Day 213: Driving Them FROM Church

Today was (I cannot say subtle reminder) a HUGE reminder why many hate the idea of going to church. It is no wonder there are books out there with titles like, "They Like Jesus but Not the Church" and "Lord Save Us From Your Followers." If you know me than you know that I am always up for a spirited debate or discussion. Don't believe me? Wait until you see what I have planned next for Waupaca...it has to be a God thing because I am freaked out about it. Today however I posted a blog about parents going on vacation or getaways without the kids and how healthy that can be IN MY OWN HUMBLE OPINION. You would have thought I told parents to take their kids to the local orphanage and drop them off. Whenever a conversation goes from kindly disagreeing like the facebook group I started to all out personal attacks I will drop the comment side of the blog. I will and reserve comments for those of you who are on my facebook or a part of my facebook group.

I am not joking...a blog most times is simply a person's opinion. When a person states their opinion it always means they are entitled to it. It is fine if someone wants to disagree but when it turns downright ugly then even I have to delete comments. This is why it reminds me of people not liking the church, if you don't think like we do, dress like we do, do the things we do, people over time will become more and more rude to you. Sometimes if you are like some of the people that weighed in on my vacation blog...you are just a horrible person from the get go. This happens all to often in the church. To be completely honest if some of these people that weighed in with less than flattering words were to talk in person...they may not be so bold. For those who twist my comments to now throw back at me...there is one person who did that in bible in the very first book...his name was Satan. Just sayin.

Church should be a place where everyone is welcome and I consider blogging to be the same. Everyone has a right to their opinion, but when some crazy person decides to blast you both barrels it really shows the true character of that person. That is when I end the conversation because as Proverbs 26:4(NIV) states: "Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you yourself will be just like him." Fact is that if I left "commenting" on I would get blasted for quoting from the NIV in stead of KJV. Then we wonder why some churches are not growing...how can they with people like these attending UNLESS they are one of those who are bold behind the keyboard but in person they back down from conversation. hmmmm. I have seen this...they shoot emails at me, report me to my "higher ups", etc. When we see each other they avoid me which is why I make EVERY EFFORT to say "hi" when I see them in person.

A word to pastors/staff pastors/soon to be pastors. You have to develop thick skin to be in ministry but you don't have to take everything. You do what you need to do in order to moderate the personal attack comments towards you. It is okay!

Here is what two ladies told me on facebook after the explosion of my last blog:

"Bob as a mom of 5 and now a grandma, I thought your blog about getting time alone was so well said. It's very easy to get so wrapped up in all of the everyday stuff involving parenting that you can easily lose sight of what brought two people together. And I can tell you that grandparents love being able to invest in their grandchildren's lives. And even with Grandparents half as cool as James and Emma have, the kids I am sure look at it as their own vacation also."

and

"Haha... I learned today how crazy touchy and emotional people can be about parenting... I put up a link and a comment about bad parenting and someone flipped out. Someone also flipped out when I made a comment about homeschooling.... I think a lot of people (sadly, mostly of my gender) are totally incapable of separating emotion from reason. Yep... I apologize on behalf of the weaker minded people of my gender. ;)"