Explain to me how a community that promotes common good through unity of faith can cause “more damage than good."
Upon scrolling my Facebook feed, I came across two articles entitled “Dear Church, Here’s Why People are Really Leaving” by John Pavlovitz and “12 Reasons Millennials are OVER Church”by Sam Eaton. Naturally, I was immediately drawn to read them as it kind of struck a nerve. The harsh criticism of these institutions put a damper on me as it tried to degrade a central aspect of who I am as a person.
In society today, we value everyone's voices. Our generation is the voice of the future. However, these articles takes this ideal too far in the essence that it takes a self centered approach towards derailing the foundational ideals that support many lives both physically and mentally.
Growing up as a child, I attended church twice a week for choir, Sunday school, worship, youth groups and to work in the nursery. Through these experiences, I gained a stronger knowledge for the person that I am regarding values and morals through the relationships that developed overtime. It is important to find a place that suites you best. If you feel like you cannot find yourself how will you learn to find God himself. In this instance it is okay to focus on yourself as you work to find what specifically speaks to you. Through this, that focus on “social status” should be nonexistent. For what truly matters are your efforts towards proclaiming your faith through actions taken in the community. Without true passion for your efforts, you will not find what you’re intending.
By knowing what your faith is fully about, it becomes easier to understand who you are as a person and what you completely believe in. As confidence arises in these personal matters, we gain a more mature awareness for other perspectives in the world around us. Everyone is entitled to their own personal views however, it is important to understand why one might believe a certain ideal as opposed to another. That being said, one should not be criticized for continuing such immense passion for their personal views. Therefore, nothing is overly religious. No one should feel ashamed of their faith, for it is something that represents who they are as a person.
With this in mind, one should be able to apply their matters in a constructive way for the common good of not only themselves, but those surrounding.
Yes, we all want to feel valued.
Yes, we want to feel entitled.
Yes, we want to feel like we are enough.
More often than not, actions speak louder than words. Determining and/or feeling your sense of worth should not be something that has to be verbalizied in every given instance.
For me, putting myself out there and helping those in the world around me is more rewarding than anything. Faith will lead you to assurance. You will feel your worth through the satisfaction of knowing that you made a positive impact in someone else’s world. With this in mind, church is centered around unity. We are there to bond as one under the common interest of God. Therefore, putting yourself before others in the aspect of a universal goal can merit a sense of unity overall.
In essence, confidence in yourself and in your faith can propel self worth, passion and confidence in the developing world surrounding. Together these understandings can accentuate the purpose of the church in our day-to-day lives.
