And so it begins…
Yesterday, our pastor made the official announcement that he is resigning at the end of September to start another church in the area. I’ve already walked into several conversations about who’s leaving and who’s staying. I’ve even been asked myself. A very popular way to start off a sentence these days around Bethel seems to be, “You know what the problem with this church is? It’s…” and the venom and vitriol really get flowing. Everyone seems to be looking for someone to blame, and it always seems that the blame lies squarely on someone else’s shoulders. The ones who have always been the first ones to complain about the church appear to almost be relishing in the sense that they are somehow now proven right.
The next few weeks to months are going to be a struggle. In hushed voices people are going to be pulling one another to go or to stay. People on the fringes will start to break off to nowhere until we forget they were even there to begin with. The loyalty of friends will be called into question. Factions will develop. Already bitter people will harden their hearts. The overworked do-it-all’s will burn out. Because no matter how much anyone says that they feel that this is “God’s leading” or that “It’s all for the better” the reality is that this is a church split. There is no way to sugar coat it. Those who try are either blind or naïve or simply fooling themselves.
I’m sure after some time has passed, the sting of it will dull. But in the meantime this is what I intend to do. I will answer the rhetorical question: “You know what’s wrong with this church?” with “Yes, we’re all, every one of us, rampant sinners who mistakenly feel we are justified more by something false within ourselves than by the cross.” I will be there to listen to the fire-filled words of malcontent toward other brothers and sisters just so that for that moment no one else will have to hear it. I will try to look for those who are slowly slipping away under the cover of the clamor of this fierce debate and ask them to look to God and not man for their sense of stability. And I will attempt to ask others to help me do this. Who wants to join me?
will this affect the college group?
I’m sure it will, if it hasn’t already. HOW it affects the college group will depend entirely on what the students do. If they see this as an opportunity to complain and blame others and grow bitter, then it will be affected very negatively. If they rise up and join together in prayer and support of one another and the community, this could be a great opportunity to grow spiritually.