Galatians 5:16-17

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. Galatians 5:16-17

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Nouwen

In the Compassion chapter, Nouwen talks about suffering with others, and the difference between compassion and pity being depth/intentionality of living with another when they are suffering. 

I'm going to have trouble describing this, but I really feel it and see it. There seems to be a  pressure at/around Church for everyone to be stoked and filled all the time. I've woken up Sundays and said "Nah, I'm not gonna go to service this morning" and in getting down to the root of it, it's that I don't want to have to put up with a bunch of happy, shallow "HEY! :)'s" when I'm not wrestling spiritually. Oftentimes I don't feel that church is a place for me be encouraged and guided in the times I need it the most. So I stay away, and Satan kicks me down while I'm alone, until I find enough strength to crawl back to God, or until I can sit down with a close friend and work things out. 

I don't know who said it but I've heard this quote quite a few times over the past couple months, and I think it's great. "The Church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum of saints." I hope we as the Body can grow in our corporate worship times to be this for all of us sinners that need the Body in these times. 

15 comments:

  1. I see what you are saying Billy. Christians have a hard time being real and vulnerable with each others at times and in general tend to come off like everything is great and okay in their lives. I love ,however, how at Rock Harbor they will often times have people stand up to be prayed for. It is a time to be humble and vulnerable and to show the Body that a person is struggling and needs prayer. I love that quote you shared at the end. It is so true! Thanks for sharing :)

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  2. Agh, yes so true. I think God grieves when his house is made into a place for the shiny, "cyborg Christian," as Darin put it. I think being able to find yourself in the sea of church, focusing on community, prayer and worship of a God who is always worthy of worship, those are the keys to avoiding the fake-ness. Let's all partner in prayer against the lies we compromise for that try to keep us away from corporate gatherings.

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  3. Wow Billy, I could really level with this brief synopsis. I too recently have had a hard time with this sort of "cheer leader" Christiandom; where it seams as though one must be giddy 24/7. I deeply appreciate your recognition of being frustrated in that way as well as being willing to share that with all of us. Thanks a ton brother.

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  4. "The Church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum of saints." <--- blew my mind. I haven't heard this, but WOW. & feeling alone is completely the enemies evil doing and its how he gets me sometimes too. I am praying against this attack in your life. So good was this post.

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  5. love that quote. i also heard recently that we should look at a sunday church service as a staff meeting. i place to learn, be encourage, and trained to spread Love. kinda irrelevant, but i just love perspectives on the church that are so right on.

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  6. At first glance I really like the Hospital/Museum analogy. But on further inspection it seems to be rather simplified. First the church is infact made up of all those covered in the grace secured by the Blood of Christ. We are infact sinners yes, but we are more, covered in his Grace we are infact Saints as well. I think the thing that bothers me most is that with only two options, Hospital and Museum the focus remains squarely on us, humanity. I'm not sure what the alternative is, (perhaps the church is the current physical representation of Christ? too academic? not simple enough?), but it is certainly more encompassing than meerly sinner and saint. Thoughts?

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  7. I just noticed I used the phrase infact 3 times in that last post, which is infact 2 times more than it should ever be used in any post!

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  8. Interesting thoughts, Jason!
    Yeah I agree with you.
    And as far as the church goes, I think the quote can be taken as a warning of: Let's be careful of focusing too much on polishing our Christian walks (and calling it discipleship) and forget about the great commission as the paramount role of the Church.

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  9. Romans 15:4-7 "For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragment of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragment give you the spirit of unity amoung yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God."

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  10. Interesting thoughts. It seems that the big point is feeling like church is a place you can come as you are...whether in that moment you are feeling like a saint, or in need of a hospital for sinners, or somewhere in between! My friend and I were just talking about this last night...more than anything, I want it to be REAL, authentic, and an honest space where we just come as who we are, nothing more and nothing less. Thanks for sharing!!!!!

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  11. I agree with you Billy. A lot of people put on a mask at church (like the Circles Blog from last week) and go about church like everything is great when it really isn't. That is one of the reasons that I am loving Circles and spending time getting to know each and everyone in this. We are all in it together and in this time we will hopefully get real with each other as family. I'm really excited to be able to live along with you.

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  12. Isolation us such a lie, and believe me, Billy, I fall into it ALL THE TIME, and for many of the same reasons as you. But what every body of believers needs are those to whom God has given a vision and passion for what the Church should (and CAN) be. These are the ones who lead by example into an uncomortable variety of authenticity. When we resort to isolation we lose the ability to live prophetically in the midst of our churches, pointing alongside God to a greater understanding and embodiment of what the Church can be.

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  13. Your guys' comments were all so helpful!
    Thanks so much!

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  14. billy, i'm reading this right now, and honestly, all day i've been dreading going to church tonight for the exact reason you articulated. haven't really come out of it, but nevertheless it's nice to know someone feels the same way sometimes.

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  15. so true so true so true! how many times I feel like poo and feel like it is expected that I am filled with joy and peace and I'm okay in this circumstance even though I am really in a pit... so I put on a happy face and satan works in that too because I am unable to be honest with where I am at. that's really jumbly, but anyway, thanks for sharing. : ) God has not called us into isolation, but community.

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