Easy Isn’t Always Best
We all appreciate a good laugh, but should those laughs be at the expense of the church?
I know that it is easy for us sometimes to see the way it *should* be, biblically, & take jabs at the obvious differences we see in many churches across America.
Satire is a striking way to contrast these differences that we recognize & since we cannot address every church who is a culprit of specific misrepresentations of Christ, it can be tempting to try a light-hearted approach to speak out, such as satire.
But is this the best approach?
Imperfect, But Loved by God
Is the Church (in general) perfect? By all means, no. The Church is made up of flawed human beings. As we surrender certain areas of our lives for God to perfect & grow, God works in us, but we do not become perfect just because we have submitted ourselves to Him.
Will the Church ever be perfect? Only when we reach heaven.
Is it frustrating to have the imperfections of the Church on display for every passerby who may not know the difference of what should be, according to God’s Word, the Bible? YES!
But that does not necessarily mean we should turn to poking jabs at the church.
His Bride
Let’s look at it in this light… The Church (as a whole—aka all Christians) is considered the “Bride of Christ.”
On Earth, Christ’s Bride, the Church, is imperfect… but the blood of Christ has redeemed her & has made her whole & new. His blood covers her offenses. Christ died to redeem her life.
So how do you think it feels for Christ to see His bride mocked openly to the general public?
Easy But Not Necessarily Right
Yes, I know this may seem like I just don’t know how to take a joke, but even though I have had a laugh at some of the satirical sites’ posts, the laugh is followed quickly by a cringe of regret.
Sometimes it is easy to laugh at a situation, like when someone makes a big, obvious mistake, but that does not mean we necessarily should be laughing at it, for the sake of whose feelings it might hurt.
We Are His-Imperfections & All
We may not understand exactly what it means, but God describes Himself as the Godhead, three in one–God the Father, God the Son, & the Holy Spirit.
God loves His children. We, as Christians, are called God’s dear children. He sees our imperfections. He knows our weaknesses & mistakes. He feels the hurt of our rebellions. And yet, He still sent Christ to die for us.
Christ loves His Bride. We, as part of the Church, are called His bride. He also sees our imperfections. He knows our weaknesses & mistakes. He personally feels the hurt of our rebellions. And yet, He still willingly laid down His life to redeem us.
The Holy Spirit was sent to us after Christ rose from the dead & conquered both sin & death, to guide & comfort us. The Holy Spirit does not force perfection on us immediately. He does not demand the abolishment of every imperfection, weakness, mistake, & rebellion in exchange for the grace gifted by Christ. But, He still continues to gently, patiently guide & lovingly care for us along the way.
Edify & Lift Others Up Where Others Tear Down
You see, we as: children of God, the bride of Christ, & guided by the Holy Spirit, will never be perfect on this side of heaven, but God fiercely loves us & works in & through us with His grace, patience, & long-suffering ALL THE SAME.
God, three in one, IS love.
Instead of focusing on everything wrong in the Church, even if mocking how wrong it is, we should be looking to edify, teach, & lead in Truth & Love.
Instead of preaching to the world everything about the modern church which is incorrect, let us live a demonstration of what God says is correct.
Shine a Light – A Beacon of HOPE
Because, you see, aside from hurting God’s heart, the other danger in using the church as the focus of satirical jokes/mockery is the impact it can have on the Church’s testimony of Christ to this lost & bleeding world.
If the world sees us mocking ourselves, how can they be expected to take us seriously?
We may see the difference between should-be & “is”, but all they see are jokes about what is wrong with Church.
We may see the contrast between God’s definition of the Church & where many churches fall short, but the world only sees our wrongs, mistakes, & inconsistences.
How can we expect the world to trust our testimony, our witness of God’s Truth, Love, & life-changing Grace, if we ourselves mock the Church?
Be a Conduit for Change
But you’re right, we should take a stand. We should speak up. When we see errors in the church, we need to do our part to point the Church into God’s will & Truth.
So how do we do that, if not satire?
Here are some ideas that come to mind.
1. Pray & ask God for wisdom.
Sometimes we’re actually the one in the wrong, but pride has clouded our judgement. It’s important to stop & ask God for His clarification & wisdom before we act on what could be our mistake. A simple misunderstanding on our part can cause embarrassment if we don’t take it to God in prayer first!
Other times, we are correct in our assessment, but we can tend to jump into it with our own imperfect wisdom & ideas while neglecting to take a moment & ask God how to handle the situation in a way that best honors Him & will most effectively correct the situation.
We need to make sure we not only try to help solve the problem, but that we handle it in a gracious, loving way that edifies those involved while also giving honor & glory to God. (*This probably means avoiding blasting your frustrations on social media.)
2. Send an email to the church pastor with your concerns, or schedule a time to talk to him.
It’s always a good idea to go to your pastor one-on-one through email or by scheduling a meeting to discuss your concerns, rather than spreading dissension in the church with your frustrations.
It could turn out to be a misunderstanding, or it could provide opportunity for the pastor’s heart to be stirred to pray for change. Be respectful, but don’t be afraid of discussing your concerns in order to bring God further glory.
Sometimes, the pastor may have gotten caught up being passionate about something & maybe unintentionally misquoted Scripture.
Other times, he may not even be aware of the problem.
And it can even happen that with trying, with good intentions, to accomplish too much, the Church has simply gotten off track & needs a chance to refocus their efforts for the glory of God.
Always pray before meeting or before sending that email!
3. Don’t bash the Church passive-aggressively through social media, friends, or family.
Mistakes happen in the Church. Seeing your own imperfections coupled with God’s relentless love for you should stir in you a sense of graciousness to the mistakes of the Church.
Instead of complaining (which stirs more discontentment but doesn’t actually solve anything), we should work toward being the solution we see is needed.
Show grace for mistakes & weaknesses.
If it is a serious deviation from Scripture, like the prosperity gospel, for example, we should seek Christian counsel from a mature believer, pray, & seek God’s Word on how we should proceed.
4. If you have received confirmation & peace from God, have followed His leading to help solve the issue, & spoken with the pastor, with no change in sight, maybe it’s time to move on & separate yourself.
This is not speaking to those of us who may get upset at everything we disagree with or don’t particularly like about a church, but to those who genuinely are seeking the Lord for His guidance, wisdom, & will to strive for God’s glory in that situation.
If a church is unwilling to make changes in order to stay in line with Scriptural guidelines, sometimes it is best to remove ourselves from that situation completely.
Satan often disguises himself as an angel of light–in other words, he makes it sound right, but it is so twisted with lies that it becomes a death trap to those who fall into his trap.
Some “churches” are following twisted truth in an effort to make Christianity more appealing to the masses. While maybe intending to mean well, they are actually leading people away from God.
Know the Truth, Stand for the Truth
Always be diligent in prayer & reading God’s Word, the Bible, so you may have discernment on what is Truth versus what is a lie disguised as Truth. Stay away from “churches” that preach the latter.
If the church is willing to change & refocus to God’s glory, but is struggling, it is important to pray & seek God’s guidance about what part you can play in making that change happen, in order for the church to realign itself with the Truth of God’s Word & see that God gets the glory.
Vague-But Pointing Back to God As the Answer We Need
I am intentionally leaving out specifics because I cannot tell you the perfect go-to answer for every situation. I can only point you to the guidance of God’s Word combined with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
God’s guidance in every particular situation is the only way that is ever flawless in its approach, effective in its follow-through, & deserving of the glory.
So, pray & read His Word.
Don’t Settle
Don’t settle for complaints & passive-aggressive frustrations bubbling underneath or poured out online. Don’t rely on others to speak up. Be a member of the Body of Christ. Speak up & be a part of the change.
You are a member of Christ’s Bride, the Church. Find your part. Seek God’s face.
Let His Truth & Love guide your every decision & motive.
Be the change & Shine HOPE, Beautiful!
Coming Soon
Stay tuned for THIS Thursday morning EST! This week is our monthly Special Feature post (every last Thursday of the month). This is my chance to share something a little different than normal, so make sure you “Join My Tribe” so you don’t miss it!!
Next Monday morning, EST, the next blog post will be up, so make sure to check back then! I look forward to hopefully encouraging you & urging you further into God’s loving arms!
A Note from Michelle:
If you would like to hear more of my story, check out the “About Me” page. And if you would like to hear how I found my lasting source of HOPE, read the “Hope is Found” page, on this site. I hope they are an encouragement to you! <3
Also, make sure to “Join My Tribe” by adding your email to the top bar & clicking “Join My Tribe”. This gains you access to an extra weekly dose of encouragement from me in your inbox, along with the link to each week’s new post! I can’t wait to do this journey together!!
Weekly Special Spotlight:
Each week, I will feature an item that is changing lives. These pieces are offering job creation opportunities for women artisans in impoverished nations all around the world! Check out this week’s featured beauty!!
Eternity Necklace
Empowering Women Out of Poverty in India!
Multiple mix metal chains are hugged by a metal curved tube to create this simple yet elegant piece with a lobster clasp closure.
Artisan Information:
The poverty cycle in India continues primarily because of the lack of education. Most schools are not free or affordable. Therefore, many children never learn to read or write & they grow up with limited opportunities. However, every purchase of this product empowers women to provide for their children & send them to school! You have the opportunity to end poverty & create an impact for generations to come!
Purchase this piece & empower a woman in India!
Shop Here, OR, Email me at michelle@michellehydeonline.com, & I will message you personally with more information!! Thank you for inspiring HOPE around the world, Lovely!
