Chip

Chip
For Chip: He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. —Unknown

Thursday, September 4, 2014

What Does the Church Stand For?

I attend church regularly, and feel like my week goes better when I attend. I appreciate that we can worship where and how we want in this country.   However, I have some questions about churches in general:
  • Should the church announce the sins of a member to the congregation, and humiliate him as well as his wife so that he can never use his talents again?
  • Should the church ignore certain sins that may jeopardize the safety of the members?
  • Should a pastor tell you that if you ask God, he will give you a new car?
  • Should a church ask you to sign an accountability agreement and send letters from other members if they disagree with your choices in life?
  • Does the church still recognize forgiveness, or do they set out to hurt members they do not agree with?
  • Does the church still agree to counsel people when they are in trouble?
  • Does the church charge for religious events during Christmas, rather than allowing everyone that needs Jesus to attend?
  • Does the church still recognize the average member or only the elite members that own a business or remain influential in the community?
  • Where can I find a church that harbors no judgement? 
  • If you choose the sometimes overused phrase of What Would Jesus Do?.... Would he be involved in charging people to learn about God, judging, or humiliating people? 
  • Does the church still represent a "God fearing entity"?  I hope so.
  • Do I have a right to question the actions of the church?
  • Should the music provided by the church provide me more meaning and emotion than any speaker?
  • Do we really expect for churches who are run by people to be perfect?