This past Tuesday we kicked off our August Bible Study series on "Church Hurt." Pastor Ed taught a lesson entitled, "Understanding Church Hurt." If you missed it, no need to fret. His notes are provided below. We hope to see you this coming Tuesday at 7pm. 

Note: You don't have to register to attend Bible Study. The registration is required for those who plan to eat. This helps us to have an accurate head count for the food order. 

Lesson One: Understanding Church Hurt

Church hurt is real. Church hurt is real because the church is made up of saved and yet imperfect people. And as saved and yet imperfect people we have the potential to hurt one another, just like any other group of people we are a part of (family, co-workers, friends, classmates, etc.).

“What is Church Hurt?”

According to 2 Timothy 3:16, the Scripture benefits us in four ways: 

1. It informs us (gives us knowledge, shapes our understanding and beliefs)
2. It rebukes us (expresses disapproval or disciplines us)
3. It restores us (improves or makes us better)
4. It guides us (directs our living)

It is important at the outset of this lesson that we establish once again that as Christians we acknowledge that the Scriptures is the final authority of our faith and in our lives. This is crucial because when it comes to this subject matter of church hurt, we can easily allow our feelings or our sinful flesh to determine if we have been hurt by the church and dictate how we should respond to it, rather than the Bible. We will talk more about that when we get to lesson three: “Responding to Church Hurt.”

Let’s begin by seeking to establish a working definition of church hurt. Church hurt is the unintentional or intentional pain caused by Christians or systems within a local church community. I see three clarifying truths regarding church hurt in this definition that I think is worth pointing out. 

1. Some church hurts are accidental. 

Why do you think this is important to our understanding of church hurt? It helps us to not always or so quickly take church hurt personally. 

2. Some church hurts are caused by people who may be religious but not redeemed. They are in church, but not in Christ. (See Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43)

3. Some church hurts are not personal (e.g., denied benevolence requests due to budgetary constraints – see Acts 3:6, sometimes we don’t have it to give; Proverbs 21:5, sometimes systems are set up to responsibly allocate the spending of the church’s money.)

“How does church hurt happen?”

• Church hurt can happen because of unaddressed and unresolved disagreement (Philippians 4:2).

• Church hurt can happen because of relational sin (Matthew 18:15).

• Church hurt can happen because of wrong assumptions (1 Samuel 17:28).

• Church hurt can happen due to jumping to conclusions (Proverbs 18:13).

• Church hurt can happen due to taking offense too easily (1 Corinthians 13:5) or too quickly (Proverbs 18:13).

• Church hurt can happen due to non-existent or inadequate systems (Acts 6:1).

• Church hurt can happen when we wrongly turn our personal convictions into biblical commands and then judge other fellow Christians accordingly (Romans 14:1-12).

• Church hurt can happen when pastors, deacons, and leaders unrepentantly live and lead in selfish or sinful ways (Ezekiel 37:1-10).

• Church hurt can happen when members don’t respect and cooperate with church leaders (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; 1 Timothy 5:17-18, cross reference this with 1 Corinthians 9:1-14).

• Church hurt can happen when the church – within reason, within our ability, under our responsibility, or within our jurisdiction – fails to protect or provide for the vulnerable among us (James 1:27, Galatians 2:10, Exodus 22:22, Matthew 18:5-6).

Big Takeaway: Church hurt is often layered, nuanced, and complex. It is a reality of being fully engaged in the life of a local church, and yet it is not to be justified, dismissed, downplayed or blown out of proportion. When we understand church hurt biblically and sensibly, it will help us to not abandon the local church altogether when relationships get rough at times.