Father, help me please! I find myself hating church. Not church as it should be, but I hate the human element. I hate the politics. I hate the busy bodies. I hate the culture. I hate the promises that are preached with great zeal, yet never seem to come to pass.
I find so much more peace and closeness to you when I sit in my lawn chair under the shade tree and talk with you and hear your word in scripture. Perhaps I have expected too much from church and people? Perhaps the many decades have taken their toll and all I want is you, and no more bull. No more gossip. No more churchianity. No more politics. No more service projects my mind and body can’t live up to. Father, help me. Above all things, help to seek you, and have your love, mercy, and compassion for all people. Thank you Jesus! AMEN!
April 3rd, 2010 at 3:25 pm
My heart is right in this dark spot. Thanks for saying it so well and for the prayer to have love, mercy and compassion for all people.
May 30th, 2010 at 11:23 am
Feel exactly like this! Well… really don’t hate church, but hate people who think they’re “the church”. I need church, and care for all other people who is in even more need of Jesus, love and mercy. Isn’t church the place where we should find other believers who are willing to share, love and care about their brother’s needs?
January 7th, 2011 at 9:46 am
As a pastor’s wife, I too “hate” church . . . not what it is intended to be, but what it feels like. I hate the looks I get when I don’t live up to someone’s expectation. I hate the gossip because someone doesn’t understand the deeper reason for a decision. I hate that people can say what they want to, but I must be silent, appearing like I always “have it together.” I hate that people think I don’t have any feelings. I hate that people are just mean. I hate that people in church don’t act like Jesus. Thank you for letting me vent here.
August 7th, 2011 at 7:20 am
I hate it too, for the same reasons Red states. I’ve been a pastor’s wife for over 30 years. People are all for wanting us to be a ministry “team” when it is convenient for them, but criticize that the pastor’s wife is “too involved” when they are unhappy with the pastor. I’m supposed to know everything that is going on but I’m supposed to be ignorant of the jabs at my husband. If I show I genuinely hurt, then it is used as evidence against my husband that maybe he is burned out and should leave the ministry. When he was a young pastor, he heard “You don’t know as much as we do. We’d make you into a good minister if you’d let us.” Now that he is 60, some make it clear that they think it is perfectly fine to practice age discrimination toward pastors. “You’re a has-been. When are you going to retire? We want young blood in the pulpit” People only want Matthew 18 observed in regard to themselves. For some reason, they think treating the pastor according to Matthew 18 is not required. I’m tired of “concerned letters”, secret meetings, and betrayal. I hate it. I wish my husband had taken a safer job, such as defusing mines in Afghanistan. I hate it.
August 11th, 2011 at 8:34 pm
I am a pastor with many years experience. I am to the point that I hate church. I want to get on my motorcycle and ride into the sunset. I hate the liars, the gossips, the mean and hateful people, and most of all…the politics. I will never retire as a pastor. I love Jesus, but I can’t take this crap much longer. This can’t be Christianity.