Were You Hurt By A Church?

My son recently told me that he has been hearing the phrase "church hurt" a lot lately where he pastors in the Midwest. I had never heard that particular phrase before, but I am aware that it is quite common to hear people report that they were hurt by a church. Why is that?

First of all, everyone who has spent time with people anywhere knows what it means to be hurt by others. The church is no exception. Wherever people are, hurt and wounding can occur. I am not minimizing the issue at all, but merely stating the obvious: people - sometimes knowingly, most often unknowingly - can cause hurt.

I know how it feels to be hurt by church people, yet, the times that I have been helped and encouraged by church people are 100,000 times more than I have ever been hurt.

Let me take it a step further: What is it like being on a church staff, or working - as paid or volunteer - in a ministry? It can be painful sometimes. It can be dicey. Sometimes people are hurt. Some people eventually become quite disillusioned with churches or ministries.

This is the topic I recently addressed when I was asked to speak for the Morris Cerullo World Evangelism ministry at their brand new, stunningly beautiful Legacy Center on Interstate 8 in San Diego (You are invited to see this spectacular facility by clicking here: https://legacysandiego.com/  Come visit it sometime!).  I felt that (although I know of no problems at all in their remarkable ministry) I was to address this, as a matter of principle. Why? Because wherever you have people, you have the potential for wounding.

My talk was not a sermon. It was a grandfatherly fireside chat on simply learning to live with each other. Even if you are not a part of a church staff or serving in a paid or volunteer position in a ministry, I believe you will find this talk - based on Romans 12 - to be helpful and quite practical.

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN.

Dr. Jim Garlow
CEO/Founder
Well Versed

Rosemary Schindler Garlow
Co-Founder
Well Versed

www.WellVersedWorld.org