The Church as a
Place of Healing
Sermon Review
04 June 2000
Reading - Rom 12:9-21.
It only takes a glance at life around us, television, and a brief reflection on our experience to realise that society tends to manufacture damaged people. It is like an engineering workshop that turns out flawed products despite the best of intentions eg. Substance, sexual and emotional abuse; crimes of all types etc.
A catchword of the 90's was 'dysfunction' - dysfunctional people, families and systems. The Psychotherapeutic and Pharmaceutical industries are blossoming, as are alternative medicines and therapies - we have turned dysfunction into an art form! Although the word may be modern, the reality of dysfunction is as old as the 'Fall'. (For example, Rom. 1:18-32; Tit.3:3; Eph.4:17)
However, the Bible takes it a step past simple categorisation, and highlights the cause - disconnection from God (Eph.2:12, 4:18) The Christian gospel is all about rectifying this problem:- a) between God and ourselves (eg. Eph.1:5) b) within ourselves (eg. The integrating fruit of the Spirit Gal.5:22) c) between ourselves and others (eg. 1John.4:7,8).
The Spirit who converts (John.16:8), inhabits (Eph.1:13-14), and empowers the Christian (Rom.6:1-13; Eph.5:18), engages in the task of transforming individuals through the process of 're-connection'. This is where the church is pivotal. The work of transforming is largely achieved in relationships. That is why people are saved as individuals into a worldwide community (1Corl12:12-20), which meets in local assemblies or church communities around the world.
Example: The church in the world is intended to be like a Greenhouse ie. to provide a controlled and regulated environment which is ideal for the growth of the Christian life, in direct contrast to the outside environment. What are some of the 'ingredients which are supposed to be a part of the Church 'Greenhouse'?
The Ideal Conditions: Rom.12:9-21. A sample
- Sincere love: not pretence or a mere skill in demonstrating compassion. Not crafted politness, but genuine love from the centre of who we are;
- Hatred for wrong: a strong dislike for lies & deceits, attitudes and actions which deny or waterdown the sincerity of that love;
- Brotherly affection: treatment of each other as family members
- Honouring one another: celebrates their worth and value; delights in their victories and successes; where playing second fiddle is easily embraced;
- Zeal & fervour: enthusiasm in service to God and others; empowered with a spiritual aliveness;
- Joy, hope, patience: optimistic, joy-filled people who are patient with difficulties and difficult people;
- Practice hospitality: habitual helping of others, of inviting them home, sharing meals and lodging if necessary and appropriate. Etc. etc. etc.
The environment within a church community should be characterised by these and similar things! In such a climate church involvement should be therapeutic as it is intended to be. Unfortunately, for many, church has not been so positive and healthy.
Reasons for Actual Conditions:
- Ourselves: too often we want to be independent, private, closed, and being fearful we become flippant, critical etc.
- The church style: a culture of superficiality, formality, emotion frowned on, furnishings severe, little personal participation and allowance of spontaneity.
- Some or most of the members are critical, cool & indifferent, judgemental, reserved, patronising etc. The truth is, often the responsibility for our negative experiences at church are our own, though not exclusively.
The Way Forward:
Dr. Larry Crab: 'Connecting' 1997 - "We no longer see the church as a place for the substantial healing of personal wounds. Ordinary Christians have been told they have no power to provide real help for deep problems…we have underestimated the power that God has placed within His family. Community could mean far more that it often does. I am now working toward the day when communities of God's people, ordinary Christians…will accomplish most of the good that we now depend on mental health professionals to provide. And they will do it by 'connecting' with each other in ways that only the gospel makes possible."
- Christianity is about living with supernatural resources that go far beyond what we have naturally eg. Col.1:29; Phil.1:8; Eph.5:18)
- The gospel provides the resources to connect with others at such a deep level that church can and should be a therapeutic experience for all. It should be a 'greenhouse' which is characterised by Rom.12:9-21 qualities!
- At the very least the church should be able to hold me together when my life is falling apart, if each person plays their part (Eph.5:15,16).
Reasons are threefold that we don't play our part:
- Ourselves: we work at being independent, private and closed.
- The church is structured to stifle emotion, create superficiality, emphasise formality.
- Some members are exceptionally judgemental, critical, cool, indifferent and reserved, undoing the work of the many.
The bottom line is that to throw brakes on 'connecting' at a deep level with others may have justification in past hurts and personality, but to God these are not acceptable reasons for not learning how to do it. To Him, to evade this is simply sin - a selfish preoccupation with ourselves! The Scriptures never provide bad family backgrounds or personality etc. as good enough reason for dismissing Rom. 12:9-21 Characteristics. The call is to all because He gives us the grace and power to do it - if we are willing!
Conclusion:
The question is not what we give to make community happen - to make our church a therapeutic experience for all? The real question is 'what do we hold back?' And are you willing to stop doing so?
Small groups are a wonderful way to help learn how to relate more deeply with others. The flowover from them into the bigger church life can be exceptional. I challenge you to think about what church should be like, what you hold back, and to think and pray long and hard about being willing to be part of a small group in this church. Such participation will undoubtably help move this church further down the path of constructing a Biblical community, as we each play our part (Eph.5:15,16), as God intends that we should.
Blessings