The Parable of the Talents

Jesus told a story reminding his followers that the wise should always remain ready for the Kingdom of Heaven because they will never know when the Groom (Christ) will come for his Bride (the Church). To those who are foolishly unprepared, Christ declared, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you” (Matthew 25:12). He followed that story with this Sunday’s Bible passage, the Parable of the Talents.

Jesus tells us of a man who planned to take a long journey. He gathered His slaves and entrusted his property to them while he was gone. To one slave he gave five talents, to another he gave two and to the third he gave one talent. A talent is a sum of money, which some calculate to be equivalent to 20 years’ worth of wages. The servant with the five talents immediately went and used the money in trade earning an additional five talents. The one with the two talents did the same and earned two additional talents. The servant with one talent feared his master, so he dug a hole in the ground and buried the money.

When the property owner returned from his journey, he summoned them to settle his accounts. The first two slaves, who were given five and two talents, respectively, proudly offered their master his property doubled. “His master said to (them) him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master’” (Matthew 25:21). To the third slave, who buried the one talent, “his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave…you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return, I would have received what was my own with interest. So, take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents” (Matthew 25:27-28).

It is ironic that today the word talent refers to one’s abilities and special gifts, since Christ was teaching us about stewardship in this parable. Everything in this life and on this earth belongs to our Master, God. We speak of “my house” and “my car” and “my money, but it all belongs to God. When we depart from this life, none of our possessions go with us. While we are alive, we are simply stewards, those responsible for God’s possessions. Just as the master in the parable put his slaves in charge of his property, God puts us in charge of the gifts He has bestowed upon us, whether they are possessions or abilities or talents. He expects us to use our gifts wisely to bring light into this world by glorifying Him. He does not want us to bury our gifts.

Another story, which illustrates this concept, is the fig tree. Jesus was hungry and saw a fig tree in the distance. He approached it and found nothing but leaves. He cursed the tree, saying, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again” (Mark 11:14). Christ cursed the fig tree because it was not bearing fruit. Later, as they passed the tree, once again, the disciples noticed that it was withered. God expects us to bear fruit, to be a light in the world. He expects us to live our lives revealing the image of Christ, being witnesses of our faith by sharing God’s love to all. We are living icons, images of Christ.

Whatever gifts and talents we have received from God, we are to share them with others in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When we do, God bestows greater gifts on our lives.  When the disciples noticed the withered fig tree, Christ responded, “Have faith in God.  Truly I tell you, if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and if you do not doubt in your heart but believe that what you say will come to pass, it will be done for you. So I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11: 22-24). When we do anything and everything to please God, He will reward us beyond what we can imagine. When we go to work and give it all we can, we will experience joy and contentment. Work will not be a drudgery. Even one who does the most menial type of work will experience joy in being able to reveal Christ to others.

St. Nektarios of Aegina worked for a cruel master when he was but a young boy. His master beat him and berated him. There was nothing St. Nektarios could do to please his master. Nevertheless, the young boy would copy passages of scripture and hide them in the packages he delivered for his master. With joy, he would painstakingly copy scripture and spread God’s word to all of his master’s patrons. His joy in Christ could not be quenched. Today, he is a saint of the church who is called upon to intercede on behalf of multitudes of believers, especially cancer patients. Countless miracles are attributed to his intercessions. I, too, prayed to St. Nektarios to intercede on my behalf when I had cancer six years ago.        

It is our responsibility, as Christians, to be ambassadors for Christ. We do not have to knock on doors or take to the streets to spread the word of God. We utilized the gifts God has granted us in our everyday lives. According to Paul (1 Corinthians 12:28), “God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues,” but the greatest gifts are “faith, hope, and love…and the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13). Those three are gifts we all possess!

We, as Christians are to be known by our fruits, the effects our faith, hope and love have on others and on ourselves. These are “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). These bring great joy to Christ and glorify Him! Not only are we to share our gifts with the world around us, but more importantly, these are necessities to the flourishing of our Church. They are intended to strengthen us and our faith. They are to supply the needs of all the members of the Church, the body of Christ. We possess the Holy Spirit within us which unites us. We utilize our gifts to build each other up, to deepen our relationship with Christ, to raise our spirits and to support one another in suffering. “If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it” (1 Corinthians 12:26).

If we are suffering in any way, we seek comfort in one another. We empathize with one another because we have all suffered in one way or another. We forgive one another, knowing that God will forgive us, as well. This is the way of the Church. “And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25). Do not withhold the gifts you have to offer the church. Become an active part of your church. Let us become a blessing to one another. I have found that every single time I have asked God to allow be to be a blessing to others, I have received blessings in greater measure. We cannot out-give God.     

© 2018  Helen Kamenos  All rights reserved

http://www.helenkamenos.com/

Eat My Flesh and Drink My Blood

“Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them” (John 6:56).

The above passage from scripture is not well known. However, in John 6:53-58, Jesus repeated these words five times! He was definitely emphasizing the importance of this teaching. Christ’s followers complained that “This teaching is difficult; who can accept it?” (John 6:61). Although He explained that these words described a spiritual truth, many of His supporters unable to comprehend, stopped following Him. These words would not be understood, until after Christ’s resurrection, and after the church was established by the twelve Apostles.

Jesus was referring to the Holy Eucharist or Holy Communion. He instituted this practice of receiving the body and blood of Christ with His disciples at the Last Supper. “And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:19-20). We also learn that the Holy Eucharist was celebrated on Sundays, when Paul states that a group of Christ’s followers met “on the first day of the week” (Acts 20:7) to break bread. It was on the first day of the week that Christ rose from the dead, so therefore, we celebrate the resurrection by partaking of the Eucharist. In I Corinthians 11, Paul states that the Lord handed down the celebration of Holy Communion to him, and he taught the early church members.

The Eucharist replaced the sacrifice of animals, which God instituted from the very beginning with Cain and Abel (Genesis 4). It was Abel’s sacrifice of a lamb that God found pleasing, which angered Cain so greatly that he murdered his brother. God told Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, and just as Abraham was prepared to bring down the knife, an angel stopped him, and God provided the ram for the sacrifice (Genesis 22). The Jewish priests sacrificed animals in the Temple regularly, especially on the feast days. Sacrifices were only permitted to take place in the Temple at Jerusalem because God dwelled in the Holy of Holies within the Temple. The priests would offer up sacrifices brought by the people. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross replaced the Temple sacrifices because He was the perfect lamb. No longer were other sacrifices acceptable to God. In 70 A.D. the Temple was destroyed, and the Jews have not been permitted to offer sacrifices since then. The presence of God was no longer to be found in the Temple. Since Pentecost, God dwells within believers through the Holy Spirit.

The Greek noun εὐχαριστία (eucharistia), means "thanksgiving", while the word Communion comes from the passage in 1 Corinthians 10:16, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ.” These words describe a spiritual reality. When we receive the body and blood of Christ with thanksgiving, we receive Christ Himself and become spiritually united with Him and our fellow believers. Therefore, we become one body in Christ with many members. “For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another” (Romans 12:4-5). In other words, the church is one group in agreement with Christ, but there are many members of our group. Just as a body has eyes, ears, and hands, we are one body working together for God.

Among the various Christian denominations, there are only a few who celebrate the Eucharist every Sunday, including the Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Catholics. Many Christians do not place the emphasis on Holy Communion that Christ did. Jesus declared, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53). According to Jesus, receiving the Holy Eucharist is imperative and essential to our lives as Christians. Christ established Holy Communion at the Last Supper. The Apostles and early church celebrated the Holy Eucharist weekly.

Many do not fully comprehend the spiritual reality and power of the Holy Eucharist. Paul explains what happened to those who received Communion without properly asking for forgiveness: “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord…For this reason many of you are weak and ill, and some have died” (1 Corinthians 11:27-30). Paul warns us that we must properly judge ourselves and repent for our sins before receiving the body and blood of Christ. Some even died when they received the Holy Eucharist unworthily. Mystically, the Eucharist is the body and blood of Christ.

After properly repenting for our sins and receiving the Eucharist, the Holy Spirit forgives our sins and seals us. “It is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us, 22 by putting his seal on us and giving us his Spirit in our hearts as a first installment” (1 Corinthians 1:21-22). In ancient times, a wax seal was used by kings to authenticate their communications. The seal of the Eucharist is God’s signature on us confirming His new covenant, our contractual agreement. We acknowledge that agreement with God each time we receive Communion, and in return, God fills us with the Holy Spirit. It is the seal of the Holy Spirit, which lets the devil know that we belong to Christ.

Many Christians believe that they can pray at home and develop their relationship with Christ on their own. They do not feel it necessary to attend church on a regular basis, and in some cases, they do not feel it necessary to attend church at all. However, we cannot participate in the Holy Gifts without attending church. Christ’s church requires community. It requires we not only participate in Holy Communion with one another, but it also requires that we share our own personal gifts with one another. Each of us has been given gifts by God to build up the church, but if we do not come together as a church, all of us suffer from the loss. Our faith may not be as strong as it might be when we are able to encourage one another. We are not available to one another when we need comforting or guidance. Our gifts bear little or no fruit in the church of Christ. We cannot be His eyes, ears, or hands. It is the fruits of our gifts that build one another’s faith. It is those times when God sends us just the right words from a fellow believer that helps us experience the love of God. It is those times when God sends us to give the right encouraging words to a fellow believer that makes Him real in our lives.

In today’s world, more important than anything, our children need the community of the church. They need to learn about God and build their faith. There is so much depression, anxiety and hopelessness among our young people today. They need to know the love, faith and hope of Jesus. Children need to grow up in their churches, experiencing God and the power of His Holy Communion, which unites us with one another and with Christ. Parents take your children to church and participate in the Eucharist regularly.

“See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is” (1 John 3:1-2).

Happy Thanksgiving!      

 

© 2018  Helen Kamenos  All rights reserved

http://www.helenkamenos.com/

Scandal in the Church

I weep! I am grieved by the suffering of our Christian brothers and sisters due to the scandals of the Catholic Church. I pray that we all keep our hearts and minds on Christ and not on the human beings who have been disgraceful ambassadors of Christ. This attack on the church affects all Christians, not just Catholics. I empathize with our Catholic brothers and sisters who must endure the criticism of their faith due to the horrific acts perpetrated on innocent children. This is unconscionable. Christ has, once again, been crucified by these men. He who loves us beyond what we can imagine, has once again, been nailed to the cross by those who have betrayed Him.

Christian brothers and sisters do not despair! He, who has already been victorious over sin, continues to reign. We are not followers of men, but instead, we are followers of Christ, our Savior. Our faith is established in Him and no one else. Let us all go to Him in prayer. Let us ask for the healing of our own sins and the healing of His church. The evil one seeks to divide us and persecute us. Will we allow Satan to separate us from Christ’s church? The true Church crosses denominational boundaries. It is founded by Christ Himself. Jesus declared that “the gates of Hades will not prevail against it (the church)” (Matthew 16:18). The Church is not a building or a collection of bishops, priests, ministers or pastors. The Church is the body of individual disciples of Christ, who practice His two great commandments to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” and “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-38).

John puts it plainly: “Whoever says, “I have come to know him,” but does not obey his commandments, is a liar, and in such a person the truth does not exist; but whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has reached perfection” (1 John 2:4-5). It is the love of God that identifies us as genuine Christians. Therefore, as difficult as it is and as angry as we may feel at the blatant betrayal of all those involved in this scandal and its cover-up, we should pray for the souls of those who knew Christ yet turned away from Him. For them, it would have been better if they had never professed Christ than, as Peter describes it, “It has happened to them according to the true proverb, ‘The dog turns back to its own vomit’” (2 Peter 2:22). The shepherds of the church, those who are in a position to teach the word of God, are responsible for their sheep. If bishops, priests, deacons, ministers, pastors, or any having the responsibility of shepherding Christ’s flock have caused His sheep pain and suffering or caused them to go astray or waiver in their faith, God will hold them personally accountable.

In 1 Timothy 5, Paul counsels Timothy who has been given the responsibility of the church in Ephesus, how to handle the sins of elders or those in positions of authority:

¹⁹ Never accept any accusation against an elder except on the evidence of two or three witnesses. ²⁰ As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest also may stand in fear. ²¹ In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus and of the elect angels, I warn you to keep these instructions without prejudice, doing nothing on the basis of partiality.

Those who have perpetrated crimes against children should be reported to the appropriate criminal authorities, so that they may be condemned (rebuked) in the presence of all. They must also suffer the consequences of their criminal acts. As Paul states, there should be no favoritism (partiality) for any elder or representative of the Church. I am confident that Christ will ensure that His Church will value the wisdom in this advice, especially in the cases of such heinous criminal acts.  

           I shed heartfelt tears for those Catholics who are hurting for their church. I, too, am hurting for Christ’s Church. As the Nicene Creed states, I believe in “One, Holy, Catholic (meaning universal), and Apostolic Church.” Once again, it is being persecuted, but it is so much more painful when it comes from within the Church itself. Betrayal is so much more heart-rending. However, we must always remember that we are not followers of men. We are followers of Christ. He needs us now more than ever. Christ teaches us to rise above evil by living our lives as lights to the world. It is the light of His love that people need to see from us. It is our unity as the Body of Christ that will strengthen us.  It is the courage of our convictions and our perseverance through tragedy that will glorify God. Let us pray for the victims who suffer even now. Let us pray that Christ keep and protect each and every one of us from temptation and sin. Let us pray for all our brothers and sisters in Christ. 

© 2018  Helen Kamenos  All rights reserved

http://www.helenkamenos.com/

Being Confronted

In the last couple of weeks, I was confronted by two people about my Christian faith. One was an atheist who challenged me in a lively debate and ended her lengthy response to my arguments with “I don’t hope you become an atheist. I know the comfort of believing in God…All this said, I’m a person of science and logic. While I find it HIGHLY unlikely I’m wrong, I would welcome that reality with open arms.” She was once a Christian, but lost her faith. I pray that she experiences God and finds her faith once again.

The second person was a Christian fundamentalist who told me to renounce “the idolatry of icon worship and works for salvation.” He had many more angry words to add to this statement, but I won’t burden you with the rest of his rantings. This person obviously has no idea what Orthodox Christianity is all about. I was taken aback by his response, yet I am fully aware that there are many in the Protestant denominations who know nothing about Orthodoxy, yet feel they know everything they need to know. This kind of response traces back to the conflict between the Roman Catholic Church and those who led the Protestant Reformation. The result was a complete rejection of all that appeared to be Roman Catholic and “organized” religion. These wounds have not healed.

Just for the record, Orthodox Christianity traces its roots back 2,000 years to the original church set up by the Apostles and St. Paul. Icons were commonly used in the early church to tell the story of Christ through pictures to a population of believers who were, for the most part, illiterate. The four Gospels and the Epistles were read to the congregations during church services, as they still are to this day. Icons are not worshipped by Orthodox believers. They are venerated, just as we show respect to a picture of a loved one who has passed on to the next life. Orthodox Christians recognize a heavenly church, the Church Triumphant, which consists of those who have been rewarded with Christ’s crowns of victory, having attained salvation. These would include all the saints, those the church has recognized as saints, as well as all those who are with Christ, who may not have been formerly recognized. The earthly church, known as the Church Militant, includes those still alive and still fighting the good fight. Just as we ask our friends and family members to intercede on our behalf and pray for us, at times, we ask the Saints, who are with Christ to intercede on our behalf. Orthodox Christians do not worship the Saints. As St. Paul said, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). Christ’s Church is one body of believers with many members.

A greater issue for Christian believers, which my fundamentalist friend brought up, is the issue of works for salvation. This is definitely not a tenet of Orthodox Christianity or any other mainstream Christian church. We all agree that we are saved by the grace of God, who has mercy on us and forgives us our sins. However, does this mean I can continue to sin and simply ask God for forgiveness each time? Is there nothing about our lives that should change, once we proclaim ourselves a Christian? What makes us a genuine faithful follower of Christ?  According to Jeremiah 17:12, “I the Lord test the mind and search the heart, to give to all according to their ways, according to the fruit of their doings.” The “fruit of their doings” are our actions, how we live our lives, with an emphasis on the heart and mind. The old adage, “our actions speak louder than words” applies here. James put it this way, “Show me your faith apart from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith” (James 2:18). I can say I love my neighbor all I want, but if I don’t act on my words, they are meaningless. What does this mean for me as a Christian?

As a true follower of Christ, we look for opportunities to bless others. If God sends a homeless person into a moment of our lives, we feed him or give him money. This is love. Does it matter whether he will spend it on alcohol or drugs? No! God gives us the opportunity to bless him, and it is up to him how he will accept that blessing. It is my heart that God is testing. Are we sensitive to the needs of our family and friends? If a family member needs our time, we will stop whatever we are doing and give him our full attention. This is love. If a friend needs a shoulder to cry on, we listen with an empathic heart. We offer advice, if appropriate, but it is more important that we listen. This is love. If an old woman is walking out of the store with a cane and too many bags for her to carry, we will take the time to help her to her car, even though we are in a hurry to be somewhere. This is love. We see a stranger who is visibly distraught. We ask him, if there is anything we can do to help. He says “no.” How can we be a blessing to someone who refuses our help? We pray for him or her. This is love. God hears our prayers.

Why did Christ set up a church, a community of believers? For God, we are a community, especially if we are believers. We no longer serve ourselves and our needs. We look for opportunities to serve others. These opportunities come up every day. Many times, our opportunities arise when we face challenges or hardship. Each challenge is an opportunity for us to glorify God through our actions, our love and our faith. It is only through the fruits of our actions in love that our faith grows, as well as the faith of others. When we offer love to someone unexpectedly, they are blessed, but we are also blessed by the love of the Holy Spirit in us. We feel God’s love toward us.

Why should we go to church? Now, that is a touchy subject for some. However, God blessed us with talents we are to share with one another. Love in our hearts is not genuine love, until we act upon it. We go to church to bless one another. We go to church to encourage one another and strengthen one another. Christianity is about relationships! Relationship with God through Holy Communion, as well as communal prayer and worship are crucial. Holy Communion is just that – communion or intimacy with God. We also go to church to develop relationships with one another, loving and blessing one another in unity. Through the Holy Spirit, we are united with one another as Christ, the head of our church, is one with God. God has knit us together with a part of Himself that actually lives inside each and every true believer. If it has been a while since you have gone to church, or maybe you have never gone to church, go this Sunday. God will be happy to see you there and will bless you! Look for that blessing!

© 2017  Helen Kamenos  All rights reserved

http://www.helenkamenos.com/

What Modesty Culture Taught Me

I read an article the other day and it got my mind racing. For complete context, I would suggest reading that article first before completing this one.

As a man who continually wrestling with lust and pornography, this article hit me hard. The “virtues” of modesty culture, the lies that the church conditioned me to believe and that I convinced myself to take as truth.

Guarding your heart to prevent relational issues. Dressing a certain way to please the conservative consensus. Shifting most, if not all, of the responsibility of remaining pure to a particular gender (mainly women). It’s no wonder why it feels like crossing a minefield blindfolded just to initiate a conversation with the opposite sex.

Don’t be a stumbling block

The idea of a stumbling block refers to situations or habits that causes a believer to back track into sin. Or it can be interpreted as a person that is distracting you from Christ. I look at the following verses as affirming both interpretations:

Romans 14:13,

“Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.”

1 Corinthians 8:9,

“But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.”

If I am being a stumbling block, I humbly ask how I cannot be one. After all, as a brother in Christ, my main goal is to edify you. But sometimes, my emotions take over all logic. Even ignoring scriptural truth that “the heart is deceitful” (Jeremiah 17:9). So I won’t pretend that I’m exempt from the occasional rebuke. I’m still learning how to separate love and infatuation.

Stay within your group.

I think the church has devalued male-female friendship. It’s an imbalance that I think the church masquerades as a necessity. The status quo that must be obeyed without question. And I think it’s more of a sign of the church’s unwillingness to progress with modern-day relationship dynamics.

Speaking from personal experience, I’ve always been relegated to just being around guys for accountability and purity purposes. And while it took a lot of maturing to accept the spiritual benefits of male friendships, I still felt an emptiness of female friendship.

Paul writes in Ephesians 4:1–7,

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,

with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love,

eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

There is one body and one Spirit — just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call —

one Lord, one faith, one baptism,

one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.”

As we build these walls, I wonder whether it’s out of holiness or fear of invasion. I look at my female relationships within the church and see the latter. Hurtful, indifferent, or caring out of obligation. No sense of direction or purpose. We’re only friends because we’re both Christians or serve in the same ministry.

Are we friends or work partners?

Outside of the church, I’ve had plenty of female friends. Some of which I called best friends. Although their faith wasn’t evident, these were girls I could confide in and talk to. No need to deal with modesty culture rules or empty phrases that encourage separation. But a direct connection that was imperfect, real, and beautiful.

Of course, there were boundaries that I had to adhere to. Limits to the amount of times we could spend together, the types of conversations to have, and so on. But it didn’t need to be enforced. There was an unspoken mutual understanding that naturally led to a connection. It makes me wonder why I can’t experience this same treatment from the same church I’m called to serve and love.

Fear of man (and woman)

Am I terrified of women?

Yes and no.

Yes, in that first impression is everything. As someone who has trust issues, it’s hard for me to look women in the eyes or even initiate conversation for fear that I may take it too far. Break some sort of unspoken law that may determine the future of our interactions. The paranoia sets in. The fear that maybe she will see through my Christian facade and see a broken man not of worthy of grace and love.

No, in that I can easily detach if you want nothing to do with me. It’s almost a superpower I developed from my tendency to be a loner. I’m now in a season where I’m more content in singleness than I’ve ever been in my adult life. I almost see it as God granting me deliverance from constantly chasing relationship idols. If anything, I’m willing to respect the boundaries and see her as an image-bearer and daughter of God.

Teach a new lesson

I believe that modesty culture has good intentions. And that there should be guidelines on how we view and interact with each other. But these guidelines shouldn’t be laws to a dead religion that only brings death to relationships, connections, and trust.

Rather, I pray that we “aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another” — and more importantly — “live in peace” (2 Corinthians 13:11). Especially with people who aren’t like you. People like me who are estranged and have to watch from the sidelines. People like me who struggle with low self-esteem and have a tough time believing they are not worthy of anything good.

I’m not trying to stage a rebellion or abolish the rules. But rather encourage a rethinking in how the church community functions. Let’s be a light of love for each other and the world. Let’s be willing to tear down these walls and build roads that converge to the narrow path.

Let’s be brothers and sisters united under one Father and his precious Son, our Elder Brother Jesus Christ.