Protect Our Communities

One of the somber lessons that I have learned in years of living in church community is that there are people who do not have the best interests of God's Kingdom in mind. Many times we find ourselves building "a kingdom" instead of "The Kingdom". Motives are polluted with selfish desire, self advancement, or recognition hunger.

This is not, however, the worst problem we face. The worst is the predators. Those who know that there are weak and vulnerable people in communities. Those who gravitate to those communities knowing that if they would just use a few key terms, "insider" lingo, spiritual terms that are "passwords" into the fold, they can worm into the position of power and take advantage - causing havoc and pain in the lives of those who are most in need of healing and hope.

Why is this so? Why do people find a place to operate in abusive ways when the community of God should be a place where the weak are safe? The main reason is that we have been, for way too long, too trusting of those who pass a litmus test of "faith" that is too shallow and easily faked. As I mentioned above, people who name drop God, or the latest worship phase, or best seller, or pet theological view become accepted.

It's a well known fact that one of the easiest place to find vulnerable women is church. In some churches anyone who answers the call to work with the nursery, children, or teens can do so without any reservation. That's suicide. I cannot tell you how many people I have spoken to over the years who have been used, abused, violated, and fractured in communities of faith by those who they trusted. Read the papers.

It almost happened this week in our church. This guy showed up - day one in our community. Dropped some phrases, a well placed "hey brother" and went out to eat with a group afterwards. Next thing you know he's trying to give his phone number to one of the single women of the church - all because he, in his words, "is a kind hearted person and she looked a little down." She's VERY uncomfortable and gets a bad feeling about the whole exchange. Oh, he's married, and did I mention that this was his first time EVER in our community. Who was he kidding. Rat bastard.

Later that week he just decides to show up at the small group that this same girl attends. God works in mysterious ways, huh? There it is - he's a predator. You see, here is where we have blown it in the past. "Let the guy stay." "Doesn't God love everybody?" "Maybe we can help him." Now way! Not at the expense of this young lady.

He was confronted before he even gets in the door. He was asked not to say anything to her. He was told that we did not put with that type of behavior. He was told that although his motives couldn't be questioned, his wisdom could be. How do you think that he responded? He got defensive, tried to use the Bible to show that he was being judged and disappeared back to whatever place that he came from. Bu-bye.

Maybe it's just that we are not "equipped" to handle people like this. Maybe we aren't yet mature enough as a church. Or maybe we should stop being dumb asses and protect those in our communities who are being targeted.

Tell you what. If you think that this is harsh, send me your church's address and the next predator that shows up at our door I'll send your way.

WH