Splitting up

Have you ever been in a church split? How did it make you feel? How did you deal with it? Were you a leaver or one left behind? One going out or sending?

We have "lost" maybe 2/3 of our congregation in the last 6 months. Doesn't matter why, but I feel like I have to grieve a little bit.

Reactions may vary and range from gossip to prayer to the hope of a turning over a new leaf. The problem with the optimistic approach, I've found, is that it doesn't allow for processing what's happened. And what has happened? It's quite typical/normal for followers of Christ to move on and worship in a new group of like-minded believers. There can be many reasons for this and they don't even have to be super "spiritual."

But when people leave because of some sort of conflict or unfulfilled dream, it feels to me like giving up on relationships. It feels like divorce. I know some might argue with me and say that sounds harsh. And I know divorce isn't the ultimate sin, either, but I feel that premature separation removes the chance for reconciliation. Harboring discontentment and then leaving without problem-solving takes away the chance for repentance and forgiveness. As each family/individual leaves, I want to believe that they are in God's will, on the path of righteousness. I sincerely desire all whom I love to be walking with Christ. But how could a broken relationship be His will? And how could it be right for one person's decision to uproot others, regardless of whether or not they would have eventually moved on? Is it a paradox?

We walked together and became cleaved to each other, in a way. I sort of alluded to this in a birthday post. When you are in a close relationship, what happens when your common link is severed? If a couple has broken up, is it possible to remain friends? Many have said that we will remain friends, but in what context? And what's the difference between being casual friends with people in other churches and remaining friends with those who used to be in the same church?

I think partly staying behind is also hard because it is less of a choice. It IS a choice, but it is not something planned, as opposed to those who made the decision to leave together. We chose to stay, not knowing who else would stay. And now we look around and see who is left. And they might not be the ones that I would have chosen to be friends with. When you first join a church, you may be starting from scratch with friendship, but then everyone gets into their little groups. And now it's like we were all thrown together from different social groups. These are the people who should be my closest friends, but I don't feel automatically close to all of them.

I suppose it is obvious that I am in favor of staying put. But it may also be a personality thing? There have been times when I have stayed in a church situation that wasn't ideal, NOT because of complacency, but because I felt God was teaching me through it. I believe that whenever there is the tiniest kernel of hope, that it is worth it to keep trying. Even when not all seems biblically sound (and no church is ever perfect or completely free from "scandal"), I sometimes see those imperfections as challenges to seek Truth and practice discernment...even though there are times when we must separate ourselves from a church that seems to be doing the work of the Evil One.

Since it is so personal, that is why I have to keep committing everyone's future to the Lord, instead of questioning the decision itself.

Rushing to post this before my laptop battery runs out! But probably more in the future.

Collisions

My husband ironing his suit for his cousin's funeral, as I loaded the dishwasher, at 1 am. That was what our Good Friday looked like.

The movable dates of the Easter season cause it to coincide with different events each year. This year Resurrection Sunday falls on one person's birthday, next year-on someone else's. An early Easter date means we might still be in the dead of winter. This year's late date (by the Orthodox calendar) means we're actually seeing signs of spring. And as always, it is pussy willows which are decorating kitchen tables and which accompanied believers to their Palm Sunday services last week.

There is always a lot going on in "real" life when a Christian holiday comes along. For example, who has time for Advent in the middle of final exams?

This year's Holy Week concludes with Labor Day weekend. People have been out grilling their first shish kabobs of the season, during the last few days of the Great Fast. Interesting how that happens. Today, on Holy Saturday, a local Christian school was having a sale that people were getting up early to go shop at. Meanwhile, Andrei has lost his cousin; his mom-her nephew; his aunt-her son.

Today I sang "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?" as I rocked David to sleep in his stroller in the front hallway.

The joy of hope (and hope of joy) of Salvation is hard to separate out from the pain and suffering of everyday life. Though Jesus is alive, we can't see him now, and we have to live the rest of our lives on Earth without some of our loved ones, who have already departed. But then there is the thought that we will see them again. So it all kind of forms a circle: the beauty of the universe, yet marred by sin, which is overcome by Christ, who will come, but for now we're still here, waiting for the beauty of a new universe.

11:24 pm. Too early to proclaim, "He is Risen"?

Paradox #2: Dueling natures

The next paradox deals with my identity in Christ. Am I a wretched sinner, or a blessed saint? Can I be both at the same time? Can I be one without the other?

How can I acknowledge my tendency to sin before God without dishonoring my status as a "new creation"?

The Apostle Paul refers to his sin and his weaknesses in many places. However, I doubt that he constantly wallowed in grief over his wrongdoing. In my opinion, that would not fully represent the Gospel message. He certainly wrote about love, faith, spiritual fruit, church life, and many other topics.

We are not called to be in a perpetual state of repentance. To me, that borders on asceticism. Faith is believing that Christ died for our sins and reconciled us to God so that we might live new lives. Yet, if we forget for one instance the depth of our need for Christ's sacrifice, where does that leave us?

What are we to do? Continue/-

If we say that we are washed clean and beyond sin, then we boast in our own righteousness.

If we say that we are the worst of sinners, then we ignore our new identity in Christ.

If we say that we will no longer sin, we make empty promises to God.

If we say that we expect to sin again, we express doubt in God's ability to lead us and protect us from evil.


I suppose part of the problem with these statements is that they are focused on ME. Christ is the one who is powerful to save, forgive, and heal. If I am going to boast about any aspect of my life, may it be in thankfulness to God.

Christ washed me clean.

While I was still a sinner.

I will face temptation in this life.

But the Holy Spirit has been sent to help me.

In my own strength, I can do nothing.

Paradox #1: Security

I'm starting a series on paradoxes of faith! You know, those aspects that are a little hard to express logically, yet fill us with wonder about God.

Today's topic relates to our life on earth. What kind of life does God promise us, and what type of behavior does He expect from us? Certain factors can be confusing.

The Lord tells us not to worry about earthly comforts, yet offers consolation when we DO worry.
Read more/-

A Little Thing Called Housing

Raise your hand if you haven't ever worried about where you were going to live. I will include here any traveling, and even choosing a bunk at camp-hey, that can be a long week!

The Bible says that the Son of Man had nowhere to lay His head (Lk. 9:58). This can be applied in different ways, and is tragic considering that He was a king. Personally, I read this as illustrating the fact that he was born in humble conditions, and that His ministry required Him to give up many comforts.

When you don't know where you are going to sleep one night or sometime in the future, I don't think it is the time to point out that children in some remote country sleep outside, although thankfulness is a good character trait...and actually, thinking of Haiti does make me count my blessings.

But, getting back to the point...studying the life of Christ serves a few different purposes, among them: 1) To learn to follow His example, and 2) To be assured that He UNDERSTANDS.

When we pray the Lord's Prayer, which was modeled by Jesus, we ask about our daily bread-very much an earthly, practical need, but one that He himself deemed worthy to bring before God.

When we try to live as though we don't care about our living conditions, we are really just burying anxiety. We are either at peace about it or we aren't. There is no indifferent middle ground. And if anxiety is there, we must deliver it to the Lord. Though He tells us not to worry, He means that we ought to deliver our worry up to Him.