Comments on: #553. Wanting to yell, "I still love Jesus!" when you run into someone from the small group you quit.

By: Zack

Zack — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 13:36:03 +0000

Dude... been there, done that...

I used to work (as in paid staff member) for a church that we had to leave.

A while later, we were invited by a family from that church to a special dinner at their grandparents' church.

It turned out that they had heard that we were on the brink of divorce and were reaching out to us to see if everything was ok.

Now, when I see folks from that church, it is *so* socially awkward...

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 19:47:26 +0000

So I used to be super involved in my church and am not anymore for various reasons. I sometimes feared that those who didn't see me anymore thought I had run off and pulled a prodigal on them. But I now realize that if they really have come to that conclusion and chosen not to reach out to me to see if everything is okay, they have a much larger issue to deal with. I'm also learning that people don't think about me nearly as much as I think about myself.

By: Howie

Howie — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 06:58:58 +0000

Arg, and it's "He can move the mountains", not "you can move the mountains". That would be evidence that I am a heathen, huh?

By: Howie

Howie — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 06:57:08 +0000

I can also identify with this post. When I decided to go to a church plant instead of the original church, I find the urge to explain myself to people who go to the parent church, adding that there's nothing wrong with their church. And I don't really want to yell "Jesus" because that's not my style, but maybe start singing a worship song. "Savior, you can move the mountains…"

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 05:25:49 +0000

Incidentally, is there a post on burnout in churches yet? I did a search over the site, but didn't find one (which doesn't mean there isn't one...my skills might be lacking).

It's an issue at my church at the moment. We lost two paid staff members recently and I'm starting to see the big red "BURNOUT ALERT" sign over the heads of those people picking up the slack.

Why do we church-goers have to work outselves into the ground? I'm sure it wasn't supposed to be this hard...

By: Jason The Bald Guy

Jason The Bald Guy — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 05:25:13 +0000

Ok I can relate to this from the past

I have to say though that I am a little different now … I tend to make an effort to catch up with the lost contact and ask them how they are doing… this has not always been my style, but I am learning how to throw off guilt and walk in truth. The funny thing is that surprisingly few people actually have those accusing "backsliding thoughts"about you in the back of their mind … remember their life is probably just as messed up as yours is!

Definitely made me grin!

By: Marcus02

Marcus02 — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 02:47:12 +0000

dude, definitely felt like that all this last year at college. i stopped going to a christian group on campus and started going to another church and not only did some of my friends from that group stop talking to me but a few of my closer friends took me aside and actually "talked" with me about how i was no longer following God. kinda frustrating especially when i had just gotten to the point that i felt like i was truly following God for once

By: KatieHen

KatieHen — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 02:37:14 +0000

I could not stop laughing at this post. I love the ramblings. I personally think you should have just yelled "JESUS!" while you were walking down the hall – then the guy and every other person there would really know you are "down with the King."

Also, I was literally just thinking this today because I switched community groups and had someone ask me where I was Monday night when my old one met. I didn't yell "JESUS!" at him though. If only I had read this post before I had that conversation…ah regret.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 01:39:14 +0000

Liz- 1st comment- I cried laughing-

The Great Faith defense.
I hate it.
After being away a few years at university, I was visiting the church I had been in the last 18 years before that, but no one seemed to know me now. So when I got a prayer burden for the state of the church and was crying kinda hard towards the end of the service, people thought I was an unsaved friend my mom brought to visit and was under conviction of sin. I was approched and all these people were trying to get me to say a prayer of salvation. My mom was all, "It's oookaayyy....no really, she's good... she's already a worship leader!" and then they're all WOW, a WORship leader who realized she wasn't yet saved!!! WOW...

no.

And giving your Christian credentials?? How cheap and wrong does that feel??? *sigh*

and to counteract your laser attraction to negative comments, here's one to pile on the millions of good ones- THIS IS THE BEST SITE EVER! (I would jump up and down to show you my enthusiasm, but that wouldn't really help in this medium - just freak out my husband) I love it the best, I use it instead of prozac. And though laughter is reportedly the best medicine, challenging me to higher faith- which I feel this does, by helping me to face the fascade of Churchianity behind which I might hide, to cut off the hoopla and be an organic Christ-modelled believer, a true follower in the often painful and honest footsteps of The King-
THAT has real eternal value, my friend!!!

For this, I thank you!

(why did I imagine that last line being read with a Spanish accent???)

By: Preacher's Wife

Preacher's Wife — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 22:17:27 +0000

I'm the pastor's wife of our mall church in our small town and I find myself on the opposite side of the conversation. Whenever I run into someone who may have missed a recent service (or haven't been in ages)the conversation goes something like this:
"Hi, how are you?"
"Well, things have been pretty busy lately. That's why I haven't been at church..."
"You're right, things do get busy. How are your kids?"
"They're doing fine now, but the other day I was planning to come to church, but one of them wasn't feeling too good."
"Well, I'm glad I ran into you today."
"Yes, we'll see you at church Sunday, we know we need to be in church."

I didn't ask, sometimes I didn't even know they missed...( =