I big topic that keeps popping up on my facebook and something I have been hearing a lot about recently is people blaming IFB churches for problems in their emotional and spiritual walk with God. If someone who has ever been a part of an IFB church has a problem of ANY kind they instantly take the blame off of themselves and blame the church. I have gone to a Southern Baptist Church, was educated by an Independent Fundamental Baptist Church/School, and have gone to an evangelical free church too. You know something that all of these churches have in common? They all have sinners behind their doors! *GASP* I know right?! Huge surprise! Ya wanna know something else that all of these churches have in common? Just because they carry a certain name doesn’t mean that their doctrine is right or wrong. There are Southern Baptist churches that I have visited that I would never be a part of. There are Independent Fundamental Baptist churches that I would never be a part of, and there are Evangelical Free Churches that I would never be a part of.
I have yet to understand how someone can blame “the church” for their or someone else’s sinful behaviors. What or who exactly are you blaming? In Scripture we see that the church is not the building but the people inside of the church. So when someone blames the church they are blaming every member inside of the church. How is it their fault that you were caught in sin? Did each member of the church tie you down each week before you left and force you to make wrong choices? My second grade teacher used to say “No one can MAKE you do anything.” She is exactly right. Right behavior and attitudes and wrong behavior and attitudes are the choice of the individual. The church has little to nothing to do with the sin that one struggles with.
A major problem I see that teens and young adults in my generation go through is not ever really claiming Christ as their own. They grow up going to church and doing the right things but never actually claiming their own Christianity. It’s always their parents Christianity, or their grandparent’s Jesus. It’s never their own! When they get to a point in their lives when they are faced with the choice of follow Jesus or doing whatever feels right they will more often than not choose the latter because Jesus means little to them.
What is my solution to this problem you ask?
Live Authentically!
That’s it! As parents, live in such a way that you wear Jesus on your sleeve. Let your children see you vulnerable, let your children see you struggle and cling to Christ. Let your children see you rejoice and give glory to God when good things happen. As church members, share what God is doing in your life. Don’t try to hide so that people think that your life is perfect. Love your Jesus first and foremost. The people that have made the most impact on my life are the ones that live an authentic Christianity-the ones that love Jesus and aren’t afraid to show it.
You cant force someone to love Jesus. You cant MAKE someone want to serve Him, but you can live in such a way they will want to love Jesus because they can see what He’s done for you.
Rich and I had a conversation about churches. He, having attended mostly E-Free churches and myself having attending mostly Baptist Churches discussed what we thought to be the most important factors in choosing a church. Here’s what we decided.
- Doctrine- We agreed that doctrine is the most important thing! Teaching heresy is never acceptable.
- Music- We also agreed that the music should never be about the people performing. Those who are a part of the music ministry must be there because they want to make God bigger and use the talents they have to glorify Him.
- The People- Since the body is what the whole idea of church is all about it is important that the people that attend are genuine in their faith and love Jesus and want to serve Him with everything they have.
Did you catch that? Not once in that list did you see anything about what the church was called. As two people that want to have Christ be the most important thing, Rich and I agreed that one of the main reasons that we see God as our number one priority is because we made a choice to always make Him the most important thing in our lives. The two of us have seen many people that are so in love with Jesus that it penetrates their every action- and our parents have made loving Jesus a priority in their own lives.
In conclusion, I would like to challenge you to live an authentic Christianity. You never know whose life you might be impacting. If you are a young adult at that cross roads of choosing Jesus or choosing your own happiness, choose Jesus! If you delight yourself in Him, He will give you happiness!
Today’s Blessings:
- Having a warm place to be while the snow falls.
- The many people that have lived out their faith and have challenged me to love Jesus more.
- The Jesus that I serve and everything that He has done and continues to do in my life.
-Christy
Blessings in Waiting 
