The church of Man

When I was eighteen years old, my class decided to organize a fashion show to raise money for our graduation trip, which was a customary way to celebrate such accolade in students' lives in my school. At the time I was already working part time at a local FM radio station, and I offered to take care of all radio advertisement,recordings,and all music for the show, as well as production. And I did. The event was a big success - not a single empty seat, and plenty of people standing in overflow. To end the evening, all students that participated in the show were invited to get on stage, and a spokesperson for the students gave thanks to each student, one by one, and mentioned those who helped set up the event. I was offstage, taking care of all sound and music. My name was never mentioned. I remember how my heart broke, how I felt invisible, how I thought I didn't belong. And in the midst of that pain, my mother and father, who attended the event, wrapped their arms around me outside and allowed me to cry while parents and their children passed us by, celebrating the triumph of the fashion show. At home, my mother gave me a present I believe she intended to give me for Christmas that year - a small, cuddly polar bear stuffed animal, that somehow lifted me up.

The sense of belonging is an important part of who we are. We often do not learn that it is actually embedded in us for the sole purpose of figuring out that our place of residence, the place where we belong, is God's house, His heart, and His kingdom. We often spend years searching for that perfect feeling away from God, unaware of His purpose for our lives, unaware of the very proof of purchase He holds in the very palms of His hands.

"See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me." - Isaiah 49:16

In this search of a home for our dreams and our hopes, we often find a church with like-minded individuals, looking for the same kind of home, and here is where many Christ followers get their souls bruised and their faith questioned within the limits of their own hearts. Most churches appear to operate under a social club methodology: money is coming in, and true communion with their church goers never materializes. They get lost in a loop of materialism,and they justify their almost Pharisee-like actions quoting the Bible on those passages where God blesses with abundance those who trust and obey Him, conveniently sweeping under their private rugs what the Old and New Testaments say about taking care of those who can't help themselves. Some churches even hide behind an outreach donation program, where they write checks to outside organizations who do the work they should be doing in church: helping those in their own house. Someone will end up homeless even while attending a big (mega)-church, because the outreach programs of those organizations they send money to do not know these people, do not have a personal relationship with them, do not share their meals with them, do not benefit even from their volunteer hours at church. Churches such as these force their church attendants to fight the strikes of life on their own, with only the Mighty hand of God to save them and help them. But wasn't the church and its pastors, priests or leaders supposed to be God's representation on Earth?

"11 There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites who are poor and needy in your land. - Deuteronomy 15:11"

"6 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. 2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load. 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.

7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." - Galatians 6

The most common thing we hear people who never knew or have given up on God say about God has nothing to do with God and everything to do with the church human beings run in His name. Very few raising their voices against the Creator of all actually stop to measure whether these churches they choose as excuses to nullify God are in fact following God’s fundamental teachings according to the Bible. The failure of a church to do so never speaks of the absence of God in the world, but rather of the absence of God in that church. The danger that lays within this behavior is the many lives it has and will continue to cost in God's kingdom. People grow weary of observing their churches ignore needs or act as if the world was more important than the life that awaits ahead. Worse yet,people often equate their churches' actions to the actions of God...because of a misplaced sense of belonging.

Lost in that pain, many walk away from God,when in fact they are only walking away from a church ran by imperfect human beings - as imperfect as they are. Lost in a failed sense of belonging, many feel God is not missing them, needing them, or loving them...because a church did not show concern and did not wrap its arms around their suffering beating hearts. And souls are lost. Hearts are shredded. Both sides forgot to focus on God and remain in His will and in His love. The church, however, is the one that will be held accountable for the mistakes it made when it forgot to care for the sheep of its flock.

“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord." - Jeremiah 23:1-4

I have met such a church a couple of times in my life. I have grieved for that loss of family. The Bible tells us that God places the lonely in families ["God sets the lonely in families, He leads out the prisoners with singing;" - Psalm 68:6], and if I have to choose one awful consequence a bad church can have over a human heart, it would be the loss of that family - that body of Christ -, the family all of us as followers of Christ need and are encouraged to seek since ancient times.

"4 For as in one body we have many members,and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness." - Romans 12:4-8

Churches need to be very careful in how they handle those who walk into their buildings. Compassion, empathy, love and direction must be always in action and in place inside their walls. Those who are unable to extend such feelings to others outside of their comfort zones should never lead a church, and should seek to be lead by God instead. Surviving a church's inadequacy will depend on your level of trust. Let your trust grow stronger each day. Spend time in the Word of God, do good, and forgive those who abandoned you in the devil's playground as you pray for them.

Like my parents did when the world failed me, God wraps His arms around us at all times. Every disappointment is handled by His unbeatable Grace. And just like then, God offers us a gift to comfort us as well: salvation. There is a whole kingdom reserved for those who believe, and a sacrifice that bled with innocence, with healing and with truth. This is how we reset our sense of belonging and focus on Him.

1 The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot.

Keep me safe, my God, for in you I take refuge.

2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing.”

3 I say of the holy people who are in the land, “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”

4 Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more. I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods or take up their names on my lips.

5 Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure.

6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.

7 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me.

8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure,

10 because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.

11 You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.- Psalms 16