It amazes me how easily people are to dismiss a church for “hypocrisy.” It’s true, our churches ARE full of hypocrites. The question I sometimes want to ask is “do you mean that you never act in a hypocritical manner?”

Andrew, I can't speak for your church. It is possible that an accusation was unfairly lodged against your church.

But some years back, I could have written this piece, Andrew. Before I saw the most evil actions come directly from people with positions of power within the church.

I tried, Andrew. Honestly, I tried. But when the lies of church leaders cost me a job and when they attempt to endanger my family, I have to conclude that the church is not a place to be. When the bar is a more accepting environment than the church, something is definitely and decidedly wrong.

If you want to reach people for Christ, if you want to grow your church, you need to LISTEN to what people who are outside of the church are saying. Their complaints may be unfounded, their complaints may be in error. But they are THEIR feelings, THEIR concerns. The best way to show people that your church is not like that is to show them that YOU are not like that. To let them see Christ in you and want what you have to offer.

As for me, I'm coming to terms with being a misfit. I'm starting to think God has me there for a reason

I can understand why christians might get upset by any accusation that they are all a bunch of hypocrites, but sometimes it helps to see things through the accuser's eyes. Christianity, like most religions makes huge claims of a supernatural nature that, whether or not they are true, clearly go against most people's common sense experience and understanding of life. It also makes huge claims about what the christian life will 'deliver', in terms of spiritual benefit, to those who follow it. Obviously the only way that the searching non-believer has to know if any of these claims are true is to look at those who have chosen this path and see if they exhibit more peace, tranquility, forgiveness and loving kindness than an average sample of the population. Wherever it is found that they do not, the resulting disappointment may well be forcefully expressed...

Obviously the only way that the searching non-believer has to know if any of these claims are true is to look at those who have chosen this path and see if they exhibit more peace, tranquility, forgiveness and loving kindness than an average sample of the population. Wherever it is found that they do not, the resulting disappointment may well be forcefully expressed...

Good point, chak...

While I think even the most hardened unbeliever can understand inconsistencies on some level, when you see regular churchgoers who time and time again act not only as bad, but often WORSE than the "unsaved" in the world around them, it's pretty easy to be cynical.

In my life I have NEVER had a nonChristian attack me and my family with false allegations. Never. Not once. And I've known a lot of nonChristians.

I HAVE, however, had professing Christians wage some rather nasty attacks on my family, attacks I've been able to fend off because they are entirely and completely without merit, but that nonetheless tend to leave me more than a little cynical. Attacks that actually show these people to be WORSE than their "unsaved" counterparts.

IF I were a nonChristian, seeing what I have seen in the church around me, there's NO WAY I would want to be a part of it. The ONLY reason I remain in my faith is because I serve GOD, not these churches.

I have said it before many times and I will say it again now: There is something wrong in the church today. Until Christians realize this, and set about fixing it, it will fester and worsen.

Gid -
I think you hit the nail on the head when you said "professing Christians."
I don't think that most of the people who think they are Christians truly are! Jesus said, "you will know them by the fruit they produce." If these people aren't producing fruit, what does it say? Now the problem comes in this: we can't be the ones to judge them and convince them, the Holy Spirit must be doing this. We can only pray for these people. And perhaps they ARE Christians, but they are so far away from the Lord that they don't resemble Him at all. The biggest thing that gets to me is...why don't the Christians who ARE sick of hypocrisy begin going to churches and changing them? That makes so much more sense than letting worldly attacks deter them from kingdom goals. We could do far more as a BODY of believers than we can as individuals.
As a personal testimony and hopefully encouragement to someone: I have had more suffering by the hands of "professing Christians" than most people ever will, but that has never made me drop out of church or turn from the Lord. It has, on the other hand, strengthened my resolve that I need to pray more, witness more, worship more and let the Lord use me to influence the people around me. I'm not perfect (I would never confess to be even close) but scars from this world because I follow the Lord are a priveledge and honor that I wear out of love for my Lord who endured far more than I ever will.

The biggest thing that gets to me is...why don't the Christians who ARE sick of hypocrisy begin going to churches and changing them? That makes so much more sense than letting worldly attacks deter them from kingdom goals. We could do far more as a BODY of believers than we can as individuals.

good stuff. I think it's because it's so daunting. It's hard work. It's much easier to just leave. As I've grown in my maturity I can see that now. But there was a time when I did leave a church because they were not doing or offering what I thought would benefit me. While I see that error now, it wasn't clear to me then. We need to speak up. We need to heed the warnings of Paul and do some major housecleaning. We have become lax and need to get off our mossy butts.

I have had more suffering by the hands of "professing Christians" than most people ever will, but that has never made me drop out of church or turn from the Lord. It has, on the other hand, strengthened my resolve that I need to pray more, witness more, worship more and let the Lord use me to influence the people around me.

God Bless You. You just keep on keeping on. The rewards will come later when you look into the eyes of your Savior. You will not be ashamed.

but scars from this world because I follow the Lord are a priveledge and honor that I wear out of love for my Lord who endured far more than I ever will.

it's the way of the cross. There's a new song I recently learned by Charles Billingsly and it's called "The Marks of the Mission." If you get a chance, listen to that song and it will inspire you to keep going if there's ever a time you feel tired and just worn out. We just need to remember these scars are the marks of the mission.

I don't think that most of the people who think they are Christians truly are! Jesus said, "you will know them by the fruit they produce."

does that include the "perceived fruit" that madison avenue style marketing can create?

and if the church sweeps all it's nasty little issues under the rug (with the typical "reasoning" being "we should keep this inside the church as the "secular" world wouldn't understand. besides, we are accountable to God, not man" (and the like))