A Place of Re-evaluation

The church I had been attending the last three years officially dissolved the beginning of December this past year.  This is something new for me.  I've heard of this happening to churches but had never been a part of it personally, until now.

There is so much I want to say, yet I find it difficult to put into words.  It feels so weird to have been part of something and now nothing. I have very mixed feelings about a lot of what happened.  It's kind of ironic  we had the word faith as part of our name yet faith was not something that was practiced.

This event has really put me in a place of re-evaluation.  What I am coming away with is the importance of having the kind of relationship with one another that we can be open and honest and confess our sins to one another.  And how dangerous it is when that is not happening....especially among the leadership.  Rather it's been more like we have to keep up this front that we're blessed and everything is great when in reality it is anything but.

Like when those in leadership don't tell you the struggles they are in until it gets to a place where they stand before the congregation and announce that starting right now they are on sabbatical...and they've made no provisions for their flock.  Or when the rent is due and we don't have enough to pay it but the only one who knows this is the pastor and he doesn't tell anyone until we get locked out.

I know there are some who don't want to hear the weakness or struggles of those in leadership. And I also know that there are those in leadership that don't believe they should share their struggles with the congregation.  What a warped view.  The Bible says in James 5:16....  "Confess faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous one avails much."

If we want healthy churches we need to be in such a relationship with one another that we can confess our faults to one another. I truly believe that had our church practiced this from the leadership on down....we would not have dissolved.