I always believe in purpose. I guess it’s the same as fate but the source is always God. If you are reading this today, I suspect God has brought you here. I don’t know why. I don’t particularly believe I have anything inspirational to say. But I do have something.
I once heard an inlaw say something that has caused endless frustration for me as a Christian.
“You Christians think you are better than everyone else.”
I have often wondered why people get that impression? The very fact I am a Christian is because I don’t think I am better, in fact I consider myself a failure and I desperately need a Saviour. But as I consider the large number of people who have left the church I am prompted to reach out, as best I can, to them. Maybe “them” is you. There have been many people that have been hurt by the church. Maybe it was a pastor, or a Sunday School teacher, or an elder, or me. Maybe it was a criminal act done against you or just an uncaring word or attitude. You see the problem with the church is that it is made up of people. People will always fail us. They may not mean to do it, but they do. Even when we try to do good, our humanness taints the good. Not an excuse but a reality. I am just one minister, from one church who wants, on behalf of all those times you felt you have been hurt by the church, to say “I am sorry” and I ask you to forgive me and forgive the church for not being what you hoped I, or it, would be.
Ken Cyr is the pastor at Maple Park Alliance Church in Quesnel.