Masked Church

Growing up in church, I have seen many people put on their "church masks" each week. 

Including myself.

This is a song that was a part of the message today and I just thought it put words to feelings I have had so many times. 

Why is it that we feel as Christians that we have to be perfect? 

Nobody is perfect... why pretend we are? 

I know through talking with friends who do not attend church regularly, 

they feel that they are judged when they enter the church, 

they feel that people from the church can gossip a lot, 

or they feel that God would never accept them for who they are. 

Here's the wonderful thing about God's message:

He loves us for who we are, 

even with our downfalls, 

and He is still waiting for us with arms wide open.

I know there are more than a few subjects that good Christians don't talk about: 

Falling into temptations, 

Having doubts about your beliefs, 

and conflicts within your families. 

According to recent studies, the following are the top 6 reasons why teens/young adults leave the church:

Isolationism. One-fourth of 18- to 29-year-olds say church demonizes everything outside church, including the music, movies, culture, and technology that define their generation.

Shallowness. One-third call church boring, about one-fourth say faith is irrelevant and Bible teaching is unclear. One-fifth say God is absent from their church experience.

Anti-science. Up to one-third say the church is out of step on scientific developments and debate.

Sex. The church is perceived as simplistic and judgmental. For a fifth or more, a "just say no" philosophy is insufficient in a techno-porno world. Young Christian singles are as sexually active as their non-churched friends, and many say they feel judged.

Exclusivity. Three in 10 young people feel the church is too exclusive in this pluralistic and multi-cultural age. And the same number feel forced to choose between their faith and their friends.

Doubters. The church is not a safe place to express doubts say over one-third of young people, and one-fourth have serious doubts they'd like to discuss.

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What if...

Rather than everybody pretending they are living the perfect life, 

that they do not face temptations, 

and that their spiritual growth is the best it has every been.  

What if we actually were honest with each other? 

What if...

We shared our downfalls with each other, 

and we helped others who face similar trials we have already been through.

What if we spurred each other on with love rather than judgement? 

What if...

We helped those younger than us both before AND AFTER they became a Christian, 

understood the many trials they must face, 

and asked how we can help them on a regular basis? 

What if we loved others as Jesus loved us? 

I really do think many people have been turned off of the whole idea of church, 

because of the way we as Christians have made each Sunday, 

along with each other day of the week, 

a play rather than admitted it is real life.  

Real life with real problems that we all face, Christian or not. 

Please, if you are one of the people who has turned away from the church for this reason, 

people aren't perfect, 

we will mess up, 

please don't judge Christianity by the Christians, 

but rather look at Christ and see the love he has shown each and every one of us. 

That is what church should be like, 

and although it may fall drastically short of that sometimes,

we are all doing the same thing by aiming to live like Jesus did.  

For those of us who are active in a church, 

let's start being real with each other. 

Maybe then, 

we will finally be able to get past some of those things that are holding us back.