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Sharing Our Lives
written by Brandon Burton on 21 Jan 2007
1 Thes 1:7-8 “but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.” (NIV)
Right now, there are brothers and sisters in our church, the body of Christ, who are hurting in silence. Sadly, many people feel terribly alone although they may be surrounded by fellow churchgoers on Sunday. Too many people are feeling alone and deeply discouraged within our own proverbial church walls. This does not even mention the people on the outside of the church, but that is a message for another day. The point here is that the body of believers within the church are in desperate need of beginning to take care and love one another. I submit to you that the American church is in need of repentance for neglecting the love and care of one another.
It is a sad commentary that the people who make up the American church are leading a hectic lifestyle that leaves them too busy to really get to know their fellow believers. It is further troubling when one considers that a significant amount of the busyness is people who are keeping up with the business of the world. Allow me to be blunt, it is the people of the church neglecting love of neighbor in order to pursue material possessions. Before I get too far, I do want to say that I understand that this does not apply to everyone. This concern is addressed to the American church in general. I include myself in this exhortation. It is clear that there are people in the church who are trying to minister to the broken lives in our midst. I believe that these people need assistance in ministering to the brokenhearted. How many pastors are teetering on burnout because they spend so much of their time pouring their energies and emotions into the broken lives of others? How many mature sisters in the church are weary as they spend so much time trying to meet the needs of people in the church? This is a load that is not meant for one person to carry within the local fellowship.
Perhaps these words find you at a time when you soul is hurting and you feel alone. Perhaps you are discouraged, and you may find yourself not knowing where to turn. You attend church regularly. You may even belong to a Sunday school class, but you feel disconnected as the interactions and messages are at a superficial level. Although people speak to you at church on a regular basis, you feel like people really do not know you. The thoughts surface, could I ever share with anyone what I am really going through? The fear of rejection reigns supreme. The thoughts keep surfacing, if people only really knew what I have done. Would I be accepted at church any longer if people found out who I really am? This is one of the main points. You do need to be able to share with fellow believers your life so that they can encourage, strengthen, and minister to you. Perhaps then, there will be a day when you will be able to minister to another believer because you have made your life known. This is what is desperately needed in the church today. That is, brothers and sisters who are loving and ministering to one another. I believe that the Apostle Paul says it best:
“For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God who calls you into his kingdom and glory.”
1 Thes 1:11-12 (NIV)
Consider the brokenness that is in the church. There are people all around us who are broken, confused, whose hearts are wounded deeply, and are caught in bondage by the enemy. These people need love and encouragement. They need brothers and sisters who are willing to take the time to listen to them and who are willing to pray with and for them. These people need brothers and sisters who are willing to take the time to minister to their broken lives. These brokenhearted people need believers who will not be afraid or uncomfortable to listen as this broken soul confesses their sin, no matter how ugly that sin might be.
Look at the divorce rate that is in the church. It is widely reported that the divorce rate is the same in the church as it is out of the church in the world. How can that be? Are not married couples receiving love and support when they go through a rough time? Let's face it, just about everyone goes through rough times at some point. Chances are that there are married couple all around you in your church who are hurting and they do not know which way to turn to deal with their marital problems. There are married couples all around us who needs support and sound loving counsel from mature believers who are strongly grounded in the Word of God.
What about a family that is wrestling with a grown child who does not know the Lord? Does this couple not need love and support in this struggle? Their hearts are broken as they watch their son or daughter destroy themselves in the ways of the world, yet there may not be brothers and sisters in the Lord who are helping them share that heavy burden. How about a women who may be struggling with alcoholism? She may be new to the church. She may have come to the point of knowing that she is sinning, but she does not know what step to take next as she seeks to get free from the bondage of that sin. Are there some believers in the church who will listen to this young woman's problems without condemning her? Are there some mature believers who are willing to take the time to walk along side this woman to minister to her as she gets set free from the bondage of sin and death?
A topic that is often overlooked in the church is the issue of sexual abuse. It is sad to say that there are too many people who are suffering from the wounds upon their soul that has been inflicted upon them by someone who has been used by the devil. Data strongly suggests that 25% of all adults have been sexually abused at sometime in their childhood. 25%! It is likely that one out of every four people you know have been sexually abused! The people in the church are not immune from this. Are we in the church willing to take the time, energy, and courage in order to help heal these poor broken souls who have been deeply wounded? It is sad that too many of these people are suffering in silence within our churches. It is my belief that we in the church need to repent of our neglect of these poor broken souls.
Another issue that needs to be considered is that of the perpetrators of abuse. Unfortunately, it is likely that there are likely people who are attending our churches who are abusing children. This might be in the form of sexual and/or physical abuse. This is a serious dilemma that the church faces. There are children and families that need the body of Christ to try to intervene with authority and power that comes from God where He calls us to intervene and help. In all my years of attending church and hearing sermons (over 10 years), I cannot recall one sermon or message that was directed at convicting or calling to repentance those who may be abusing children. I am all to aware of the ethical and legal issues that this presents the church, but it just may be that God convicts someone to report themselves. These dear children, whom the Lord loves so dearly, needs the church to do all that we can for them. I cannot tell you how many time I have had women sitting in my counseling office describing to me how alone and afraid they were as children because of the abuse they endured. It is also sad that sometimes this reported abuse was at the hands of a man who was a leader in the local church!
When one considers all of the pain and fear that people battle in their lives, it is clear to see that we in the church desperately need one another. The time is for repentance in the church for deeming programs and financial prosperity more important than delivering, healing, and restoring broken lives in our midst. There are too many people around us in our pews who are feeling afraid, unlovable, unacceptable, and alone. Let us love one another. Let us take the time to begin to share our lives with one another. Let us move forward together sharing the Gospel of Christ and being the clay that God uses in setting the captives free from sin and death. As you and I take the time to share our lives, people will in turn begin to share their lives with us. Imagine the power the American church would have as it proclaimed the Gospel of Christ all the while witnessing the church sharing and ministering to each others' lives.
added to web: 21 Jan 2007