Believe it or not the multiplicity of Churches as we have it today was not always so. There was a time when there was only one Church in the whole world. Until 1517 the only Church there was, was the Catholic Church. It all started around October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenburg, Germany requesting for some changes in the Church. From that time on the deed was done; people started finding one reason or the other to leave their church in order to either start their own Church or to join another one. I am not sure that God knows the number of Churches there is in the world today.
It is common to find people complaining of one thing or the other in every Church. There are those will do nothing except complain, it doesn’t matter what anyone does. It is my opinion that most of those who complain do not know deep down why they complain. Many have left the church for selfish reasons or to make money. Others see the church as an opportunity to get rich.
I often wonder all the atrocities there is in the world and yet the Mosques are always full on Fridays and our Churches are teeming with people on Sundays. Many more Churches are coming up daily with different names. ‘Church Business Plc.’ has become a very lucrative venture the world over. Retreats, revival and spiritual convocations are being organized on daily bases. Tele-evangelists have filled the airwaves with their sound and fury in the name of preaching while selling their wares in the name of ministering in God’s name. With all the prayers and the church going, why are we retrogressing into sin, crimes, degeneration, dearth and rot?
It is my opinion that the problem with our universe is far from creating churches. No matter what Church one finds himself or herself in, there will always be something wrong with it. Me think that the problem is not the Church but those who are in it. When we complain about our Church we should remember that if our Church were to be perfect we would not be worthy to be members. Christian life is more than a building we call Church, it is about living the life of Christ and following in his footsteps. Do we find it easy to put our Christian tenet into practice? What about the virtues of love, forgiveness, mercy, justice, truth, freedom and peace? What about living a life of reconciliation and forbearance? How right was Cardinal G. Biffi of Milan when he observed: “Christianity conquers not when one fools himself into thinking that the Christian life is a nice walk under the flowering almond trees, but when he doesn’t forget that baptism signs one up in a battle against evil. So why not love your Church for a change and serve the Lord your God wherever you find yourself?
Absolutely right. I love my church and do whatever I can to serve the Lord. You are right about people who always complain. They try to destroy people's attitude toward their church with their negativity. We have it in ours. But we will prevail and have a bright future. God will provide. Prayer is the answer along with everyone striving towards our future goals.
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