Whether you yourself are a Christian or not…it hurts to be hurt by the same people who supposedly preach“love your neighbor”. When you’re hurt by a Christian you have every right to be frustrated, confused, and aggravated by their hypocrisy. You’ve probably felt that way before too.
What should we do when we are hurt by the church?
As one who has been wounded by past church behavior, Mansfield encourages those who have been hurt by the local church to overcome that pain and suffering – if not in response to a biblical command or for the benefit of the church, then for their own healing and maturation.
Does God use people’s pain to reshape US?
Citing numerous examples, Mansfield notes that God uses people’s pain – and their own immaturity, in some cases – to reshape us. There is no denying that many churchgoers get wounded by the insensitive or ignorant actions of others in the church.
Should we hold grudges against fellow Christians?
If we go on holding a grudge against a fellow believer, we are saying in effect that the cross of Christ was not a sufficient recompense for the sins of God’s people. This is an insult to Christ and his cross you do not want to give.
Why does the Bible take the sins against us so seriously?
On the contrary, it takes the sins against us so seriously that, to make them right, God gave his own Son to suffer more than we could ever make anyone suffer for what they have done to us.
What is the purpose of churches?
One of the objectives of many churches is to attract people who do not participate in the life of a church . New research from The Barna Group, however, points out that most of the unchurched in America may be different than expected.
Why do people avoid churches?
In fact, one Barna study among unchurched adults shows that nearly four out of every ten non-churchgoing Americans (37%) said they avoid churches because of negative past experiences in churches or with church people.
What is Barna Group?
The Barna Group (which includes its research division, The Barna Research Group) is a private, non-partisan, for-profit organization that conducts primary research on a wide range of issues and products, produces resources pertaining to cultural change, leadership and spiritual development, and facilitates the healthy spiritual growth of leaders, children, families and Christian ministries . Located in Ventura, California, Barna has been conducting and analyzing primary research to understand cultural trends related to values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors since 1984. If you would like to receive free e-mail notification of the release of each new, bi-monthly update on the latest research findings from The Barna Group, you may subscribe to this free service at the Barna website ( www.barna.org). Additional research-based resources, both free and at discounted prices, are also available through that website.
How many people have not attended church in the past six months?
The Barna data indicate that 28% of the adult population has not attended any church activities, including services, in the past six months. That translates to nearly 65 million adults. When their children under the age of 18 who live with them are added to the picture, the number swells to more than 100 million people.
What is downscale income?
The survey defined “downscale” individuals as those who do not have any college education and whose total annual household income is less than $20,000. Upscale individuals were defined as having completed at least a Bachelor’s degree and living in households with an annual income of $75,000 or more.
Is Barna.org copyrighted?
Copyright Disclaimer: All the information contained on the barna.org website is copyrighted by Issachar Companies, Inc., 2368 Eastman Ave. Unit 12, Ventura, California 93003. No portion of this website (articles, graphs, charts, reviews, pictures, video clips, quotes, statistics, etc.) may be reproduced, retransmitted, disseminated, sold, distributed, published, edited, altered, changed, broadcast, circulated, or commercially exploited without the prior written permission from the Barna Group.
Who is Stephen Mansfield?
Bestselling author Stephen Mansfield has written a new book ( ReChurch) that digs into those experiences. As one who has been wounded by past church behavior, Mansfield encourages those who have been hurt by the local church to overcome that pain and suffering – if not in response to a biblical command or for the benefit of the church, then for their own healing and maturation.
What does John 5:15-16 mean?
3. Cover the offending brother or sister.
What should we pray for when someone hurts us?
When someone does something to hurt us, we should pray that God would grant him repentance, give him the same grace we need, and make him fruitful. It is a mark of humility when we do so. After all, that is what we should want others to pray for us if we were the offending party.
What do Christians need to know about their brothers and sisters?
We must always exercise wisdom and discernment in all circumstances. In the house of God, Christians must learn to remember the identity of their brothers and sisters, humbly pray for their brothers and sisters, lovingly cover the sin of their brothers and sisters, and privately confront their brothers and sisters.
What can we learn from our union with Christ?
By virtue of our union with Christ—in His death and resurrection—we can learn to put the following into practice: 1. Remember the spiritual identity of the offending brother or sister. The Scriptures differentiate between the children of God and unbelievers.
What does it mean to be a godly man?
We should make it our goal to overlook as many offenses as possible. The point is simple: A godly man or woman is a man or woman who knows how sinful he or she is and , therefore, should be able to pass by the personal offenses of the brethren. Scripture teaches us as much.
What does Jesus say about covering the offense of a brother?
If we cannot lovingly cover the offense of a brother, Jesus teaches us that it is incumbent on us to “go and tell him his fault…alone” ( Matt. 18:15 ). This may be the least obeyed of all of Jesus’ commands. Infrequent are the times when one brother has privately gone to another brother by whom he believes that he has been wronged. It is vital for us to learn this lesson in our relationships with one another.
What is the hurt between brothers and sisters in Christ?
The hurt that occurs between believing brothers and sisters in Christ serves as a platform for the gospel to be at work. May God cause the truth of the gospel to work in our hearts in such a way as to impact our response to those who have hurt us in the church. Related Articles: