I'm Leaving this church!

Hi everyone, i hope you had a great weekend? So how was church yesterday? I'm sure you must have been wondering what this title is all about. Well I'm just about to break it down.

A few days ago, my mother in law and I were chatting about church and the responsibilities of being a leader. Then she started narrating to me how sometimes when little issues come up, some people would threaten to leave the church. Now these issues vary;it could be a quarrel with a fellow church worker, the head of unit or the pastor.

It made me remember sometime ago when I decided to leave my church when I heard stuff some people said about me that wasn't true and it hurt me to think that it was people from my very own church that were spreading these false stories. Anyway I learnt...trust me I did.

Now the thing is, there is no wisdom in leaving your place of worship because you are offended with someone or some people whether it's the pastor or a fellow member,it's not worth it. Okay look at this, if the same thing they did to you whatever it might be,was done to you at work would you resign? Would you leave the place where you get your daily bread coz of some frivolous quarrel? So then why leave the place where you get watered spiritually coz of someone?

Now I won't come here and preach, i know it can be hard. Some Church people can be cold ass mean sometimes; they judge you even before you walk through the front door of the sanctuary, nowadays there are even cliques in church. You get to church and the seats in a whole row are taken with bags and purses for people who are still getting their makeup done at home. Sometimes they don't see you in church for weeks and nobody cares enough to give you a call...I know, I know trust me I do. However my point here is although church should be a haven for everyone sometimes it's not, we all have to accept that just like every other group or organisation the church is filled with people of diverse personalities and no matter how spirit filled we all claim to be sometimes our 'human nature' still shows its ugly side and we hurt each other but we must remember that we are not in church to see people or make friends, we are there to meet Jesus.
The twelveth chapter of Hebrews, the second verse says it all

" Looking unto Jesus , the author and finisher of our faith , who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross , despising the shame , and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God"(Nkjv)

I like the Message version of the bible the most coz it explains things in a more contemporary way it says

" Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God"

Did you catch that part where it said he could put up with anything? That I like! You see, that was my lesson back then and I finally returned to my church. You are putting up with all the BS not because you can't react but because your mind is so fixated on your goal that you ignore all the crap and focus on the reason why you are in church in the first place.

Church is just like every other place, sometimes when younger people are placed in leadership roles they lose their minds for a bit and think they can talk to anyone how they like,older people also are not left out sometimes they think they can force people under them to do anything they command forgetting that it's church and people should be admonished, encouraged and not forced. Some people are just plain rude and disrespectful,no regard for the pastor or even ministers. Some come in there to oppress others with their 50 shoulder pads carrying themselves like they own the church, they say things like "Awa la bere church yi,ibo le tin bo?" apologies to non-yoruba readers or they say "that's not how it is done here" when someone suggests something new and beneficial to others. We all have them in our churches.

So my point in all of these is, nothing anybody does to you should make you leave your place of worship except you are led to do so. It's God's house it does NOT belong to the Pastor or the so called foundation members who feel like they own the church and no one has a right to start something new. You are a child of God, ain't nobody powerful
enough to send you out of your father's house when he still wants you in there.Another tough love side to this is, okay fine you wanna leave the church huh? Just remember that God has replacements and if you feel nothing would go on without you, think again! The other day it was Prophet Elijah feeling like he was the only one left but God quickly brought it to his notice that he had 7,000 on reserve. Check that out in the first book of Kings, the thirteenth to the eighteenth verse.No one is indispensable with God. He always has a backup...so dont be all mad and let someone else take your place in your own father's house. Remember you are the one privileged to be able to offer service to him,y'heard?

I hope one day we all understand that we are the church and not the building. We ourselves are the body of Christ!

Share your experiences,has anyone got you so pissed in church that you decided to leave? Share your thoughts by dropping comments on today's post.

Have a fantastic week.