Ahem, Your Ecclesiology Is Showing
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In the midst of this dark tunnel, I met the Tempter in the wilderness. I sensed—almost as in a dream—that I was standing on the edge of a bluff, staring down into a deep and dark abyss. I knew that I was standing on the edge of leaving the church forever. My agonized soul just wanted to be out of the pain, to never again be identified with the church, to forget her and that I had ever been part of her. And a voice—not audible, but clear and insistent—said to me: "Jump."
I looked into the blackness and could feel the relief of leaving church forever.
But some tiny thought reasoned within me, If I leave the church, I leave Jesus. If I want the Savior, I gotta take the suffering. I chose to stand where I was, to embrace the hideous and kiss the leprous, to accept the shame and the smell. And I did not hurl myself into a spiritual suicide.
That moment is when I started to learn ecclesiology.
Kevin A. Miller is associate pastor of Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, Illinois.
Copyright © 2013 by the author or Christianity Today/Leadership Journal.
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Kevin A. Miller is associate rector of Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, Illinois.
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rating & comments
Average User Rating:
Doug Tegner
Timely word for us, a church continuing to move through the process of repentance, renewal and re-invisioning. Thank you Kevin.
Tim Davis
Thanks, Fr. Kevin!
Young Pastor
*sighs* Repenting...."God help us all."
Marshall Shelley
I was going to say I needed to hear this, but then I realized that would miss your point. So I'll say it's not just what I needed, but WE needed this. Thanks.
Joni Kirk
Thank you for sharing this. I think I needed to read this today.
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