Friday, 11 July 2008
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Are There Enough Prostitutes At Your Church?
by mr. maple
"I told a story in my book The Jesus I Never Knew, a true story that long afterward continued to haunt me. I heard it from a friend who works with the down-and-out in Chicago:'A prostitute came to me in wretched straits, homeless, sick, unable to buy food for her two-year-old daughter. Through sobs and tears, she told me she had been renting out her daughter - two years old! - to men interested in kinky sex. She made more renting out her daughter for an hour than she could earn on her own in a night. She had to do it, she said, to support her own drug habit. I could hardly bear hearing her sordid story. For one thing, it made me legally liable - I'm required to report cases of child abuse. I had no idea what to say to this woman.
At last I asked if she had ever thought of going to a church for help. I will never forget the look of pure, naive shock that crossed her face. "Church!" she cried. "Why would I ever go there? I was already feeling terrible about myself. They'd just make me feel worse."'What struck me about my friend's story is that women much like this prostitute fled toward Jesus, not away from him. The worse a person felt about herself, the more likely she saw Jesus as a refuge. Has the church lost that gift? Evidently the down-and-out, who flocked to Jesus when he lived on earth, no longer feel welcome among his followers. What has happened?" -What's So Amazing About Grace? by Phillip Yancey.
While the title of this post is intentionally explicit and shocking, so are many of the characters and people Jesus encountered during his time on earth. Our first reaction to this question of "who belongs in church?" is to quickly assert that we shouldn't encourage people to do things that are wrong. This is obvious. However, the next question then becomes, who is it we encourage to come to church in the first place?
Encouraging someone to come to church or an invitation to follow Christ is not just about the words we say. It is in the way we listen to or condescend a person, the places we go to simply be ourselves or with the explicit intention of evangelism, the type of friends we choose to make or avoid.
I am not saying that we deliberately dilute the gospel to pander to people's sense of entertainment or religiosity (though much of modern evangelism works this way!) I am only saying that the true gospel is something that holds promise, rebuke, and hope to people of all backgrounds even if it offends them. But perhaps something is wrong when a particular ethnic or socioeconomic group emerges as the dominant culture in a church. Perhaps something is wrong when the church is no longer the first thing people consider when they are in desperate need of mercy and grace. Perhaps something is wrong when we allow the insidiousness of our desire for power, beauty, and popularity to pervert the way in which we express and encourage community.
If you know a person by the company she keeps, what does your company say about your self image? If your contacts with non-Christian friends are limited to painful exchanges at the office, what does that say about your sense of self-righteousness? If all your friends are of a particular ethnic group, what does that say about your belief in the unity and uniqueness of cultures? If all your acquaintances are wealthy (or at least middle class), what does that say about your opinion of the poor and your insecurity over personal belongings and life? What is the condition of your soul? What is the atmosphere of your church? What can be done (or has been done through the gospel) to change these things?
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Comments (129)
What an interesting way veiw it...
I'm sorry I have no great comment to leave... Just thanks for the thining material...
I have also read that book (over and over) by Mr. Yancey as well. The lesson I learned from him or more precisely Jesus is to offer grace (to love) and hold up a high standard (that of the gospel) at the same time. In other words, to love the person even if or especially if s/he does not meet up to the standard of the gospel. One of such examples (by C.S Lewis) is ourselves. We have not met up to the standard of the gospel yet we love ourselves regardless. Love thy neighbour as thyself, i guess it embraces this kind of idea as well.
Thanks for your sharing, very inspiring indeed!
I wish Christians weren't so typically judgmental. You would all do well to remember that God is the one to do all the judging; you're just supposed to love and serve.
@la_faerie_joyeuse@xanga - You understand GOD very well but.... Hmmm You make me curious.
The thing is many are going out to do the things of God when they are still in diapers...NOT a good combo..causes a mess like all toddlers do.
Gods Grace is not about becoming perfect but about the fact that He loved YOU enough to find away to you,,,by Jesus paying the final payment on our sin which puts a chasm between us & Him. This way He gave us a way back to Him....
Not instant perfection lol =) He works on my heart & I am Nothing Good without Him. So you'll see me being a big sis to the Tots on here...telling them to grow up & stop making a mess with a simple truth... God Loves Us & gave us a FREE WILL...that free will causes a lap of crap... but thats not God..
When we give our hearts to Him its Like Nothing You'll ever know...the missing piece gets finally found...& when that happens we Learn to Follow Him & we Learn to give our will & way to Him..to whom is all wisdom...
Kris
He said I have a plan for you..of Good & Not evil...Jeremiah 29:11 He cares...He has a Plan for everyone including YOU...=D but like a true Gent He waits for us to come to Him. Thank You for Being here & letting them/us,me know they need to grow.
First of all, awesome title because it totally got my attention and I knew exactly what you meant once I thought about it. I liked reading this. But I guess I can understand why that woman did not want to go to church for help. I know how she feels. Church to me is a place to preserve a good christian, to keep them on the right path, not necessarily a place to change/help a non-believer. At least that's how it seems at my church. If' you're a sinner, a non-believer or anything like that you won't really fit in at my church, yes they will judge you and I may even be a part of the judging, Its not a good thing, but thats the reality.
Yes, people today have a different concept of being "Christian"...
One of my favorite authors Leo Tolstoy was right on track when he explained that just because he was Christian...didn't make him better then others...it only made him realize how filled with sin he was....He was so filled with grief and sadness over his sin that at 81 years of age he left his mansion and plantation by foot...and never returned...he died of pneumonia in the back coat room of a departing train, humbled by God.
We shouldn't think we're better then others because we are Christian...and we should NEVER speak in a superior tone of voice, not matter to who. Sometimes one word we speak may shatter the lives of a stranger!
@la_faerie_joyeuse@xanga - I think humans are judgmental in general and it's not necessarily a Christian-only problem. Judging others makes the judge feel better about what he or she does. The difference is that Christians are supposed to know better. I know that the Holy Spirit does a number on me when I say or do something judgmental. He lets me know that it is not one of my shinier moments!
@Punk_Rock_Mommy@xanga -
"The difference is that Christians are supposed to know better."
You act like Non-Christians don't have morals. PEOPLE are supposed to know better.
What does it say about a Christian who has no Christian friends and only nonChristian friends?
There is no reason accept the lifestyle. That's not what the Savior did. He loved the sinner, but hated the sin. He always gave the choice (which is one of the greatest gifts we have as people - free will), an alternative to get to the end they want/need. Disciples of Christ need to follow that example. Take those who are struggling spiritually under your wings. Offer alternatives to help them come closer to their Father in Heaven. Coming to church is one of them. If church doesn't make you feel guilty, it's not doing its job. The Savior wants us to become better. It's a continual process. Everyday is one step closer to becoming what our Lord and Savior wants us to become; more like Him. But He's not going to force us to do something we don't want to do.
so i didn't really read the whole thing.
too long.
but i did read the story.
i do think that there are certain churches out there that would make people like the prostitute feel worse.
they would look down on them because of how they interpret the BIble.
i think the only churches that don't make people feel that way are churches that are in bad shape.
they take them in because they don't care about what people think about them.
they just want to care for the people in need.
if you think about it for a while.
it's like the messed up churches are Jesus and the rich ones are
well
the other ones (i seriously forgot what they're called)
the rich churches think they're doing the right thing by turning away from the needy.
but it's wrong.
i really think that the church needs to go to rehab
i mean.
did you see pope benedict a few years ago?
wasn't he wearing prada shoes?
it makes me feel like the church is going backwards.
back then the church was so corrupted and obsessed with wealth.
if the pope wears prada shoes
then he cares about what people think of him
he shouldn't think about what the people think
he should think about how to solve problems.
i wish pope john paul the II was back
he was a good pope.
i think i was just blabbing
but i hope this made some sense
@la_faerie_joyeuse@xanga - I believe that it didn't make you feel great when someone said something that, to you, screamed "all atheists don't have morals."
"I wish Christians weren't so typically judgmental. You would all do well to remember that God is the one to do all the judging; you're just supposed to love and serve."
I find it funny that you said this, lumping all Christians as typically, as in 'usually', judgemental. Isn't that being judgemental as well?
I think that as time progressed, we moved further and further away from what the original concept of Christianity was. We instead became focused on trivial things.
I believe it would do us good to go back to the Bible. To re-read the entire thing and put it all into context. Why did people do what they did? What was special about their situation? How could we apply this in our situation today?
I believe it's all just a matter of going back to basics, and remembering the root of our faith. That is, to love.
Many, families especially don't come to church for Jesus. They come because their children can meet relatively nice safe people. Others threaten them and that is why you don't see many of them in the church
What an interesting way to bring light to a common situation in the Church. I think that as Christians, we have to remember that the judgment of people who walk into our churches is not enough. Believe me, the judgment that they probably receive from the world is enough, let alone the judgment that they so undeservedly receive from the Body.
@cpacaide@xanga - I added "typically' specifically so that I wouldn't be saying that all Christians are judgmental, just most of them.
And at least according to that comment, it doesn't matter if I'm being judgmental, because I'm not Christian. I do judge people and I'm proud to say that I do. But, usually I like to judge people only on their chosen attributes, not necessarily on generalizations. So, judging someone's innate intelligence, "race" or beauty, or judging "all" Christians would be wrong. But saying, based on your comment, that I think you're critical (not a bad thing! I think it's great) would be a judgment that I would feel comfortable making. Obviously, that could change if I knew you better, but I think it's important to judge people, even on whether they are a "good" person or not. It bothers me when Christians are judgmental because their judgments are usually based on their faith, which is even more terribly hypocritical. If there's anything I don't like, it's a hypocrite, and it almost seems that the very nature of Christianity clashes with humanity so much that most every believer becomes a hypocrite by design. I guess that's part of the all-sinners thing.
But hey, maybe I have it all wrong. I'm terribly tired, so I apologize if this isn't put together to my usual standards.
Sounds like you'd love my second novel
in light of what I thought the title meant VS the reality of the post... lol... i was WAAAAYYYYY off...
so in light of this... there aren't enough "prostitutes", "destitutes", "druggies"... well... sinners in church...
which makes me wonder really... is the church really being the hands of Jesus? Because if I'm honest and I will be on here... my local church is still not conditioned to meet the spiritual needs of the people we call "untouchable" "unclean" and such... especially on Sunday where predominantly the congregation are dressed so conservatively that we will be able to tell who's who... and I know that for many people, the attitude will be disdain at the thought of the people entering our church as "prostitutes"... no matter what the Gospel and Biblical call for Christians are... i just don't think my local church is ready or prepared to embrace such people....
which both saddens, frightens, angers, and causes me to question... not my faith in God... but whether my local church is truly following God.... if in fact our prim and proper Sunday service is just a front to hide the truth that we aren't fully prepared to reach out and save those who are in need of Jesus...
it's been said church is supposed to be a hospital and refuge for the spiritually needy... not a huddle place for those who are well...
Is the Christian thing to do to forgive, to love, and to accept? This is not a rhetorical question. I wonder whether places of worship (not just Christian ones) leave a physical and spiritual space for those that do not follow their denomination or religion. Some places do, some places don't. There are many curious people out there, but they can become alienated in certain places of worship, because of the unspoken and sometimes spoken pressure to 'save' or convert the non-believer. Other places are more willing to be patient and inviting.
Personally, I happen to believe that there is a spirituality that unite all religions that tap into a belief in a higher being. This spirituality helps us understand the meaning of life. I may be wrong, but this belief helps me give order to life. And I choose to go to a church (on occasion) that allows me to work out my conflicts about my faith and beliefs on my own personal timeline.
The prostitute in the story has lost this trust in the church, to find a space where she can work out her own conflicts... and that is a very sad thing.
Can you write what happened to the prostitute and her child? What is the follow-up? I know there is a lesson to be learned from her experience, but I assume the prostitute is a real person with real problems.
plus didn't Jesus say that He came for the sick not the well...
and as Christians... aren't we well enough and vaccinated enough with the power of the Holy Spirit at least to reach out and bring Jesus to the places where darkness reigns? I mean if you call yourself a Christian... you're healed of your spiritual sickness... while others who know not Christ are still breathing yet dead and need to be heal and only the Cross can do that....
i don't know... love is more about showing the way out of something bad and well... being dead is worse than being bad....
and with Jesus being the Remedy for death... i say we are and should be capable of being that Remedy we are called to be...
A couple thoughts on this. Ever heard Derek Webb's wedding dress?
if you could love me as a wife
and for my wedding gift, your life
should that be all i’ll ever need
or is there more i’m looking for
and should i read between the lines
and look for blessings in disguise
to make me handsome, rich, and wise
is that really what you want
(chorus)
i am a whore i do confess
but i put you on just like a wedding dress
and i run down the aisle
i’m a prodigal with no way home
but i put you on just like a ring of gold
and i run down the aisle to you
so could you love this bastard child
though i don’t trust you to provide
with one hand in a pot of gold
and with the other in your side
i am so easily satisfied
by the call of lovers less wild
that i would take a little cash
over your very flesh and blood
(chorus)
because money cannot buy
a husband’s jealous eye
when you have knowingly deceived his wife
Secondly, has the American Church been inoculated to the gospel itself. The Simple Gospel truth. The way many people recite it rotely soulds more like they have received a polio vaccine, just enough to never get it.
Yet , give the truth to people who know they need God, need to have things made right and they run to the truth and embrace it.
It is not that much different different than Jesus day. The religious folks were innoculated to the truth and had hardened themselves to it. They had found religion, mans attempt to appease God's wrath and had deceived themself to the point they did not recognize the Truth and crucified Him.
So in answer to your question, our churches are full of prostitutes who dont even recognize they are. The church in many ways has beome the son who stayed home and was bitter when the lost son returned. He just didnt get it and in many ways neither does the american church today. Sad.
I ended up leaving my current church because people would "pick and choose" who to come around during the tough times of life. I met with a friend for lunch the other week and she said it best some of the biggest hurts have come from fellow Christians.
Wow
@la_faerie_joyeuse@xanga - Whats up-(normally see you in a different forum)
Being the intelligent young lady you are, you are well aware of the amount of anti-intellectualism as well as lack of knowledge among many people who comment on Christianity and the Bible.
The judgment Jesus Christ speaks of in Matthew 7 is of judging ones intent. He is very clear in both the same chapter and even more explicit in Matthew 18 that there is right and wrong and things to judge-false teachers, actions He declares sin, etc.. You could not discern a false teacher unless you judge his teachings. So judging a teachers teachings is not sinful, it is a command. If you believed someone sinned against you, you are not judging them when you go to them, you confront them with their sin and work through it. You want to be reconciled, not one-up them.
He points to confronting people who have committed sin against you not only to be reconciled to you, but to God and that people aren't running around the others backs not wanting to "offend them".
He also tells us we can not go around pulling up the tare from the wheat because you may get it wrong, only He knows. You can only call sin sin , but do not have a right to judge the intent of the sinner or their heart.
What do we make of that? If the Bible declares something sin, and a person commits that act, you are not judging that person with your judgment, but with biblical judgment. In other words you are not judging them against God's directives, but are rather told to build each other up in the faith and watch out for one another.
So to put it into action, if someone makes a confession of faith and does not live in open and unrepentant sinfulness,we are not to go around and nitpick there intents and be the gospel police...we have more important things to do, like impact the world with the good news.not condemning it. Bringing hope, not judgment.
I havent been over at Disturbings blog for a bit, but good to see you again. Hope your summer is going good. John
Very intresting blog and comments. I am a Christian and say it humbly. Being a Christian is not anything someone is because of anything they have done, but only what the Lord has made of you because of His love, grace, and forgiveness. It is sad that so many of us forget that and not extend the same love to others. I really liked what ProvokingThought wrote. Especially the part of judgement of sin not being our own judgement but according to the Bible. Accepting a prostitude in a church group does not mean that we need to make her feel like what she is doing is ok, but it is help her find a way out of her situation, to be there for her and uphold her as she struggles along until she has found deliverance which can only come through Jesus.