Churchification

Ok, so I'm no expert.

But I have theories running around in my head about most things based on my observations. You can tell me if you think I'm full of it or not ;)

One thing I have noticed is that most churches don't talk about real issues.

When I say "real issues"... I'm talking about things like divorce and separation in marriages(and how do we deal with this), internet dating and the world's current search for love in an increasingly isolated society, the lack of women in ministry and their role in the church, how to cope with singleness and abstinence, the growing rate of pornography in and out of the church, how to deal with eating disorders, Obsessive-compulsive disorders, self-mutilation, self-hatred, the growing depression in BELIEVERS... etc... the list goes on.

Now the reason I bring it up here is because I hear all about this stuff from the people around me...but it's rarely  something that you will hear from the pulpit. And every time you do, it's so refreshing...you feel like like suddenly you're not alone in the world. There is someone else in the world as imperfect as I am.

I remember hearing a message from Bethel on "matriarchal leadership" and I cried. I cried because no one talks about that. And for the first time I felt really seen and heard.

David Pierce is part of a band called "No Longer Music"--big in Germany and eastern Europe-- and I heard him preaching on the need for "controls" on the tv set.  He talked about how his wife has the code for all the channels because he can't be trusted not to look on the channels that have pornography. He doesn't want to be tempted so he makes sure she has that power. I love that. He talked about XXX church where you can receive accountability for looking at pornography online. There is software that you can have put on your computer that sends all the sites you have been looking at to other parties to help hold you accountable.

I love that kind of honest talk.

I love it when we can talk about the real things in this very real and dark world.

But here's where one theory comes in. I find that a lot of the clergy in our churches come from Christian backgrounds. They grew up in the church and have long histories of Christianity in their homes. And these are the issues they either 1) never had to deal with or 2) never talked about. So for them to talk about "sexual brokenness" is a big stretch. Brokenness of this kind is something that is not necessarily so close them. But it's close to so many people I talk to.

And what is it about all of us...once we get into church, we feel this need to look perfect and so "together"? Is that a religious spirit? This desire to 'look good' in front of others--wanting to please men. yuck. I know that one very well.

Coming from a non-Christian home--I have found myself  a bit "edgy" for the church in the beginning. I liked to use language that is un-churched and out of the box. Because I didn't grow up in a Christian one. I had to learn all the churchiness. But I find myself constantly wanting to push the boundaries. Even now I sometimes say things for shock value... partially because I want the FREEDOM to say it.

Now I'm not saying I'm not in a box now. I think I have a box along with the best of them after being church-ified all these years. I become aware of it every now and then and it upsets me. I'll give you an example.  When we were running the 24 hour Burn worship, three women wandered in from the streets and clubs. I had no idea who they were but they were making a lot of noise ringing the bell on the side entrance to our church. I was irritated. I asked my friend Paul to go check it out, because I could feel my irritation and didn't want to talk to them when I was feeling that. He found out they were unbelievers who were drawn to the music and had found the side entrance in to the church. Paul was excited and invited me to go talk to them.  I went over and shared the gospel with them for 30 or 40 minutes. One girl asked question after question about Jesus. It was easy.

But I almost missed it because I was irritated. These girls were "messing up" our nice worship time.
Look how far I've come from being "edgy."

Sigh.

I remember hearing David Ruis, a famous Vineyard worship leader and songwriter, say that he was excited the first time someone puked in the church he planted! He thought "now we have real church!" When he started his church in Winnipeg, he invited the broken and the homeless and the street drinkers. It's bound to get messy. And that's exactly what he got.

Maybe I'm not YET ready for messy--but I'm getting there and I'm a little tired of all the "neatness."  I think I'm getting so fed up I'd rather have real than pretty.

How do we get there? If we had the revival we are looking for-- and if suddenly all the broken people started to come to church-- what would we have to say to them? How would we help them in these issues? How do we help people coming out of homosexuality? How do we help sex addicts and porn-addicted men and women? Can we talk about these things..? Or do we remain silent?