Irritated

i'm frustrated at the moment. i don't want to get on a soap box, because soap boxes give the impression that i think i have it all together and everyone else is wrong. i don't think that...i think the opposite, and thats why it makes me sick. but here is my beef.

lately i've been hearing of people being discontent in the church, which doesn't have to be bad if they take that discontentment and do something productive and beneficial to the church. but instead they sit on their ever increasing bottoms and expect "the church" to fix it. i'm sorry, but last time i looked we had 1500 people at our church. what would this church look like if the leaders catered to every whim of those 1500 people. it would be a mess, and our leaders would be a mess. but i guess the part that bothers me is that the pastors are very clear on the vision and purpose of this church, and if you stay here this is what you are going to get. so knowing this, why would they stay and continue to complain about the church? its wrong, and it makes me sick.

i've tried to think why i'm so defensive of this church. i think its because even though i'm only 25 i've been in many churches, voluntereed in 2 and been on staff in 3. i've seen a lot of churches, and i've never seen a church like this before. its not perfect, but the men leading have unity, strength, shared purpose and vision. they support and keep each other accountable.

i think its easy to look in the Bible at the account of Isrealites and think, "what idiots, how could they sin after all God had done for them?" thank God we aren't keeping an account of the American Church today. We make the Israelites look good. bottom line...i know this will never change. we are all fallen creatures and that isn't going change. Sin is always going to be a part of this world, so all we can do is make the best of it while we are here.

at the beginning of this rant i mentioned that mostly why i'm sickened is because i see this all in myself. I may not complain about this church, but do i complain about people? do i complain about my boss at my other job? do i find something to complain about even when things are going great? so please don't think i think i'm better than everyone else. i'm becoming very aware of my own ickyness.

okay. i'm done with my catharsis.