First of all I just want you to know I love you. I love you with the love of the Lord and your gender identity, sexual orientation, political views, race or religion won't change that.
Dear Church Outsider,
Being in college and seeing all the different paths people take when they leave home makes me so incredibly happy to have decided to attend a Christian university. I know it's not for everyone—I didn't think it was for me—but I thank God everyday for leading me here. I wouldn't have grown and developed into the Christian that I am today if it weren't for Harding. However, being around Christians all day every day, I tend to forget the "real world" and what is happening outside of our Harding bubble. Outside of our bubble there is pain, homosexuality, sexual immorality, adultery, drugs and the list just goes on, and I'm not saying this doesn't happen inside of our bubble because it does.
When people think of Christians and controversial worldly topics they think we are hypocrites that hate everyone who don't believe the exact same thing as we do. Well, I want to change that. I will admit that there are Christians out there that think like that but they are few and far between and I am not one of those. I believe that we should accept those who are living in sin, not push them away from the church and condemn them, because that is not our job. Our job is to love the lost, but that does not mean we shove scripture down their throats. It means we reach out to them and show them the love of the Lord, and when they are ready to receive it they will let us know. I'm so tired of reading stories about a homosexual man or woman shunned from coming in to a church. Shouldn't we gladly accept them, and help them find their way? Even if they don't think they are living in sin, who are we to say they can't come to church? Who are we to decide anything for them? I'm tired of Christians judging people and forgetting what Jesus did when he lived. Guys, Jesus hung out with lepers, prostitutes, fisherman, priests and tax collectors—all of whom were sinners. We should do the same. We shouldn't shun sinners from the church; we should accept them into the church.
I've always just kind of had a "you do you bro" attitude about all of this. You're addicted to porn? Hey, we all have our cross to bear. If you need help, I'm here with an open Bible. You're gay? Cool bro, you do you, but as soon as you want to talk I'm here with an open Bible. You aborted your child, you're a Democrat, you're a Republican, you smoke pot, whatever you did or who ever you are, I'm here when you're ready with an open Bible and I will gladly study with you. I'm not going to push my faith on you and constantly tell you you're a sinner. What I will do is love you, and pray for you and hope the best for you. This whole semester I would hear about what some girl did with some guy in the back of a truck and how scandalous it was and how they could get kicked out, and I would just say, "you do you bro." We have to let people make mistakes, and love them through their mistakes. Let people live their lives how they want to live, and if we try to help them and get shut down, don't force them to believe what you believe. It will do more harm than good. They will turn away from God permanently and that is the last thing we all want. What good does it do to talk about their sin behind their backs silently judging them? We've all done that; I am the queen of silently judging people from a distance. All I'm saying is we need to stop, all of us. Let's live lives geared towards mending relationships, loving our Lord, and making people feel accepted. I want all of those people who have been pushed away by the church to know that I am sorry, and that there is someone out there who loves them.
Sincerely,
Someone Who Loves You
