Part of the Problem

From Pastor Keith Stewart from Springcreek Church in Garland, Tx.

No one is perfect. No one lives sin-free. You blow it. I blow it. And the church does, too… The truth is, an apology from the church should not “stand out.” It should not make the community sit up and take notice. But it does, precisely because that the church rarely does what it tells others to do.

…The church in America has a serious credibility problem. Those outside the church look at us and often don’t see anything that even remotely resembles Jesus. Instead they see judgment, hypocrisy, and very little compassion. They hear our words, but don’t see a lifestyle that aligns with those words.

The only way the community will ever believe our words is if our behavior backs it up. With the help of God, we want to become a community of believers that lives out its creed.

With this public apology, our foremost desire is to take responsibility for how we have failed in this area, because with 100% responsibility for our attitudes and behaviors comes 100% forgiveness. And secondly, in keeping with the spirit of repentance, our desire is to keep our eyes on Jesus and allow Him to keep us focused on His mission.

Sounds like perhaps now they can be part of the solution.