I’ve been saying this a lot lately in private conversations…

Your frustration with this broken country and your desire to see more being done about it isn’t sinful. Your desire for justice more than peacekeeping isn’t wrong.

Have you read the Prophets? Do you remember Jesus flipped over tables? Do you recall the issues Jesus addresses or the people whose names he knew who would normally be passed over? The poor? The outcast? The women? The oppressed?

He taught us to pray “On Earth as it is in Heaven.” He modeled again and again how to bring that about through his life on Earth.

But, I also would urge you to consider how you are defining the church you are frustrated at. Do you mean the leadership? The staff? The denomination? The institution in general?

I think if you see the church as the people, the congregants, the ones who have been there long before your current pastor and will be there long after, you’ll see there’s more of that Kingdom justice work being done than you realized.

It happens day in and day out in the lives of congregants without some official blessing or program by the church.

So, go do the work you’re burdened about and called to. Your church isn’t officially doing it? So what, do it without them. Then, go be a witness to your church to the things you’ve seen and invite them to participate. And if they still don’t, it’s their loss.

Live where you’re called. The church will never be perfect, but that doesn’t stop the work of the kingdom of God. Work and pray for change in your church- that’s what being committed to a local body of believers is about. Do the work in your own church. Push for change.

Side note: There are times when it’s toxic and you need to leave. You know those lines that aren’t ok to cross. Those things that aren’t ok to say or not say; do or not do. Use your judgement.

I say all of this as the spouse of a pastor at an executive level of leadership at a church and as someone who has learned (and is still learning) how to deal with my frustrations with the Church in healthier ways.

I say this as someone who has walked away and returned and almost walked away several times since. I say this as someone who sees that it’s worth it to stay and do the work for change. (At least that’s how I feel about it today 😏)

I’ve been saying this a lot lately in private conversations with friends, but am realizing I should probably just say it more publicly, since so many people ask me about it: No, you’re not wrong for caring a lot about social justice issues and wanting the church to do the same.

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