18.8.08

Lesson 3 from a week at camp

On the way to camp my mum and I talked about how the church has done a massive dis-service to a generation by leading them to believe that anything less then perfect is unChristian. We've left many issues taboo, such as depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, sex, same sex relationships, sexual/physical/emotional abuse, divorce...
the list could go on and on.
Probably the most unfortunate outcome is that we've raised a generation of judgmental people who have more issues then we'll ever be able to help them deal with.

While I was at camp the majority of the staff would have been younger then me. It was so encouraging for me to watch a generation do something that has been prophesied for years. Even more encouraging then that was watching and hearing individuals share the things in their lives that they struggle with.

During staff chapel on Monday night an individual who had grown up in a solid Christian home shared about how they had struggled with cutting as a way to relieve stress. That right there is what the church needs to be...
a place where people can come despite their circumstances and issues and just be vulnerable and real.

There's something different happening in churches today. People are sick of putting on the happy facade. We all desire genuine relationships in which we can be ourselves...our whole selves, the good, the bad and the ugly...

Maybe the time is coming when the church will be more the perfect cookie-cutter people...

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