Questions and Doubts
For too long, the church has established an attitude that you can belong as long as you believe what we believe and your questions/issues are not ok. Now, that might not be directly stated, but that seems to be what is implied. This mentality is something that has really bothered me for the past few years. I don’t get the sense reading through the Gospels that Jesus ever approached faith in this way. He never attempted to create a club where people were excluded if all their beliefs didn’t match up, or if they were unsure about something pertaining to the Kingdom of God. In fact, I think he was ok with people’s DOUBTS and QUESTIONS. Sure, that’s a scary thing for church leaders to admit, but it’s necessary in order for the church to move forward. Let’s face it, no one wants to be told what to do or believe.
Getting the chance to begin a church from the ground up is both an exciting and scary journey. One of the most exciting parts is the fact that there are absolutely no structures or unspoken principles in place. You might say there’s no “baggage” that comes along with the church. That means that our initial team will be responsible for shaping what the church will look like for years to come. And a goal I have is that it will be a place where doubts and questions are not only allowed, but explored.
How’s that done? Simple, allow people freedom to talk and not be judged no matter what they might say or believe. Yes, even if it’s much different than what you believe. Time and again, Jesus would tell a story and ask the disciples how they interpreted it. Other times, Jesus would ask his disciples what they think should be done in a certain situation. He didn’t always give answers, instead he allowed the disciples to work out their own personal faith through questions and doubts they might have. It was the only way that faith became REAL in their lives, and it remains the only way faith will become REAL in our lives today.
