I have heard, a lot more recently, from people my age mainly, that the Church is failing them. It doesn't feel safe anymore, it doesn't feel right anymore, and honestly doesn't feel like a church anymore. Quite frankly, I have to agree.
Don't get me wrong, I love my church. Contact is doing it right. And don't get me wrong, I love Central. I love all the lil churches I have interned for in the past (PR, Westlink, Edmond). For me, the love I hold for these churchs has always been about the people inside the church. Central gave me extra family members that I hold very dear. I adore every little human I met at PR, and all those parents as well (Bella and I call eachother sister I mean come on). ADORE. John and Jeremy run a fantastic program, are two of the best Youth Ministers out there, and the quality of the teens in the program is proof alone. Westlink. Has. My. Entire. Heart. Andrew, bro, you're doing exactly everything you can for those kiddos, and GOODNESS a group of teens has never effected me so much.
But at the core of so many of our churches out there, something is missing. And we are finally starting to not only notice, but TALK about it.
My dear friend, Mason, wrote about this phenomenon in a very articulate way. Better than I could. Take a minute or two to click on this link and give it a read. While you are there, check out some of his other posts (he's got a great mind and heart).
I don't have much to add to the topic that isn't said in Mason's post above, but I will add one thing.
We have to be very careful moving forward, however we choose to do so. There is a massive potential for the Church to lose a lot of people. I don't want to say it is too far gone, because I think things can be salvaged, but for so many, it is already over. Don't let that number climb.
Listen. Listen to the hurt and the confusion that so many of your younger, or older, brothers and sisters are voicing. Listen.