Of course I don’t know YOUR church specifically, but based on certain trends in the American church over the past few generations, I can say with confidence that, were your church your doctor,

you would never survive.

When you went to your doctor and told him you were injured, he would suggest you learn to forgive the person who injured you. If you suggested that you needed some help healing, he would tell you to read your Bible and have more faith. When you suggested that he prescribe you some antibiotics for your infection, he would politely shame you for not having enough faith and again suggest you read your Bible more. After all, Christians don’t need drugs to heal.

If your church was your gym,
you would never live to see your next birthday.

You’d go in and tell them you were concerned that, at 450lbs, you were unhealthy and needed to make drastic changes to your life, like finding someone to keep you accountable for your diet and exercise. They would tell you that you need to learn to love yourself more. After all, Jesus told us to love our neighbor as ourselves, and how can we do that unless we first love ourselves? They would suggest we stop labeling ourselves according to how we see our faults or how the world sees us, and learn to love us as a child of God- perfect just how we are. Jesus loves you JUST HOW YOU ARE, and so should you. Then they would offer us a doughnut and a cup of coffee in the fellowship hall and tanning bed room.

If your church was the police,
your neighborhood would fall apart in a week.

If you called them to report the crime in your neighborhood, they would say, “Who are we to judge?” If you insisted they take action against people who were breaking the law, they would sit you down and politely shame you for being so judgmental. “Jesus told us not to judge,” they would say. “Why don’t you try to build a relationship with the guy who is stealing your television before you go condemning him for his lifestyle choices? Don’t be such a Pharisee.”  And it would be of no comfort to be reminded that they were being paid with your tax dollars. 

If you go to church and they tell you “You’re fine how you are! You don’t need to change!” then I have to ask; why bother waking up on a Sunday morning? Why even get our of bed just to be told everything is OK when you actually know that it is not, when you know that you are not? Maybe it makes you feel a little better to hear that God loves you just the way you are, but if that is the entire message, if that is all of the change that happens in your life… 

You might want to get a second opinion.

You know you are a sinner, but remember #JesusLovesYou.