Why do you HATE me?

Do you know of someone who dislikes the “Church?” I have heard several people within my lifetime try their hardest to disgrace the Church. When I was younger, I couldn’t understand as to why they felt the way they do.  But as I look into the world, I can see, that you just want to do what ever you feel... no matter how harmful it might be to someone else or yourself for that matter. You don’t like to have to take responsibility for your actions or lack of, and don’t want to see the harm. Now if you look up the word Church you will find where it talks about a building. But if you ask a Christian, you just might get several answers depending on their personal denomination.  I am Pentecostal.

For me, the word Church, has many meanings. Yes, the obvious one is an actual place with a roof and walls where other Christians gather around to worship, fellowship and understanding of God’s word. It is a place where I feel safe from the world and all the problems with it. Where I can relate to others and what they are going through. Where I can find support for the mayhem that maybe around me. But Church is without a doubt, so much more.

It is the place within myself where I can talk to God. Church is within my prayers. I can go within myself, so to speak, and find the peace that God has laid on my heart and soul. Church is within my worship. When I sing a song about Him, I sing to Him. I get a built up strength of God just for me. I can feel the walls of my faith getting stronger and yet having support all at once.

It is a place where my family is. It can be anywhere. If I am with my family, we will show God’s love and understanding for one another within our tiny means. We lift each other up, so that the other doesn’t feel far from God, or causes harm. We understand that not each of us are perfect and we don’t expect the others to be also. We talk to one another. We clear the air. We rely on one another.

When we have people who don’t understand just what they are saying when they say, “I hate Church”, my heart just aches. Church is personal to me. It is where my spirit soars. When you confess out hatred to the Church, you are,whether you mean it this way or not, confessing hatred at me, because I am part of the Church and it is a part of me.  I also heard them then try to twist it by saying, “well I mean “Religion”.  But my faith; what I believe in, is my Religion. I have faith in the Church and there are no two ways about it.  So their statement is still the same.  I know, some people might say that I’m being too sensitive.  That I need not to take things sooo personally. But let me ask them this.  If I were to say I hate anyone who is this or that and your love was this or that, would you not take that personally also.  Of course you would.  People have been doing this kind of thing since people have been around.  But, it seems to be easier for people to attack the One that they don’t want to see.

I believe in God, three in one. I believe in the church that He is building.  I believe in the word of God; the Bible.  I am a grown woman with a grown mind.  No one makes me or harasses me into any of it.  I do this of my own free will. {Which by the way was given to me by God}

With just some of the reasons I have now expressed, let me say that I can and do understand when people get hurt by “the Church.” I too have met with people who aren’t exactly what I would call loving. Or ministers who preach their own agenda in place of God’s will.  I cry for such people.  I don’t understand such people.  I get angry that these people who attack my God. I want to tell them off.  I want to tell them to find another Church.  I want to smack some Holy Spirit into them.   But as a Christian, I can only have one answer for these people of hate.  Prayer.

You read it right, when you don’t like the Church, it is the only place I can go.  Because I know it is safe, it is my worship place, it is where my family is. It is a my place of happiness and joy.  It is where God is.