Dear Church

From a Devoted Follower of Christ

I recently heard a quote about young people and their relationship with the church which said, “Young people are not leaving the church because we failed to teach them the Word or because we failed to keep them away from the world. Young people are leaving the church because you taught them TOO WELL. You let them read the words of Jesus and study the way He walked, and they saw that you – the church – are failing to live the way He lived.”

In other words, the hypocrisy of the church became too much to look past.

This hypocrisy has unfortunately alienated so many young believers and even caused the spiritual deconstruction of many believers. It is my opinion that the church, meaning the body of Christ, needs a deep cleanse from within and a complete revival by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Hypocrisy: The Church and Politics

In an election year, political tensions are usually quite high among Americans. We are voting to voice our opinions and our concerns with the way our country is run. Political discourse and differences of opinions are generally good and productive; however, the political divide that we have seen in this country is at an all time high. Over our last four years in America, political discourse has devolved into vitriol, spite, racism, and hatred. During this, you would expect the church to stand out and stand up against such evil, but you did not.

You not only participated in it, but you also encouraged it.

Your silence through this period in American history spoke so much louder than the disgusting words being spat back and forth by red and blue.

The church sat silent as God’s children were put in cages.

The church sat silent as racism ran rampant, and black people were executed on camera in front of the entire world.

The church sat silent while our leaders villainized immigrants.

The church sat silent as we appointed accused rapists to our highest court.

The church sat silent as the Word was twisted to discriminate against entire communities of people.

The church sat silent as children at school were gunned down in their seats.

Through many more atrocities, the church was silent.

I will remind you, church, God is not American. Jesus was a brown man born in the middle east. I should not need to remind you that Jesus died for all people, of every creed, color, and descent. Jesus died for every single sinner, and in Him there is no shame and there is no judgment – only love.

The thing that stings the most through this is the way that Christians began to look more like our politicians in America than they looked like Christ. That cut deeply to see leaders that I looked up to take a side in politics which so very clearly contradicted EVERYTHING Jesus lived and died for.

Again, you did not fail to teach me the Word. You failed to live according to it and refuse to admit it and take a stand against these atrocities.

The Hypocrisy: The Church and COVID-19

As we all know, we are still in a pandemic. One year has now come and gone, and 500,000 Americans and 2.5 million have passed due to this virus.

As a Christian, I have been taught in the Word to value truth and to seek truth. I, personally, am a scientist. I know that science, too, seeks the truth by research. God is the ultimate Creator of science, and He designed every single particle and every single organism that we study today. I see Him daily in what I study, and I strongly believe that God put me here for a reason. We use science to further God’s kingdom daily. We design cures for diseases, treatments for cancer, and discover new things daily about God’s beautiful creation. I seek truth daily both through God’s Word and in His creation. God uses scientists and doctors to do His will on earth, to heal, and to help.

This is why it was so disappointing to see that the pandemic was quickly politicized, and certain groups arose to criticize and spread lies and mistruths about the virus and to encourage mistrust in science. Many of these people were Christians, my own friends.

The antivax movement and the anti-mask movement run rampant in Christian communities. Yet, the church is silent.

I will not write pages to explain that vaccines are safe and effective and that masks protect all of us. The evidence is published, concrete, and has been repeated over time. These things are evident truths. Beyond this, wearing a mask, social distancing, and getting vaccinated are simple actions to protect the people around us. These things are great actions of love.

Yet, I have seen the church, in particular, reject the truth – the very thing we are taught to seek!

Churches kept their doors open in March against government guidelines. Churches reopened in April against government guidelines. Churches meet en masse without encouraging or requiring masks and social distancing. Youth groups and church leaders meet in homes and travel in groups without masks. Facebook and Instagram posts document and publicize the blatant disrespect for the most basic measures to keep our communities safe.

The Church is supposed to lead by example. This pandemic has shown the church in its utter, abject failure to lead and show compassion for all people.

The Hypocrisy: What do we do now?

I seek to live in accordance with God’s Word in all aspects of my life. I want to live the way that my Savior did. I want to be kind in all of my actions, and show love where people need it most. I believe that the job of the body of Christ, the duty of the church, is to be examples of Christ and lead others to saving knowledge of Christ.

If the actions of the body are causing believers to be alienated, and the nonbelievers around us to no longer see Christ in us – we need to take a step back and reevaluate the way we walk, talk, and act.

We need Jesus, and we need revival.