Forgiving the church

Chapter 13 of Kimball's 'They Like Jesus But Not The Church' is maybe the best, even as the shortest. He begins with this classic quote from Henri Nouwen:

When we say, "I love Jesus, but I hate the church," we end up losing not only the Church but Jesus too. The challenge is to forgive the Church. This challenge is especially great because the Church seldom asks us for forgiveness."

Absolutely. I admit that I often get tired of people whining about the church. But then I remember that I do as much as anyone. And it's not that I am not sympathetic, or that I don't understand, but it is exactly what Nouwen is saying... I don't believe you can be a follower of Jesus and not be a part of THE Church, or "a" church. I know not everyone agrees with me on that, but I think it's the truth. However, we in the church need to learn a thing or two. Like what D.K. says on p.250:

People today are open to Jesus, but the church needs to rethink how we come across to people on the outside. While we need to stand strong on what we believe and need not be ashamed of the gospel in any way, we need to make sure we are presenting a biblical picture of the church and not perpetuating negative stereotypes. We need to offer an apologetic to correct misperceptions.

We also need to offer an apology when the church hurts people in the name of Jesus. We need to offer an apology for arrogant and shameful things we've said and for presenting as truth our fallible opinions. We need to offer an apology for straying from the mission of the church and becoming self-absorbed citizens of the bubble. We need to apologize whenever the beautiful bride of Christ is prostituted for a church leader's or a politician's agenda. We need to apologize when we aren't honest with people and become so seeker-friendly that we don't tell them the hard truth about sin and repentance. We need to apologize when we say that we are all sinners saved by grace but show contempt for those who are still in sin.

I think the thing I liked best in this chapter (and maybe the book) was D.K.'s admission that their church doesn't do everything right either. They have their share of problems too. THAT gave me hope as much as anything. And I agree with his statement on 250, "I don't believe people are looking for churches that are all together. They are looking for churches that care about Jesus and will care about them." That's what I am most sorry about - the fact that I/we are not so good about that. We're too often concerned about looking like we have it all together - which is self-centered - and we're not concerned enough about Christ, and others.

I do want to include the whole quote from Nouwen though; because I know a lot of people who have been wounded by the church, and I don't really know how to help, but I like what he had to say:

When we have been wounded by the Church, our temptation is to reject it. But when we reject the Church, it becomes very hard for us to keep in touch with the living Christ. When we say, "I love Jesus, but I hate the Church," we end up losing not only the Church but Jesus too. The challenge is to forgive the Church.

This challenge is especially great because the Church seldom asks us for forgiveness, at least not officially. But the Church as an often fallible human organization needs our forgiveness, while the Church as the living Christ among us continues to offer us forgiveness.

It is important to think about the Church not as "over there" but as a community of struggling, weak people of whom we are part and in whom we meet our Lord and Redeemer.

Yeah... and I am sorry. I don't really know who I'm saying that too - I have no one in mind. But it needs to be said. Thank you, Lord, for forgiving me. Help me to be more forgiving, and to be aware of when I need to ask it of others. Amen.