Country Club Christianity

Last Wednesday night my husband and the Haiti missions team were meeting at the church. A man came in, looking for help. He was sweaty from walking, thin and ill looking, and obviously in need. He told them his story. A story about how he was travelling from New York to Tulsa to go to the Cancer Center of America. How he became sick on this journey and the bus dropped him at a local hospital. He had nothing but ID and his hospital wristbands. He offered to do any kind of work to earn some money, just enough to get a hotel for the night and some food, until the driver from Angel Flight could pick him up the next day. The team talked with him, anointed him with oil and prayed over him, pitched in what they could to get a hotel room and loved him like a family member. My husband drove him to get a meal and lodging and wished him the best. 

Did I tell you this to brag on these people? No. I’d like to, they’re all amazing individuals with a true heart for God. But the part of the story I’m going to focus on is what happened on the drive. The man had walked from the local hospital to our church, approximately a 5 mile trip, after being released from the hospital. Along this route he stopped at several businesses and churches, looking for help, and offering to do work to earn some money. No one helped. He told my husband that one church had guards at the doors and advised he couldn’t come in because he wasn’t a member. 

Let me repeat that in case you didn’t catch it. A man, obviously physically ill and still wearing hospital bracelets, stopped at a church to ask for help. He was told he couldn’t come inside because he’s not a member. 

Here are my questions: When did the church become exclusive instead of inclusive? Is this really what we’ve become as Christians? Is that what we’re called to be?

When did the church become a country club? 

Unfortunately, there are plenty of them out there. There are churches that operate just like a country club. Pay your fee (tithes), get your social time and dinner with people just like you! We’re not going to ask you to do anything that would get you out of your comfort zone, no way. Just come and relax and enjoy the service.

That comparison brings to mind some of the mega-churches that have health gyms and mortgage offices and anything you might need. There’s nothing wrong mega-churches or offering those things for churchgoers, but where is the church’s focus? And it’s not just large churches. There are churches of all sizes that practice exclusivity, small churches can have the same type of attitude and persona just without the amenities. A building full of people who are there only to receive something, instead of also giving something, is not a church at all.

The trend of exclusive churches and comfortable Christianity has to come to an end. If it doesn’t, we will become extinct. Yes, I’m going there. If we don’t come into the roles and identities that the Father has for us then we will be a dying breed. Being comfortable will get you nowhere.

So what are we called to be? 1 Peter 2:9-10 says “But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.” From rejected to accepted. Does your church make people feel accepted? No, I’m not asking if they get greeted at the entrance. Are they truly accepted for who they are? Do they feel valued and important? Do they feel like they’re part of a family? That’s what we should be striving to communicate to anyone who walks through the doors of the church.

Colossians 3:14 says “And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.” Are you showing love to the people you come in contact with? If a needy man came into your foyer would he be shown love? Would he even be let in?

Back to the tale of the man in need. As I’ve mentioned before I’m a logical thinker. I’m a planner, a preparer. So I ask a lot of “what ifs”. Let’s try a “what if” with this story…

What if the needy man was the missing piece in your church? What if after showing him loving kindness and giving him assistance he began to attend your church? What if his gifting’s were exactly what you had been looking for? Ephesians 2:21-22 “God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.” What if that man was an important brick?

What if the needy man were you? What would you do in that situation? I was taught as a child, if you need help in a situation like this, find a church. Can you imagine being down and out and having a church turn you away?

What if that needy man were your father or your brother? Wouldn’t you be desperate for someone to help him? Wouldn’t you be upset if a church, of all places, refused to do so?

What if that man were Jesus? Numerous times in the Bible He approached people from a point of need, from a place of lowliness. He and his followers were considered riff-raff among many circles. How would you feel if your church had told Jesus He couldn’t come in because He’s not a member?

I’ll leave you with this final passage from Matthew 25:34-40, “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Enter, you who are blessed by my Father! Take what’s coming to you in this kingdom. It’s been ready for you since the world’s foundation. And here’s why:

I was hungry and you fed me, 

I was thirsty and you gave me a drink,

I was homeless and you gave me a room,

I was shivering and you gave me clothes,

I was sick and you stopped to visit,

I was in prison and you came to me.’ 

“Then those ‘sheep’ are going to say, ‘Master, what are you talking about? When did we ever see you hungry and feed you, thirsty and give you a drink? And when did we ever see you sick or in prison and come to you?’ Then the King will say, ‘I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.”

Redefining Strength

I’ve always considered myself to be a strong person. Strong physically, strong mentally, and strong emotionally. Probably too strong at times. To me, being strong meant taking care of myself, not letting emotions get in the way of logic, keeping it together in times of crisis, and being a steady rock. 

My mother-in-law gave me a beautiful cross with the scripture from 2 Corinthians 12:9 printed on it. I love it and I have it hanging in the living room where I can see it all the time. It says “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness”. The other day I was looking at that cross and reading those words and I thought, What does that even mean? Why is everything a riddle?

First, I went and got my Bible which is the paraphrase called The Message. I love it because it’s so simple. 2 Corinthians 12:9 MSG - My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.

Well that’s a little clearer but what I am supposed to get out of this? I knew God was really trying to tell me something. I had been staring at that cross and those words for days. So I asked. What is my lesson here?

He told me that my definition of strength is all wrong. I’m thinking in the natural. I’m living in the natural, and operating in the natural, when as a child of God I should be living supernaturally. The true definition of strength is the willingness to be weak (physically, emotionally and mentally) and trust that God’s strength is enough. 

“Look around you,” He said, “look at the people I’ve brought into your life. Remove your blinders and your judgments and look at them the way I look at them. See the things you would once have called a weakness and recognize the true strength in those people.”

So I looked around. I looked at the people in my life. And I saw unbelievable strength, given to them through the Father. 

I saw the single mother. How hard she works to provide for her child. How she probably struggles with loneliness and longs for a partner in life. How it would be easy to feel sorry for herself. But she lives a virtuous life. She is an amazing Christian example for her daughter. She’s constantly seeking God in everything and will not compromise in any area. She has put her faith in Him to provide for the needs of her family. 

I saw the single father. How he processes the pain of divorce behind closed doors so it won’t affect his child. How he wishes that the right person would come along and he could have a traditional family again. How he could wallow in his situation, raising a child on his own. But instead he gives it over to God. He seeks, and prays, and learns. And he believes that the Father will provide for his family as well.

I saw the married couple that has beaten the odds. How they faced a relationship torn by infidelity and other issues. How they could have easily walked away. How they had people encouraging them to do that very thing. But they didn’t give up. They both, individually and as a couple, asked God to fix the relationship. They both allowed God to work in them alone and the marriage blossomed. They have an amazing connection now that they may not have ever had before.

I saw another married couple who have risen above their struggles. How their marriage was deteriorating because of pornography and hypocrisy. How again it would have been easy to walk away. But they didn’t. They sought out God to work on them and their relationship. They both have a communion with the Lord that is awe inspiring. They’ve allowed themselves to be messengers for God by being open and transparent about their problems. 

I saw the woman who had worked in the sex trade. How she could have been a victim her whole life. How she could have used her circumstances to stay in that lifestyle. Instead she rose above. She got out. She converses with the Father on a level I’ve never seen before. She has taught me about hearing God and obedience.  She put herself in His hands and he’s blessed her beyond measure.

I saw the former addict that’s been clean and sober for two years. How hard it has to be to stay away from the people that were part of her old life. How she works hard and is trying to get an education but there are roadblocks all along the way. How it would be easy to fall back into old habits. But she’s learning to give it to God. That He will provide a way. He will remove the obstructions and give a clear path to His will for her.

I saw the woman that lost her mother, her father, and her mother-in-law all within months of each other. How it would be understandable to throw in the towel. How she could have lived in self-pity. How she could have cursed God and said I’m done. Instead she turned to the Father. She didn’t allow the root of bitterness or depression to take hold in her life. She handed it over to Him and believed His will was done. She knows that she may never understand the situation in a natural sense, but she believes that He is looking out for her.

I saw the husband with the sick wife. How it would be easy to get frustrated and ask Why me? How it has to be difficult to not be able to “fix” the situation. How it’s got to be hard to not get irritated with her inability to do things and to get tired of picking up the slack. But he doesn’t. He prays and praises and thanks the Father for all his blessings. He soldiers on, day after day, to provide for his family. He gives everything over to God and has unshakable faith that the needs will be met. 

I don’t have enough space or time to list every single person that went through my head. I can tell you it literally took days. God showed me over and over and over again how people in my life had trusted Him with their problems, had laid their weakness at His feet, and He had strengthened them into modern day Samson’s. Then He asked me to do the same. 

I won’t pretend it’s easy for me. I’m a control freak that likes to be strong in her own right. This is a struggle for me in my faith. But the closer my relationship gets to the Father the easier it’s becoming. Thankfully He’s patient with His children. And thankfully He’s surrounded me with amazing examples of how lives can be changed by giving Him complete control and total trust.

Lies and Snake Eyes

The Lord speaks to each of us in different ways. Some people get words or thoughts that pop into their heads. Some people get “signs”, like a bible verse, a word from a friend, or some other clue. Some get a feeling or a knowing that a message is from God. Some people hear an actual audible voice. I, personally, have visions or dreams. My messages don’t always come in the form of a dream but most of the time they do, He knows that gets my attention.

One night last week I had a dream I just can’t shake. It was very obviously a message from the Father and one I needed to hear. I had been thinking about it for days, mulling it over, processing the message, deciding if I was going to share it on this blog. Then yesterday morning the speaker at church asked if anyone had ever had a dream that they just couldn’t stop thinking about.  Talk about a sign!

The dream started with me at a haphazard campground in the wilderness. For those of you that know me you’re thinking this must be a nightmare if Whitney is at a campground – I agree. In the dream I came out of my tent and was looking for something in the foliage around it. All of a sudden a rattlesnake sunk its teeth into the underside of my arm, in the triceps area. I lifted up my arm and this snake was attached, fangs dug in, and hanging from my arm.

I obviously freaked out and took off running for help. The first person I came to I held up my arm and said, “Can you help me?” This person recoiled in horror and began to back away. She said, “I’ll pray for you!” and ran the opposite direction.

I continued on and found a second person. I approached this woman, rattlesnake dangling from my arm, blood beginning to drip from the puncture wounds. I said, “Can you help me?” She looked at me with pity and said, “I’ll pray for you.” She bowed her head and prayed then looked up and smiled. She said, “It’s taken care of. The affliction is gone.” I lifted my arm higher and stared at this snake squirming in the air and said, “No, it’s not, it’s right there.” She patted me on the shoulder and said, “You just have to claim it” and walked away.

At this point I was getting desperate. I kept running until I found a third person. I said, “Can you please help me?” She looked worried and said, “Let’s pray.” She laid her hands on me and said a powerful prayer. She then looked up at me said, “Ok, I know what the Lord wants me to do” and proceeded to grab the tail of the snake and start pulling on it. I began to scream as the pain got worse and she just kept pulling. I finally just turned away from her and began to run again.

I came a little further along the path and saw a campfire. As I got closer I could see a man sitting by the fire and even closer yet I realized it was Jesus. He stood up and was waiting for me. I ran to Him and said, “Can you please help me?” He smiled lovingly as He reached over and pushed the jaws of the snake, quickly and deftly removing it from my arm and tossing it into the fire. Then He wrapped his hand around my arm and I could feel the healing. He said, “Why didn’t you come to Me first?”

I sat down next to Him by the fire and I said, “You were too far away, the others were closer.” He said, “I’m always the closest to you” and he pointed. I looked and realized my tent was right next to the campfire. I had run to the right and made a huge circle back. If I had run to the left I would have found Him immediately. In my frenzy I had turned the wrong way.

“When you need help, come to Me,” he said. “When you need direction, come to Me. When you need answers, come to Me.”

I couldn’t even say anything. I could feel the love He has for me, the desire to help me and take care of my problems. But I knew He was saying He couldn’t do it for me, I had to ask. I had to give over the control.

He continued, “You need to stop relying on PEOPLE for answers. I AM the answer. You need to stop asking PEOPLE to pray for you and expect the solution to come from them. I AM the solution. You don’t need someone to stand in the gap for you, child, THERE IS NO GAP. I live inside you and you know my voice. Ask me directly and I will respond.”

“But I’ve felt blocked from you,” I admitted. 

He smiled again, that beautiful loving smile. “Any block you feel is from the outside. I am on the inside. Remember that.”

He then handed me a piece of paper with several verses written on it. I will include them at the end of this post. 

To some people this may sound harsh, but it wasn’t. Our Father corrects us when He needs to but it’s always in a loving manner. As far as the three women that prayed, honestly, I don’t know what to make of it.  The message for me on a personal level was that it doesn’t matter what type of prayer someone says for me, if I’m putting my faith in them and not God then it’s a misplaced belief. 

Another interesting tidbit – most of us associate a snake with the Devil or sin. In researching this a little I discovered that in prophetic dreams a snake represents a lie.  I’ve been learning a lot about root lies. Seeds are planted and take hold effecting every area. A seed like self-worth, for instance, but that’s for another post. The point being there’s only one that can remove the lie from your life and replace it with something beautiful.

Psalms 32:8  I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go;
I will counsel you with My eye upon you. (NASB)

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight. (NASB)

Isaiah 30:21 And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. (ESV)

James 1:5 If any of you need wisdom, you should ask God, and it will be given to you. God is generous and won’t correct you for asking. (CEV)

Isaiah 11:2 The Spirit of the Lord will be with him to give him understanding, wisdom, and insight. He will be powerful, and he will know and honor the Lord. (CEV)

Job 33:14-15 God always answers, one way or another, even when people don’t recognize his presence. In a dream, for instance, a vision at night, when men and women are deep in sleep, fast asleep in their beds—God opens their ears. (MSG)

John 10:27 My sheep know my voice, and I know them. They follow me, (CEV)