“What I Love about the Church” by Carl Feril, Guest Writer

Posted by Chris Gallagher on Aug 26, 2010 in Uncategorized | 7 comments

What I Love About the Church

by Carl Feril

When asked to write about my reasons for loving the church, it is honestly a topic too large for a single blog post. I am sure that we could spend long hours examining the Biblical foundation for the church. We might discuss topics like the price that our Father paid in offering his Son to purchase her, the vital connection between Jesus, the head and his purified body, yet somehow I think what is exposed through a very cursory reading of the books of Ephesians and Colossians will say far more than I could ever express. Allow me to express my personal sentiments, all with a Biblical foundation but perhaps expressed in a manner that might be just a little distinct from the eloquence that we read through the pen of the apostle known to us as Paul.

As we begin, let me say just a few things about myself. I didn’t grow up in a church-going family. We were the kids that parents worried their children might play with on the block. My exposure to things Biblical came through the path of the beautiful daughter of an elder. He would not allow me to date her unless I went to “church” with them. I went, but not because of a growing interest in things “spiritual”. I was infatuated with her, much to her family’s chagrin.

Between Cathy and some young engineering interns from Freed-Hardeman in Warren, MI, being patient with me, understanding that my questions were not typical Sunday morning Bible Class questions, and God’s longsuffering nature with a teen walking in darkness, I became a Christian and soon was preaching. I became a Christian in a very conservative church group and was soon steered toward the Bear Valley School of Preaching in Denver, CO. There I met my future wife, Janet, who would exemplify all that is right about the body of Christ to me.

Over the course of the next 40 years, I’ve been the pulpit minister for 4 different churches and served alongside two changing elderships for 27 years. I’ve been treated with tolerance, respect, patience, and kindness when I’ve been unworthy of all of those mercies. As a result, I’ve come to love the church because of my experiences serving among them.

I love the church because it is made up of the confused and bewildered. Over the years we’ve studied more strange topics than I even knew existed. We done textual studies and attempted to apply both the specifics and the general statements of New and Old Testament writers in a culture that was clueless about what we were doing. We’ve tried to apply women praying with veils, long hair on men, holy kisses in the assembly and “church cooperation” or lack of it, to suburban Denver, Colorado cowboys, and Kansas farmers. We tried to see how it fit, what God was saying, and always “knew we were right”. We were not dishonest with the text but often we were bewildered by the context, implications and cultural implications of not only the first century group but our own culture. We have had more in common with the Corinthian church than we knew as they struggled through the issues of what meat market delicacies could be purchased and consumed from which city market.

I love the church because it is made up of people who make a mess of their lives, both before and after coming to know God. Some of us came out of real darkness, not growing up with many limits beyond who was the biggest and toughest making the rules. We didn’t grow up knowing God had a standard, the reflection of his own nature, which he expected us all to strive toward. As a result, some of us were pretty battered and tattered before ever being introduced to the Christ. We brought broken relationships, multiple scars, children from transient dalliances, and both physical and emotional addictions into the church. All of those who “never missed a Sunday” had their own sinful willfulness that they carried around with them. As a therapist dealing with church members from across the United States, I have worked with and prayed for elders who had affairs, one who was a cross-dresser, others who mistreated their families and some who were gluttons. I’ve seen Christians walk away from their families for years before recognizing they had to return to God and his family. That the church is made up of such people, struggling to follow God in a corrupted culture and broken society, is an inspiration to me – offering hope that perhaps, I too, might find grace to help in the time of need.

I love the church because it is ever changing, recognizing that it is never perfect. I know we all get stuck at times. But we aren’t, for the most part, fussing over the same issues we were 40 years ago. Churches that don’t change are headed for the disaster of being ostracized and inept in their communities. No one thought the Amish to be odd or different in 1860 when everyone wore beards, made their own clothing, and drove buggies. They could have discussions about how God was touching their lives and the issues of the day that were shared by every other person in their community. Move ahead 150 years and they no longer have any impact beyond slowing traffic and being the object of jokes. We can’t arbitrarily pick a year, say 1971 (when I became a Christian) and decide we won’t change from that date. “Jesus Freaks”, the Viet Nam War, LSD, and the Holy Spirit indwelling the individual through the word only or personally were the issues of the day in the church. We wouldn’t be touching many lives if we did most of our lessons around those topics in my community.

Finally, I love the church because God loves her. This is really the issue. I try to do the things God does. If he can be forgiving, tolerant, and merciful to a messed up, confused, and struggling group of disciples who try, fail, then try again, so can I. If he can love me, I can love them. We aren’t any different. I don’t get a free pass with my favorite sins, while holding others accountable for their favorites. The grip that alcohol has on me still, even with 40 years of sobriety, reminds me that sin is not easily abandoned. While I haven’t had the drink, it isn’t because I haven’t wanted it. I haven’t been as successful with others of my sins. My arrogance is an all too familiar figure, my desire to slant the truth to improve my appearance or position still crops up from time to time. I work each day to deal with my explosive temper, doing much better at least in not hitting others, but failing to curb my tongue which can flail the skin from my brothers just as quickly. My brothers and sisters have their own struggles. Some have sins of sexual natures, both hetero and homo sexual. Some fail in regard to pornography, or gluttony, greed or stinginess. There are those who struggle being forgiving, others who are self willed or rebellious. God still loves them. He offers forgiveness to all who are his. I won’t give myself permission to do any less.

Why do I love the church? I love her because she is home, and one day will be perfected by the God who saves her. I can’t do anything else. Can you?

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About Carl Feril:

Carl Feril preaches for the St. John, KS church. Carl and his wife, Janet, have lived in Stafford County for the past 27 years. The Feril’s, along with their ministry team partners, Tom and Pam Turner, work in a joint ministry to challenge growth and spiritual development for disciples in all stages of their walk before God. Carl works as the session co-director for the Silver Maple Family Camp each year as well as serving on the board of directors for the Black Hills Bible Camp where he collaborates with the college students from 11pm until 2 am each night about the future of God’s kingdom in the near future.

In addition to his preaching ministry in St John, Carl is a Clinically Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He works with preschool through high school students and their families in two school districts in Stafford county one day per week each. He also sees families in private practice in two private offices. Working with families and individuals in various stages of discipleship has opened his eyes to exciting opportunities and inspires new hope for the future of God’s body until He returns to glorify us.

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Personal Note:

First, thanks to Carl not only his this article and his willingness to writes it, but for his personal struggles expressed in this article. Having met Carl earlier this year, I  was (and still am) encouraged by this words and thoughts. He and Janet do great work in Kansas as well as with a family camp and they are to be commended. Thanks again Carl for expressing your love for the church.

Thanks,

Chris