In this case, I am referring to disappointment with church or church leadership.
I have seen a number of cases where Christians, having been heavily involved in a team ministry, have become isolated and part of what has been described as an unchurched diaspora. One guy I know well went to live in France and died recently, without any real allegiance to a local fellowship, even though he kept his piety. He never fell out with God.
However, another ex-work colleague, has had a volte-face it seems from any collective expression of the church and sadly even Christianity. Apparently he spent a year away from paid employment to attend bible college and get a qualification and when he returned the leadership no longer were prepared to offer him a leadership role with preaching responsibilities. I heard that he unchurched himself.
But I met up with him a year ago at an anniversary and he had a group of willing listeners around as he was castigating all capitalism and urging a vigorous socialism. I engaged with him afterwards and he seemed angry and intolerant of Christians and especially of those who still thought that the gospel and church could make any change to the misery of many people's lives.
And quite disturbingly, he now has a serious fatal wasting disease. I texted to find how he was, thinking that maybe he had reconnected in his need with the personal and the supernatural. And he was possibly even more dismissive of church. There was no personal God in his conversation, nor even reference to any liberation theology or political God.
I suppose the question I am asking is how often do people, in their disappointment with church or leadership, actually throw out their faith as well. Are even the cleverest of us usually blinded by our emotions and frustrations in deciding what we believe? How honest and objective is our faith?
I have seen a number of cases where Christians, having been heavily involved in a team ministry, have become isolated and part of what has been described as an unchurched diaspora. One guy I know well went to live in France and died recently, without any real allegiance to a local fellowship, even though he kept his piety. He never fell out with God.
However, another ex-work colleague, has had a volte-face it seems from any collective expression of the church and sadly even Christianity. Apparently he spent a year away from paid employment to attend bible college and get a qualification and when he returned the leadership no longer were prepared to offer him a leadership role with preaching responsibilities. I heard that he unchurched himself.
But I met up with him a year ago at an anniversary and he had a group of willing listeners around as he was castigating all capitalism and urging a vigorous socialism. I engaged with him afterwards and he seemed angry and intolerant of Christians and especially of those who still thought that the gospel and church could make any change to the misery of many people's lives.
And quite disturbingly, he now has a serious fatal wasting disease. I texted to find how he was, thinking that maybe he had reconnected in his need with the personal and the supernatural. And he was possibly even more dismissive of church. There was no personal God in his conversation, nor even reference to any liberation theology or political God.
I suppose the question I am asking is how often do people, in their disappointment with church or leadership, actually throw out their faith as well. Are even the cleverest of us usually blinded by our emotions and frustrations in deciding what we believe? How honest and objective is our faith?
