Growing up in the bible belt, it is very common for almost everyone to go to church. I’m not saying it means everyone is a Christian, but it is popular to attend church in the South.

Sometimes, though you may run into someone who doesn’t go to church and I would state that at one point they probably did. So, what happened? They got hurt.

They claim that the church hurt them but, fail to realize that the church is made up of people.

The church is made up of people like me: broken, flawed, imperfect, and human. People have not and never will be perfect. The church will never be perfect. People make mistakes. People in the church makes mistakes.

I hate to surprise you but, yes, gossip, affairs, lies, and so much more takes place in the church. I wish it didn't, but that's the truth. I have attended numerous churches with different denominations in my life and I have yet, to find the perfect church. I am not saying that great churches don’t exist, because they do.

I have found multiple churches that seems genuine and authentic, but I believe this has to do with my attitude. How you view anything in life has to do with your attitude. If you were to have a problem with a teacher at a school, you would not blame every school across the United States.

The same goes for the church. You don't blame Jesus and every church for the actions of a few people. I do think that church staff should be held to a higher standard, but it shouldn't allow for people to judge church leaders' every move, just waiting for them to mess up.

They are human, too.

They will eventually mess up, but when they do you should extend the same amount of grace that has been given to you.

Don’t let one person ruin what God has for you.

It’s not worth it.

I wish I could sit down with every person that has ever been hurt by the church. I wish I could walk with you through life and help you to heal from whatever is causing you not to attend church.

I wish you could see the church the way that I see the church. I see the church as nothing to do with religion. I don’t go to church just to cross off something on my to-do list.

I go to church because I know that I am in desperate need of community, Jesus, and worship. It’s what keeps me going in life.

When I look at the capital C Church, meaning all the churches combined, I see a place made of people that need Jesus as much as someone who has never even attended church.

I see people that need grace and love. I see God’s heart.

I don’t have a magic solution to how you can jump back into church and be healed from past hurts.

What I do have is the one thing that will always bring peace in the midst of pain: Jesus.

Start with Jesus first.

If you have been hurt by the church, then I would ask you how is your relationship with Jesus? Do you have one?

When you attended church, did you have a relationship with Jesus or did you have a relationship with the church?

If your relationship with the church was more important than your relationship with Jesus, then at the sight of the first flaw of the church you ran. I get it, I’ve been hurt before too.

But I have learned that I will not let anyone or anything to keep me from living my best life. You may be holding on to some pain from the church, but who is that hurting?

You're not hurting the church by staying mad, you are ultimately hurting yourself. Don’t give up on the Church.

You keep asking God to change something in your life, but He’s saying I made you to be the change.

If you can’t find a church that is not gossiping, then you should go into that church and make the change by setting the example.

There are going to be some things you agree with in a church and some things you disagree with, but I ask what are you doing to help?

Are you are complaining how there is nothing for you at church anymore? Are you are getting ready to leave the church, because it just doesn't feel right anymore. Are you are wanting to leave the church because of the actions of others?

This is not the time to leave. This is the time to be rooted and start serving.

This the time for you to grow in your faith and become one of the reasons that people love going to church.