Tuesday, January 08, 2013
Good Point, But REALLY Face It
Christian Post:
Yeah, I know, most churches get rid of offenders, but they do so on the down low, "for the sake of maintaining the image of the church."
I think the image of the church would be greatly improved if ti would more publicly expunge the evil that dwells within.
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An Ohio pastor involved in spreading awareness about child abuse in the U.S. said that the church should be "fearful of our own depravity."
Don Solin, youth pastor for the Next Generation ministry at Fairhaven Church in Dayton, told The Christian Post after a conference call on Tuesday that part of Christianity's response to the problem of child abuse needs to be pastors and clergy recognizing their own potential for depravity.
"All of us who do ministry ought to be fearful of our own depravity," said Solin, who felt that church leaders often run the risk of "[looking] down at other people that are struggling with sin."
[...]
Solin focused on what the church should do to combat child abuse, emphasizing the need to help parents to communicate with their family, as well as being good role models.
"I hope [churches] become honest and say this is a problem, and we can do something about it. Not just say, here's a band aid and somebody else can fix this. I mean, I hope the church says, 'hey we can do something about this,'" said Solin to CP.
"The reality is that the church has to stand out. The church, the universal church, followers of Christ together has to stand out…It also must speak honestly about it and not skirt it. Not pretend it's not there, but really speak and do something honestly about it."All this talk of honesty and our own depravity and no one says the place to really start. If, in fact, the church "has to stand out," and be "fearful of our own depravity," then perhaps this conference should begin by addressing child abuse within the church! Rarely a week goes by that we are not treated to a story of a pastor somewhere abusing, typically sexually, children in their church. And for all the stories we hear, how many are there that we do not hear? Before we can even begin to "help parents to communicate with their family," we have got to begin by purging the demon from the ranks of church leadership.
Yeah, I know, most churches get rid of offenders, but they do so on the down low, "for the sake of maintaining the image of the church."
I think the image of the church would be greatly improved if ti would more publicly expunge the evil that dwells within.
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