The American Church is Not OK, Part 3 by John Avant

“Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul...” ‭‭Acts‬ ‭4‬:‭32‬ ‭

Because of this, the power of the Holy Spirit was unleashed all around them and they changed their world. 

Since then the enemy of the Church has made it his demonic mission to defeat us by dividing us. 

If you break your bones, it’s hard to do almost anything else until those bones are back in place and healed. 

The American Church has never been more broken.

Our divisions are multiplied in their impact by the culture of social media. This morning I was reading about a terrible dispute between two churches 1000 miles away from me. Not long ago, I might not have heard about this.  Now people all over the world can be aware of our divisions and join in online!

Perhaps the most shocking thing to me in the American church is how we have joined the litigation culture of our day.  Vast amounts of money are being wasted, and our witness is being dragged through the mud as we look to the courts to solve our disputes.  

We claim to be people who believe every word of the Bible. Yet it appears we only truly believe the parts that apply to someone else. 

“When one of you has a grievance against another, does he dare go to law before the unrighteous instead of the saints…To have lawsuits at all with one another is already a defeat for you. Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?” ‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭6‬:‭1‬,7

The Bible is clear on this, yet we figure out ways around it as well as other passages about gossip, slander, etc.. 

So much of the American Church finds herself broken, hurting and powerless.

That is not okay. 

Giant systemic answers to this issue are almost impossible to find and harder to implement. 

The only answer that has a chance to bring change is for me to change!

As a pastor for 35 years I am all too familiar with Church hurt. Anyone who pastors that long has been through multiple church conflicts and personal wounds.  

However, I have to decide whether I’ll allow those wounds to focus my life and ministry OR the amazing grace-filled truth:  the wounds of Jesus can heal me and are even enough for those who have hurt me!

So in this season of life, my wife and I have made two simple decisions that we hope in our own small way can lead to more unity in the body of Christ around us. 

First, we view our church as our family, and we are never leaving our family. 

We don’t like everything about our church. But that is of no consequence to us anymore.  It is not about us. We are going to love, help, forgive and serve in any way that we can. We are there to stay. 

Second, we are going to do everything we can to make immediate peace with anyone we feel has hurt us. 

If we cannot, we are going to graciously forgive, as we have been forgiven and leave the rest to God.

We have decided we would rather see the power of God in the present, than remain stuck in the pain of our past. 

You can do the same thing if you want and it can make a difference!

In 1995 God brought an incredible movement of revival to our church in Brownwood, Texas and to the campus of Howard Payne University. In the next few years, it spread across the country to hundreds of churches and campuses.  

It changed our lives forever.

I will never forget in the early stages of that movement when the leader of a group that had opposed much of what I sought to do as Pastor came walking down the aisle at the response time.  He asked for my forgiveness and asked to share it with the whole church!

I honestly believe that the power of that reconciliation was the key in launching that movement to its ultimate impact. 

One man’s decision of humility, forgiveness, and unity led to a movement of revival far beyond his one life!

Who knows what God might do when you and I make similar decisions?

I want to find out!

Everything is not okay with the American Church. But it can get a little better today.  

It all starts with me. 

And you.