For many of us of the Christian faith, there may be times when we see great chasms between what Christ seemed to call the church to be and what the church actually does.

Maybe you’re reading this article, and you’re one of those who have left the church or become disillusioned with it because of its seeming distance from the purposes Jesus commanded. Perhaps you are a regular churchgoer but have found yourself discouraged because the Pastor preaches too much on one subject, or not enough on another that you think should be emphasized.

Maybe you think the church has become too fractured, or not welcoming enough, or too focused on money, or not focused on money enough, maybe it’s too traditional, maybe it’s too contemporary, and thus the divide grows and grows until one becomes separated or separates themselves from the community of faith that is the church.

Does this sound like you? If it does, then you are not alone. Every single Christian will at some point in their lives come into conflict with this Christ-established, but humanity-operated institution we call the church. You will run into people who behave in seemingly ungodly ways, and you will encounter rampant bureaucracy and politics throughout its pews. It will exist in every church, every sanctuary, and from every pulpit. And if you happen to find yourself in a church with nothing but perfect people, with perfect sermons and teachings, then do yourself a favor and run out that door because you’ve likely just wandered into a cult!

I don’t want to minimize the conflicts people have had with churches in their lives. Great harm has been done by those who claim to be representatives of Christ Jesus. And rest assured that those who willingly abuse and misuse the trust entrusted within the responsibilities of the parish, their judgment will be swift at the hands of our Heavenly Father.

As a Pastor, I have come to understand that my imperfections as a human being can often damage people’s faith. Though it is unintentional, it is still a reality, and I live with this guilt daily, praying for God’s forgiveness for the moments I have missed or people I have neglected due to my human frailties.

But two truths must be acknowledged for this conversation to reach a productive conclusion. One thing the church is indeed imperfect. It is composed of nothing but sinners and hypocrites. But isn’t that where sinners should be, in the house of the Lord, seeking forgiveness and guidance? 1st John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Now, what that means for us, good church folk, is that we must be much more humble and repentant in our approach to others. Imagine a community of faith not confident in its own righteousness, but confident in the righteousness of Jesus! But for those who have become disillusioned with the church or divided themselves from the Body of Christ, perhaps internal examination would be necessary as well.

You see, dear brothers and sisters, I am not a pastor because I am perfectly equipped for the task; I am here because God called me. And I do not love the church I serve because it has the greatest governance system or the largest budget.

I love my church because it was first loved by Christ and composed of people I have come to love as well. You serve the church because you love Christ, and you belong to a community of faith because Christ demands it (Hebrews 10:25). You recognize that Christ redeemed your sins and repaired your brokenness, just as he has done for all those who sit on those pews or seats every Sunday morning.

There are, of course, reasons to leave the church, such as physical, sexual, or mental abuse and blasphemous theology, just to name a few. But if your reason for leaving, distancing yourself, or dividing from the church is because you encountered some imperfect people, then I would implore you to rethink your current path.

You will encounter such people everywhere, even among your family and friends. You are willing to put up with such imperfections from family and friends, why? Because you love them! And to join a church or seek to be a part of the community of faith in Christ is to grow in love for those people as well. Growing in love for each other fosters the ability to forgive more and judge less.

There is a simple verse in the letter of First John that should be the mantra or memory verse of every Christian and/or church in this world: “We love because Christ first loved us.” Sometimes, the divide is repaired with a truth as simple as that.

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Pastor Mike McVey
Minister – First United Methodist Church, Fairfield, TX
ACS Chaplain – United States Coast Guard, Station Galveston, TX