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I have been reading a book entitled "Risking Church" sub title: creating a place where your heart fels at home. I really like what I'm reading but it brings up some questions that I want to discuss. So for a couple of days I want to see what your opinion is.
Todays question is: What do you think of when you hear the term "Safe Church"?
For me it pretty much means a place where I can be me. A place where I don't need to play the game of "hide my feelings and pretend I'm doing okay". I'm a transparent kind of guy anyway, I don't mind people knowing whats going on in my life. I used to administer a 12 step program for recovering alcoholics and I always had a problem with the idea of being anonymous. My thinking was if I'm going to get help, I need as many people as possible to know about what's going on.
Anyway I would be interested in know what you think a "Safe Church" would look like. How should they respond to people? Do you think it's possible for a church to be a "safe Place"? How important is it to you? What would happen to the church as we know it if it became a "safe place"?
Click on "comments" below and talk to me.
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6 comments:
Gee, Lee...I guess it depends on what meaning you give to "church". Is "church" the building or other place you meet? Then "safe" should be easy with metal detectors and alarm systems! :-)
Is "church" the body of Christ? If so, than "safe" should be a natural quality; church goers should be nice to each other, and be "peacemakers"...but since we're all human, it doesn't always work that way.
Roy
eers! No, that's where I think the Church should start. We should be like the people in the tv show "Cheers" who always yelled out "NORM" when Norm walked in. It should be a place where we are EXCITED about seeing each other and sharing in their lives. Now that is the only part of "Cheers" that we want to emulate.
The Church needs to go much deeper in the involvement in each others lives. Not that we are running each others lives, but rather we do what the Bible says, when someone hurts, we truly hurt with them and when someone is joyful, we are truly joyful with them.
I'm afraid a lot of our churches are full of fakers and posers. Those who want to be known for being a Christian and attending church, but not be authentic in their walk with the Lord.
Lee, thought I would give you something to think about!
Have a blessed day!
In order to have a safe church people need to have connection. The common point of connection that each one of us shares is the idea that we are sons and daughters of God and we are all sinners. I get the idea by talking to some "churched folk" they forgot they were sinners. The Jesus I know stays with me and loves and disciplines me in all seasons of life, good and bad. Can we give people the relational equity that was given to us when Jesus died on the cross.
The other component of a safe church is a church that carves out time for relationships. If I feel like you are in a hurry to go maintain your busy schedule, I get the idea that you don't have time for a relationship. If you don't have time, I don't feel "safe". Relationships do not come in cookie cutter form, they come full force, sometimes good and sometimes not so good. Safety means staying with me when I am bad and rejoicing with me when I am good, and having time to do both.
Great question and great comments. I think we need to be authentic in our relationships. But to have that authenticity has to be valued. The way you value authenticity is by not shutting it down, politely or otherwise, when it is expressed. Authenticity leads to community/fellowship that is real and lasting and I think that has a lot to do with a safe church.
Our safety is not in each other in the absolute sense. We trust each other even though we know we might some day disappoint. Our safety resides in the Only One who can truly provide and said "we are safe in the hollow of his hand, under his wing, in his fortress."
So a safe church is a place and people where knowing that God is our ultimate safety, and where we lose the pretense (stop denying), overcome the fear of intimate relationship, and admit our need to the company of others who also find their safety in God.
A follow up question: Is God safe and in what sense?
My view is that a safe church teaches sound Biblical doctrine where members are not only concerned with what they wear, what can and what can not be done, in short, a balanced church is a safe church. Just my two cents worth of opinion. Thanks!
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