The Divine Crash

In the last few weeks I have had about six conversations regarding whether or not I would ever kick someone out of church, deny them communion, or refuse to do their wedding/funeral.  I don’t know why this keeps coming up and the people who bring it up seem to be across the spectrum of Christianity from seminary students to congregation members to other pastors.  I have been kicked out of church, it sucks.  Why would this even be a question or an option?  I think there a few reasons why people would want to kick others out of church.

It appears that the question of kicking people out of church revolves around three main issues.

1. Sin,  We say it like this “this person is sinning and won’t stop so we are supposed to kick them out, that is what the bible says.”  Really the Bible says that? The Bible seems to make it clear that those in habitual sin shouldn’t be in leadership and that if they won’t stop they are to be treated like tax collectors.   But how did Jesus treat tax collectors? He spent more time with them, he didn’t let their sins infect him and he constantly told them they were loved.

2. They are different. This used to be based on race, now we see it based on age, gender, economic status, and sexual orientation.  This one to me seems to be based on fear.  People fear what is different (which is why we won’t sit in a different pew).  Our fear takes people and turns them into objects that are to be feared.  If perhaps we took sometime to get to know the people different from us they wouldn’t be objects anymore.

3.  Personal dislike, this one is probably the most widespread and the least systemic.  John Wesley refused communion to a woman and her fiance because he was heartbroken and mad at them.  We say things like “that person isn’t good enough for my church.”  or “If they come to my church they will be more popular than me.”  This is when we decide people aren’t good enough or their sins are too great to be near me, or even that they smell b

ad.

All of these roll into each other and they are all dumb reasons.  Maybe some people are toxic and should be avoided but they are still welcome in church, like the tax collector and heathen.  They are all still loved by God and still welcomed into the kingdom because they have been forgi

ven just like everyone else.

So would I take people out of leadership, yes.  Would I ever refuse communion to a person, no.  Would I ever prevent someone from church, no.  Would I refuse to do a wedding, maybe depending on the circumstances.  Would I ever refuse a funeral, no.

When the church refuses people it impacts the way a person views God.  It reinforces stereotypes that God is vengeful and the followers are a country club.  It destroys the church’s ability to make disciples.

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Church Thoughts by RevBT