My parents taught me about committment. They married back in January of 1962 and are still married today. There were times I wondered if they should be but their relationship has grown out of challenges and good times. Imagine how I felt when my first marriage ended in divorce. I was devastated. Not so much about losing my husband, but about not living up to the standards that I had set for myself. I couldn't work on a marriage when my partner wanted nothing to do with reconciliation. The results would have been futile. My second marriage has been different in that way. There are many challenges but my husband doesn't walk away when things don't go as planned.
I'm thankful that my relationship with Christ isn't like that. He never leaves me even though there are times I don't listen to Him. He is in it for the long haul. My church family reflects that sense of committment I have to Christ and to my marriage. I pray that my children see that modelling of committment in all of my relationships. I have been with Evergreen for over 11 years now. God led me to that church and I am glad He did. There have been times where I have not been happy. Where things didn't always go my way. But it isn't all about me. There is a family to consider and to leave that family would fracture the Body. It is about what I can give to that Body and what I can learn from it as I submit to it's leadership.
Too often the 21st Century church reflects the 21st Century relationship committment trend. When things don't make us happy in a relationship, we can leave. It's that easy in a marriage and it seems to be that easy in our church affiliations. At least in evangelical circles. A Barna report suggests that evangelical church growth is less about reaching the unchurched and more about receiving church hoppers. Fatigued leadership is ready with open arms to receive "mature Christians" as a life saver of sorts. Unless these people are "new in town" perhaps these leaders need to discern whether or not there may be some unresolved conflict with these travellers.
I have an aunt who has been with four churches in the last 10 years. There always seems to be something "wrong" with the fellowship after a couple of years for her. It is coming up about 2 years for her current church, so time will tell.
When conflict has not been resolved in one church family, it will follow us wherever we go. We can't expect people to give us only what Christ can. Christ uses people to reflect His love but people are not perfect. Soon the experiene of dating a church gets old very fast and reality hits. Unless we are committed for the long haul, we will get bored and disssatisfied. Then it's time to move again.
I'm so glad that I have had a few godly friends that have kept me humble. I also thank God the one time I did seek to leave Evergreen. He was very direct at telling me I was to stay. The growth and healing that I have experienced would never have happened had I listened to my flesh.
http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_6320678
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