Are We Cursed?

We had a small group meeting last night. People were talking about how awesome Sunday was… that a church can be that open, honest and authentic and expose it’s ugly side and ask some seriously unanswerable questions in a context of understanding, patience, and love (well, most the time).

As you will hear more and more about and I’ve commented on briefly before, we went through a church split 10 years ago. Since then we’ve made some enemies as a corporate church and as members of this church. Our character has changed quite a bit. Some have suggested that the Spirit has left the building, that we are cursed, and that we are under God’s condemnation and will never succeed.

And to be honest, we look cursed. There’s lots of pain in our congregation right now. We’ve had suicides and devastated families left behind. We’ve got missing children. We’ve got cancer, insurmountable debt, depression, anxiety, panic, bankruptcy, unemployment, doubt, unbelief, hard questions, rebellion, drunkenness, drugs, and many other sins. And that’ s just me! (Just kidding). We are, at first glance, a rather sorry lot. Which is why we get many people visit us for a bit and then leave. I think, as Jack Nicholson said, they can’t handle the truth! I’ve had people actually tell me, “There’s just too much pain here, too much suffering.” Sorry folks, but we gave up on triumphalism a long time ago. It doesn’t work for us.

But hang out with us for a while, and I think you’ll discover that we are no more cursed or are suffering more than anyone else. I think we are less ashamed to expose it, to let it out there, to be real. We have found a place that is relatively safe to be ourselves. No, we won’t fit your idea of what a Christian is, that’s for darn sure! But you will find real human beings here who’s hearts are, I think, some of the time, inclined towards the Lord and are looking for him. What more do you want? If this is what it means to be cursed, sign me up. The pic is from deviantart and is called “Curse“. Look closer, and you’ll see the beauty.