When we made our visit back to our passport country things didn’t turn out the way we were expecting. In many cases friends of ours were leaving our sending church as leadership changed and we became the safe people to process their feelings with. Because we no longer attended from living overseas we were removed enough. We also had friends that were facing decisions like get counseling or divorce. The biggest thing that stuck out to me as we met with people was that many didn’t feel close to God, didn’t know how to hear the spirit on there own, and were burdened under a cloud of discouragement and lies. When I asked just a few questions it didn’t take long to see many people were enslaved to the cultural value of “busy” . And didn’t see that they had a choice in the matter. And were still leaning on the crutch of the structures/programs/pastor of the church for there own spiritual growth. They were still babies drinking spiritual milk.
Needless to say we were counseling alot of people that weren’t finding the community and support they needed in the church. We were pretty discouraged and exausted by the end of that trip.
Have you heard that saying “Leaders cant lead you where they haven’t been?” Well its true. As people in the church going through crisis slipped through the cracks many were getting dissalussioned with the church and more sadly with God. And many that we talk to today that kept crying out to God when there percieved community was falling apart began there journey toward the kingdom as they left the church. Some didn’t make it past there dissapointment with God.
Even though we had experienced and grown a lot that first 2 years we still didn’t have all the tools needed to help lead the “thirsty to water” back in the states. We did know that simplifying our lives, and taking responsibility for own growth with the Lord was what put us on a path to deconstruction and ultimately true community.
But communicating this to our friends was met with fear and self limiting beliefs. Let me tell you the judgmental spirit in the church is alive and well when you can’t make a decision that looks different than the majority without fear that God’s people will judge and label you. Now I know that when I encounter this in people it actually stems from them judging themselves and believing lies about God’s expectations of them. I can have compassion on how hurting they are. But until you get to a place where you can see that, you just become more and more hurt and turned off by God’s people. Where is this abundant life Jesus talks about?
TO BE CONTINUED…