Safe or Messy Church

Safe or Messy Church

Well, well – I never thought I would hear it in our church. “If I can’t leave my handbag/purse on my seat without the danger of some toe-rag taking it, then I don’t want to be in this church.” This is precisely what a speaker was talking about a few months back, “If you can safely leave your handbag/purse on your chair for two hours then you are in a dead church.” Safe church or messy church? Dead church or alive church?

If we cannot welcome the total stranger with the same warmth and love that we welcome friends, then we are failing our Lord and Saviour. If we cannot welcome the down at heel the same as we welcome the rich man, then we are betraying Jesus Christ. We are so very blessed in our church by years of loving welcome extended to strangers as well as friends, but it is not the same everywhere you go.

A few years ago, a lady we know gave her testimony in her church. She gave it honestly and openly not hiding much at all. Afterwards, one of the other ladies approached her with the words, “I didn’t know you were like that!” The lady pointed out that all these things had happened before her salvation. All to no avail, the other ladies shunned her – after all, she had been drinking and smoking. It was only when she was asked by pastor to lead the evening services that these ladies relented, but only then, grudgingly. Safe church!! No ne’er-do-wells here !! How often have we put people off by such attitudes? How often have we grieved Holy Spirit, too?

By way of contrast, we recently went to a real messy church. It was in a drink and drugs rehab unit run by Christians. What a complete contrast. We were welcomed with open arms and, although the temptation was to keep your hand on your wallet, I don’t believe there was ever a single moment when anything untoward was in danger of happening. Even so, we were very keenly aware of our responsibility to not be or put a stumbling block before anyone. So actually, we left our stuff locked in our car.

If we are to welcome the “sinner” into our church, we must not make any assumptions about them, particularly if they are also strangers. I want a church where we love people regardless of any consideration at all. If we cannot do this then we are indeed a dead church, a safe church, a boring church where God sleeps through every service because there is nothing happening nor likely to happen to grab His attention.

That is not what God wants of us, so let’s all have a messy but alive church.