Years ago, I dated a straight con artist. There’s no other way to put it - he moved relationship to relationship trying to con women out of their money, possessions. To be sure, he was a beautiful lesson…but an empty person.

One thing he had perfected was the art of quoting scripture from the “twistable bible”. Ya’ll know what that is right? It’s the version of the Bible that people use when they want to twist God’s words to fit whatever situation they find themselves in. That was part of his arsenal, part of the way he preyed on women – quoting scripture and having women get so caught up in having a man who *knew* the word. Poor baby. Too bad he ran up on yours truly at a time when I was truly questioning my faith, seeking authenticity in my relationship with God. In that state, I was more likely to challenge any and everything that was said to me from a standpoint of Biblical reference so his ploy fell flat with me.

We were talking or watching TV one day and I remember saying, “What in the world?”. He, being smug, sanctimonious, and so sure that I’d melt at his “knowledge” of the Word said, “What are you doing IN the world woman of God?” I’m sure he’d used that line many times before and that it worked for him. Me? I laughed.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE WORLD?

For some reason, that situation and question came to me in light of recent events with Prophetess Juanita Bynum and her husband Bishop Thomas Weeks. In light of the news that Pastors Paula and Randy White are divorcing. In light of the fact that so many of us bury our heads in the sand and call that exercising our faith.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE WORLD?

Why is it that people don’t realize that the same issues that are in the world are also in the church? How could they not be – WE are in both places with our same issues no matter how much scripture we try to wrap around them. The church is filled with regular, ordinary people – from the pulpit to the last pew in the balcony. For many of us, that crushing pain in our lives is what drove us to church in the first place in search for relief from whatever our situations may be. We come to the church seeking healing like it’s a magic pill that’s given out as part of the benediction. We bring with us our wounds, our hurts, the pain, broken dreams, and secrets. Some come boldly – laying out whatever it is that troubles them. Some come still hiding their pain in the one place where it should be okay for them to simply lay their burden down. Unfortunately for many, the message they receive is, “Don’t leave your stuff laying around for everybody to see. Dress it up. Prop it up. Cover it in loud praises but for goodness sake, don’t stand before us with it on display.”

The body of Christ is called upon to help heal the world. We need to recognize that this healing includes the Church healing itself, from the inside out. Church is not a “safe house” in the sense that trouble can’t find you ever again as long as you’re inside those walls. The Word says, “No weapon formed against me shall prosper”. It doesn’t say the weapon won’t be formed – just that it won’t prosper. God never said it would be easy. He did say He would be with us.

I don’t know any more about either of those situations – Bynum/Weeks, the Whites - than you do. I don’t need or want to. I know that people are in pain – those caught up in the midst of it, those on the fringes. I know that it can’t be easy to be any of the parties involved in this and have it play out so painfully while the world watches…and wags its tongue…”in Jesus’ Name”.

Above all, I know that God has a purpose. What are we going to do know Church? Now that dirty laundry is sitting in the aisles, overflowing from the balcony?

This isn’t a “Call to Arms”. It is a wake-up call, a call to love, a call to really, truly be about our Father’s Business. The world is watching to see who answers the call. And how.

Heal thyself Church, heal thyself.

Check out what one of my favorite bloggers has to say on the situation in these two posts:

”First It Was Juanita & Her Hubby, Now It’s Paula White & Spouse Divorcing: What The Hell is Going On In The ‘Body of Christ’”

”Easy Like Sunday Morning: The Anticipated Response to the Recent Events of Bynum and White”