P4E.217 An Open Letter to The Church at Large - Part 1

Image via NPR.org - "Occupy Wall Street Timeline: From Blog Post to a Movement"

First of all, I am nobody. I have no credentials. I have no theology degree. I don't claim to be a prophet of God. I do not claim this to be a "prophetic utterance." I don't claim that God "told me" to say these things. I'm just a guy who is (hopefully humbly) pursuing Christ in his own way. I do recognize that people distinguish between the "church" and the "Church," but for my purposes, they are one and the same and what I have to say goes for both. This is certainly meant to be more than a friendly nudge, more than a good natured poke. It's meant to be a hard jab in the ribs or a kick in head of the Church. I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore.

My heart has been aching as I see the Church floundering along. I see a Church misled and misguided. I see a Church missing opportunities left and right. I see a Church that has lost its focus and has no idea which way to turn. So, the Church is collectively running down a rabbit hole, on a wild goose chase, head in the sand, thrown to the wind, chasing its tail, running in circles and spunout.

The thing that's got me going is the Occupy Movement (OM). The OM has struck a chord with many and been the object of scorn for others. They have no one champion nor do they have any particular goals. But, they are tapping into a growing sense of unease in the country and the world. No one can quite put their finger on what it is. These people have identified that they feel cheated, misused, bullied, forgotten, abandoned, maltreated, trodden upon, and beat down. They want justice. They want peace. They have identified Big Corporations as an enemy, but they might just as well have picked Big Government or Big Media or Big Entertainment or Big Religion or anyone else that force feeds them ideas, unduly influences their lives and takes money out of their pockets.  Many of the OM's Big Enemies have seized the opportunity to identify themselves with some salient aspect of the OM. The people of the OM have unwittingly made the case that they want and need to be saved. But, where is the Church? Nowhere to be seen. Nothing. Nothing at all.

The very entity that has the answers to the yearning, craving, crying need of the OM is standing on the sidelines. Worse yet, many in the Church are critical, judgmental and cynical, saying "What these people need to do is clean up, quit whining and complaining and go get a job."

Church, where is your COMPASSION? Where is your EMPATHY? Where is your FORGIVENESS? Where is your LOVE? Where is your CHRISTLIKENESS?

There will be more...