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I ' m T ired
A sk Tm P hiuifs
of
(-----------------------
F a k in g I t I n C hurch !
yourself the following questions. Be honest with your evaluation of
yourself. When you are, you will discover why being in this church
does not meet your needs.
Dear Dr. Phillips,
I cannot seem to draft myself to church anymore. I just can't
stand the hypocrisy. Every Sunday. I walk in with great awe and /
have to fake my conversation with everyone. The sad think is—
inside I am deeply depressed and no one even notices. If they are
so spiritual, why don’t they notice?
Signed, Tired of Being □ Fake
Dear Tired of Being a Fake,
You didn’t say whether or not you had accepted Jesus Christ as
your personal Savior. This is the primary reason you become a part
of the church. You will notice that 1 said “a part of the church."
Becoming or being a member of a church is not the key to having
joy in one’s life or, in your case, being real. We have often heard
people say and even watched them as they "joined a church.” You
can join a church and not change, but when you become a par, of the
church you cannot remain the same. Nothing ever said in your ques
tion about seeking a relationship with the Head of the church: our
Lord and Savior, Jesus Chris,. Joining a church is not like joining a
club where the membership has similar social, economic, and cul
tural backgrounds. Joining the church makes you a part of a group
made up of people of dissimilar backgrounds who are not connect
ed because the entertainment is good or even because they are good
The agenda is not fake, it is real. The program is not what holds
them together. It is not a uni, of flesh—it is a oneness of spirit, hav
ing the same bloodline. Everyone in "The Church" has the same
Father. There are several reasons why you might feel like a fake and
you should consider the reasons why you are in this church. Ask
1. Have you completely surrendered your life to Christ?
2. Do you have a personal relationship with the Savior? Do you
spend time in the Presence of God—praying, confessing meditating,
and listening?
3. Do you spend time reading the Word of God which is your direc
tive? Do you understand what you read and how the Spirit of God
operates within you?
4. What are your motives for attending this church? Do you go
because it is a tradition in your family? Did you join because you
felt it was the right thing to do or because you wanted the support of
faith,Tiled people?
5. Are your expectations of the church folk not being met?
Oftentimes, we want church people to be perfect when God chose
and forgave us all in our imperfections. Perfection is not pleasing
everyone, but it is an unconditional love that accepts each person as
they are. Real love is non-judgmental. Each member of a church is
in a certain developmental stage and growing.
If you feel fake in church, then perhaps you are there for the
wrong reasons. You don’t have to be super-spiritual: God chooses
ordinary people as his Ambassadors. Church is not in a building. It
should be in you and you must carry it wherever you go. Check your
relationship with Chris, and find out if you know Him or simply
know about Him. He makes the difference between the real thing
and the fake. ■
AHHH, The Sweet Smell of Success
K P If P
What!! D on’t Smell Anything?
You need to advertise your business on 1290-PRAISE
f
1 •
M utual H om e M ortgage— more
Portland R escu e M ission— paid
profit dollar for dollar than k \ L
lor entire 52 week contract in first 2 months
D ou gh ty’s A p p lian ce—“No question. you guys work”
And there are more...lots more!
For resu lts th at are track ab le and tan gib le call u s now
242-1950
J
a n u a r y
/F
ebruary
1995
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