After 20 years almost as a pastor or in ministry of some sort, I have become aware of some of the idiosyncrasies of many “churchy” people. Here are a few thoughts from the years:
- Most people are fickle. If something better comes along, they’re gone.
- Most people gossip. If they can lower someone else to elevate themselves, they will.
- Very few people know how to apologize.
- God will eventually get your attention.
- Many pastors are less than impressive. (selfish, don’t return calls, only concerned with their kingdom, critical, proud)
- Tradition is more important than truth to most. They just don’t know it.
- Even Godly people will make something up about you.
- People are people wherever you go. They practice the same good and bad all over the world.
- People will believe a lie faster than they will facts.
- Powerless people in everyday life like to be in charge at church; powerful people don’t have time to be in charge at church.
- If you try to defend yourself against your critics, you will become inauthentic.
- Successful people can become unsuccessful over night and vice versa.
- Pastors think they are defined by how many people are in their church. How stupid!
- Kids need both parents.
- Many put on their best “plastic” on Sunday mornings. Why do you do this? Don’t!
Hey Shane,
I hear you man, the problem is that many of the thoughts you had you can’t convey to the people that are dealing with the issues. Good old boy clubs do not enjoy critics of thier culture or thier agendas. Here is the real kicker and a huge reason why the church today is having some of the problems it is having. If we as followers of Christ can’t rejoice at the success and lift up hearts during failure of our own brothers how are we going to do the same for the world. The answer is very simple, WE WON’T. I’m with you shane plastic people take off the mask and live in a world with real hurt and real pain and quite “playing church”. The enemy tears down people enough with out us, “His church” helping…… In Christ my brother
Idiosyncrasies 13 and 15 in particular strike chords in me. In regards to 13: this is too bad because I’ve seen how valuable and healing and constructive and authentic a small community of believers can be, and how all of that can be lost when the community becomes bloated with people who come because it is comfortable.
Regarding number 15: I’ve never really liked Sunday services. Almost every one I’ve been to feels too comfortable… Too much like “we’re doing this because it’s Sunday morning and our American Christian culture dictates that we should be in church on Sunday mornings.” That attitude is nearly always upheld by the church-goers and the church-staff. Doing things for tradition’s sake alone often robs the action of its spiritual value, in my humble opinion.
Regarding both: the more I think about it, the more it seems like comfortable-ness is the root of both of these problems. I think if we pushed deeper to where things become uncomfortable either motives for being in church would change or people would stop going. Both of which are better than the status quo, in my opinion. Thoughts?
I have learned, over the years, it’s because of such examples Athiests exist. I have seen too much greed when it comes to diff. religions. Each church I have attended over the years, all wanted the same thing. What they could get and if you weren’t into what they wanted and they didn’t receive it from you, you were cast down within that church. A superb blog. I will def. recommend my friends to read it. Bhalo hoke. Tai hoke. Bengali-well being and so be it. Amen.
It’s amazing to me how some cannot simply say, “I’m sorry.” No one was created to be perfect.