The stories are seemingly endless. Many have turned away from the church, not because of disagreements over doctrine but out of their pain—a hurtful comment here and unreasonable expectation there. Before you know it, they believe the best thing for them to do is walk away.
I’ve seen this many times in my life, and perhaps you have as well. A typical response for many Christians is to assign motives to the ones who left. “If they really loved God, they would still be here.” Or, “They just want to be able to live however they want; they don’t care about the truth.” All the while, these comments further illustrate the reason some have left. Pain. Real pain.
I wrote When Church Hurts in an attempt to minister to those who have or are currently walking on a lonely road. They know that they love God and love the church. But their painful experiences are keeping them at arm’s length away. They need to know that they aren’t alone in their hurt. They need to know that Jesus is just as upset about their pain as they are. They need to know that there is a healthy way forward. They don’t need to leave the church. They do, however, need to help us be more like Jesus.
It is also my hope that we, as the church, can learn from the pain that others have felt from us. Even if the pain was unintentional, it still cuts deep. I hope and pray that God will use this book and the stories within to bring healing to those who are hurting and encourage the church to represent our Lord better.
The book is now available in Paperback and will be released on kindle in the next day or two. If you know someone you feel could benefit from this book, please share this with them. May you all have a blessed holiday season!
You can purchase the book HERE
in Him,
Troy
Applying Scripture 