LET…. MY…. PEOPLE…. GO !!

Chapter thirty

Wayne Jacobsen: “Simply put I am the son of a farmer, a husband to Sara, the father of Julie and Andrew, and a grandpa to some delightful children. I consider myself a brother on a journey, willing to share what God has given to me in any way that will help others discover the joy of life in him. As you will see the Lord has been gracious to me, and everything he has done in me and through me is by his mercy and grace. I hope the real story you glean from these pages is a greater awareness of God’s unfolding work in you, not in me. That’s a story worth knowing.”

Finding Church, Wayne Jacobsen

Chapter 1: And everyone knows of congregations with leaders so abusive or extravagant they are an affront to the nature of Jesus as well as an embarrassment to the Gospel.

Chapter 1: Some pointed out that Sunday morning is the most divisive time of the week in our culture. Our “churches” divide us racially, economically, and socially. We gather with people who see the world like we do and prefer the same teaching and style of music. While each congregation has its own people in leadership and claims allegiance to the same God, there is little real collaborations between them. In fact, judgements abound between one group and another.

Chapter 1: People have often told me they have suffered more vitriol at the hands of fellow Christians than they have in family or business. Gossip can be more common than fellowship, and the constant plea for more volunteers or more funds are designed to manipulate people’s guilt.

Chapter 1: It is no secret that people are leaving their congregations in droves and have been doing so for more than twenty-five years. Some estimate as many as thirty-five hundred people leave their congregations every day, causing many to close up or merge with others to survive.

Chapter 1: But those who have left tell a different story. They say that their religious institutions were too focused on money and power, too judgemental of others, and too hypocritical. Disappointed in flawed leadership, wearied of jumping through hoops and still feeling spiritually empty, trapped in superficial relationships, or disillusioned by unanswered prayers, many end up questioning God’s character, if not his existence.

Quoted by permission of Lifestream (lifestream.org). Finding Church: www.findingchurch.com