My journey...

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

I do love the church


Listening to stories about the imperfection of the church, makes me love the church even more. Because the church is made up of imperfect people. There are many who suffers under the system of the church. Many who have been hurt by the church. Who will then love them?

The church is the bride of Christ. He is the head and the church His body. How can we embrace Christ and not embrace his bride?. How can we love Christ and not love His body. How God will weep for the state of the church because it is in His heart. God loves His church because it is made up of His people and this is how we are called into community with each other. As imperfect as the church is, there has to be a love for the church.

I am learning how to love the church. Perhaps it starts with one person at a time. I do thank God for His grace and His patience. His grace that though many churches are walking in their own selfish desires and system, He still causes people to grow and He still blesses them with His gifts and love. Shouldn't we then also love the church because it is in the heart of God?

It is not for us to judge the church. For judgment comes from God. It is for us to walk in obedience to His calling. For us to embrace that which is in His heart. To work together with Him to see His kingdom come. To see His plans restored to what He intends it to be. Focusing too much on the imperfection of the church blinds us to what is really important. The people.

The will of God and the love of God for the people. If we begin to look at people the way God looks at them, the imperfection of the church will not even bother you cause you are there for the people. You are there to love the people of God. Together we learn to embrace the will of God. Together with all our own imperfections we learn to walk the way of the Kingdom. With Christ truly as the head.


posted by Janelle at 6:27 PM 4 comments

Sunday, November 01, 2009

Illness and Church

I came by this article about people with illness and how the church has treated them... I could so relate to it because I myself have been suffering from an illness that the doctors say cannot be healed. For me, even sitting and standing up sometimes takes an extra effort. Below is the comments of people. While the church demands at times for perfection, it just need to realise that it is made up of imperfect people. And some are "suffering in silence".

Living with chronic illness is lonely. Everyone around us seems to be enjoying health, happiness and the ability to pursue their dreams. But we are lonely, scared, and disappointed. We are living with an illness that we have not been able to pray away, cry away, or confess away and so we turn to our church for guidance and acceptance. But churches are made up of people—all of us imperfect. We asked our readers, What would you like your pastor to know about living with a chronic illness and your need to serve others, or be ministered to, within the body? Here are some of your heart-felt replies.

I know I am young and you may not believe I am feeling well enough for leadership, but the Lord has worked in my life in so many ways through my illness and I am bursting to be a part of an “illness ministry” to encourage others. Please make some time to sit down and let me share my new calling with you. —Renee

It is very difficult for me to get to church due to the fact that the services are about three hours long and I have problems sitting for long periods of time. When I come, I have to choose between worship or the sermon. No one ever calls or checks to see why I am not there and I used to be one of their Sunday school teachers. I think they have a problem with the fact that I am one of those that have not been healed. —Doris

Every time we have gone to church and we have gone for prayer and I have sought out help, people keep telling me one of two things: “Patty, by His Stripes, You are healed… You must have faith; if you have faith then you will be healed,” or “You must not be praying hard enough.” I can’t tell you how much that hurts, and how I keep feeling like a failure when I am told that. —Patty

Some of us simply want to rest confidently in the Lord and rely on Him for provision during long periods of ill health. I want rest, calm and privacy—not to be cut off from kindly connection with people—but not to have knocks on my door at all hours of the day and night, either! —Caron

There needs to be a ministry devoted entirely to helping others: meals to the woman who just had a baby or rides to doctor appointments. Please help me out by seeing past the “you look fine, so you must feel fine” mentality. —Bridget

Those who live with chronic illness need understanding first, love second, and challenge third. There are times when an ill person can’t function, and the church and its leaders need to be understanding, prayerful and available—for solving practical needs as well as spiritual counsel. —Kay

Find out limitations, hindrances to participation. Ask, “What barriers, hindrances are there that prevent you from coming to church, worshipping with us, participating fully?” or “What can we do to help you to be able to participate more fully in church life?”

Be supportive, take me seriously, not down-playing my illness and yet not drawing too much attention to it either. Suggest helpful tapes, books and articles that help me keep my eyes focused on God.

I’d like people in the church to ask how they can help me in practical ways and offer some suggestions of what they could do, such as: rides to doctors, doing shopping, baking or housecleaning.

Invite me to activities even if I probably can’t attend and when inviting, give as much details re the proceedings, program, length, environment, etc as you can. Don’t be hurt if I can’t come.
—Marguerite

Even though I went through physical therapy and rehabilita-tion, I was unable to continue working. This was very devastating. In the months following the accident, I learned to rely on my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for comfort.

My husband was also disabled and this caused a greater stress. I was most grieved because my church family didn’t visit and the telephone calls were few. Don’t just tell people you’re praying for them. Come pray with them. Don’t ask if there’s anything you can do, come prepared to do!

Don’t ask if there is a financial need; think of the expenses you have in your household and, if they don’t have an income, there has to be a need. Don’t think that because they aren’t complaining they aren’t hurting. Don’t tell them to “give their problems to God.” Take that person and their problems in your hands and hold them up before God. —Wanda

Please don’t discuss details of my illness with others without my expressed permission. When someone asks how I’m doing, they don’t need to know that I now have a catheter. Ask me, “When others ask, what shall I tell them?” I will be happy to tell you how much information to share. —Rev. Koiv

My pastor feels very uncomfortable with people who cannot work hard and “Go! Go! Go!” for the Lord. His sermons are filled with “You must do this and you must do that!” I leave the service beaten up in spirit because my body is unable to “Go! Go! Go!” I fight depression because of the chronic pain and lack of sleep so I’m not “Happy! Happy! Happy!” all of the time. He feels that if you don’t “whistle while you work” then you better get on your knees before God! (Like I could get down on my knees and then get up again?) —Judy

My church seems to operate under the misconception that a person who is disabled by a chronic illness, as I am, doesn’t need to serve the church. They are content with my just showing up for worship when I am able.

I feel a compelling need to serve my Lord and my church. But I am no longer physically able to fill any of their traditional roles offered as service opportunities. When suggesting possible alternatives, I am met by rejection where it might cause someone else more work, or they just can’t see out of ‘the box’, or simply patted on the head and told to rest and not worry. This makes me feel useless, helpless, and a “lesser” person in the church – a burden.

My disability makes it extremely difficult for me to counteract these obstacles – I need my pastor or another leader to champion my cause for me. I need him to teach/motivate others in the church to extend a hand so that I might participate as fully as God allows. —Jean

As my pain grew worse over time, I realized that I could not do all the ministry that I wanted to do and had been doing; I am the pastor’s wife and was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. It was difficult for me to admit to our congregation that it was physically necessary for me to relieve myself of certain duties since I appeared fine. I periodically missed church, but I tried to go no matter how I felt.

As time went on, I decided to give up areas of ministry: I quit teaching; I quit singing in the choir; I quit being the secretary. I stood up in a service and, by way of testimony, explained my situation. The people were very supportive and did not look down on me because I was withdrew myself from ministry. Our church was encouraged to get behind me and hold me up. My (pastor) husband made sure that he provided updates on my progress.It was important to me that he validated my illness and supported my decisions.

It is difficult when someone steps down from ministry in order to attend to the physical needs of their bodies. But God has told us that this is his Temple and we are to take care of it. God sent new families to our church during my time of hiatus from ministry. My husband was very influential in plugging them into the vacant ministries. Because he supported me and my decision to remove myself, others were given the opportunity to serve the Lord and I have been able to focus on my relationship with the Lord more through this time. —Pamela

-ljc

posted by Janelle at 1:40 AM 2 comments