Dmitriy Leo, pastor of Father’s Blessing Church, shared a message titled “5 Myths About the Church.”
Myth 1. This is a place where everyone loves one another.
People who come to church are very different, and they cannot love one another the way we would like them to. Today you are loved, but tomorrow you may correct someone, and they will no longer love you. There are also people who have not yet been healed and therefore are unable to love. It is more accurate to say: “The Church is a place where we learn to love.”
Myth 2. This is a place for my spiritual growth.
Yes and no. We grow spiritually not in church, but through our daily walk with God, abiding in the Word, and obeying His Word. It is more accurate to say: “The Church is a place where I am equipped so that I can grow spiritually.”
Myth 3. I will have many friends at church.
T. D. Jakes put it well: “If you have a couple of friends at church, that is very good.” You will have many brothers and sisters, but you will have close friendships with only a few people. You cannot be friends with everyone. You become friends with like-minded people with whom you serve in the same ministry. It is more accurate to say: “At church, I can find new friends!”
Myth 4. This is a place where people will understand me.
Yes and no. If you have a good reputation, people will understand you. If you do not have a good reputation, they will not understand you. There are many individuals in the Church who barely understand themselves, let alone others. It is more accurate to say: “The Church is a place where we learn to understand others.”
Myth 5. This is a place where I will be accepted just as I am.
As long as you do not interact with people, you will be accepted in any condition. As soon as you start hurting people and showing your character, you will immediately feel their “acceptance.” It is God who accepts us as we are. In church, they will quickly show us what we are doing wrong. And that is normal; we should not be afraid of it. This is how we are pruned, cleansed, and perfected. The right way to put it is: “Church, this is a place where I will not be allowed to remain as I am.”
