it for it is… B.S.

God’s Glory,
Lew

Lew A’s last blog post..The Pursuit Strip - #19

Lew, great comment! Thanks. I’m sad my begging for comments hasn’t resulted in more thus far, but I appreciate you writing.

Can you tell me more about the ivory tower idea? What do you mean by that?

I think we mustn’t just be mad about the problem, and we need to think about what we can do about this. Churches often appear to be judgmental and hateful toward those who aren’t, in appearance, as “fortunate” as those inside the church, and it would be good if we figure out how to walk in the opposite spirit of love and kindness, encouraging others in the church to do so as well.

Bryan, first off the intro video must have been from 1982. They don’t let intros last THAT long anymore. It felt like forever.

I think there are two obvious reason. One, that alcohol gets you drunk. We look for things that take the pain away, without having to remove the problem. We don’t like growing up. It’s just easier.

Two, is the reason Lew mentioned. We don’t want or need a pile of sh……….ame lumped on our heads. It’s just not restorative.

Jonathan Brink’s last blog post..The Letters Jesus Never Sent

Bryan,

You are right on the money with this post. I think that the primary reason that very few people seek anything from the church is that many within the church only maintain shallow relationships. But, then, its impossible to develop deep relationship if people only meet together once a week. The church has to learn to share their lives with one another - and share their lives with other people. This includes opening our homes, sharing our resources, and actually caring about people more than we care about our own lives.

In other words, if we only know people’s names because they are wearing a name badge, then something is missing.

-Alan

Alan Knox’s last blog post..Sin and the church - Part 2

Jonathan, thank you for commenting! Shame is interesting and utterly inappropriate in the church - it is judgment that separates in an unloving and unedifying way. I’ve even heard a pastor use that term frequently toward people under his care. “Shame on you!” he would say, with the sound and look of disgust. I would not be surprised if it was something he heard as a child.

Alan, great response. Yes, we need to build relationships and shaer our lives. Absolutely. It goes against our earthly culture, but it is a part of our heavenly (Kingdom) one. May we live in the reality of being in heavenly realms!