Which one of these conditions best describes your “church” experience?
Bored
You take our Bible to church. Sit next to folks you don’t know. Smile. Try to look
in control. Look at your watch. Feel uninspired. Don’t engage. Don’t participate. Nod approval during the sermon. Shake some hands. Flee the church at 12 sharp to beat the church crowd to the restaurant.
Burned Out
Feeling obligated to be in church. Seldom, if ever, say no. Sing the same tired hymns. Stuck on the parking team, while your gifts are singing and exhortation. Serving out of your own strength far too long. Not inspired by the pastor’s sermons. Wondering if things would be better at another church.
Broken
You come to church, but your disobedience haunts you. Keeps you awake nights. You live in shame and embarrassment. Alienated and alone. No one understands you. You can’t tell anyone, especially at church. You’ve been disappointed and betrayed. Life is not supposed to hurt like this. You don’t believe Jesus can help someone like you; so you turn to the world for comfort, happiness and affirmation.
Blessed
You worship Almighty God because you love Him and want to bring Him glory. You serve in your gifts with joy, not out of obligation or someone else’s expectations. You encourage others and allow them to encourage and bless you. You fellowship sincerely with your brothers and sisters in Christ. You allow God to speak His Truth to you through His word and the message. You leave with a renewed and refreshed spirit and a joy and desire to share what God has done in you with others.
For His Glory 
Ouch!! Touchy subject! I love my church but feel frustrated by much of the favoritism that I see.
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I heard that. Another chink in the armor, Patrick. Thank you for sharing. God bless.
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I’m blessed by my fellowship with other Christians, but it doesn’t happen in church because we are shut-ins. My experience in church has usually been frustrating and exhausting.
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I know the “frustrating and exhausting” feeling in church, Bob. I’d be honored to chat with you now and again. We could encourage each other. You sure do encourage me.
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Steven, I’m glad to know that I’m not the only “servant” who gets “frustrated” and “exhausted” by trying to work in a church. It would probably be a blessing for us to chat sometime, and maybe we could encourage each other in our respective ministries. What “chat” platform do you have available? I use Yahoo Messenger. It will alert me when one of my friends is online so that we can connect on this service if it is convenient to do so. I would particularly like to know how I “encourage” you.
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I’m not familiar with Yahoo Messenger. I don’t particularly like Yahoo anything. I use Skype and Google Hangouts. I also want someone to tryout Tango with me. It’s a video chat application that is compatible with most all other devices.
To your other inquiry, you encourage me with your comments. We bloggers live and breathe by the comments we receive. You have encouraged me with every comment you have left after keeping up with my posts. Your comments and your words keep me going. Thank you.
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