I’m learning more and more it’s all down to faith. I know everyone says it’s about ‘faith’, but what does this mean? For me, in context of my situation having come from the International Churches of Christ, faith means several things.
It means persevering despite what’s happened in the past. It means continuing to investigate the bible, and not just go with the flow of whatever church culture you happen to be immersed in. It means searching for wisdom and knowing why you believe what you believe.
Faith also means using the wisdom from the bible to defend yourself against manipulation and guilt trips of a dodgy church. It means having the fortitude and wisdom to know when to support certain leaders and when to avoid or oppose certain leaders.
This is the kind of faith developed over time, because you learn that some leaders in the religious world have no scruples and will take advantage of the naive and vulnerable. You need faith to guard against abuse and seek ways to minimise it for future generations of believers.
Faith helps you be grounded in the gospel of Christ and the word rather than the institution, which allows you to contribute spiritually to the institution and hold it accountable where necessary.
