Craig Groeschel

People go to a restaurant and have bad service and they don't say, you know... Olive Garden. I hate their breadsticks. I'm never going back to restaurant. They don't do that. So I think that to, you know, you don't hear about church hurt. You know, I don't have, you know, I don't have, um, Job hurt, I'm never going to work a job again.

So I think there's this little bit of a spiritual attack that our enemy wants to separate people from the support that God intended them to have. So when you look at it objectively like that, I don't want to ever belittle the fact that people are devastated by Christians. And this horrible one is always wrong.

So I think there's this little bit of a spiritual attack that our enemy wants to separate people from the support that God intended them to have. So when you look at it objectively like that, I don't want to ever belittle the fact that people are devastated by Christians. And this horrible one is always wrong.

But just because one Christian or five Christians are ungodly doesn't mean that God's body isn't still important. And so I want to try to separate what someone does from who God is. And that can be a little bit difficult. But the other thing is, think about this. If we do get hurt by Christians, what are we called to do? Love them. And forgive, right?

But just because one Christian or five Christians are ungodly doesn't mean that God's body isn't still important. And so I want to try to separate what someone does from who God is. And that can be a little bit difficult. But the other thing is, think about this. If we do get hurt by Christians, what are we called to do? Love them. And forgive, right?

And so to be a part of a church, we probably are going to have to endure some hurt.

And so to be a part of a church, we probably are going to have to endure some hurt.

100%. Yeah. And Jesus kind of promises us that, right? Yeah. In this world, you're going to have trouble. If you follow me, you will be persecuted. There is going to be spiritual opposition, and the opposition can come from within the church or without the church. So I would just say pastorally to someone, you know, my— My brother-in-law was sexually abused by a pastoral figure in the church.

100%. Yeah. And Jesus kind of promises us that, right? Yeah. In this world, you're going to have trouble. If you follow me, you will be persecuted. There is going to be spiritual opposition, and the opposition can come from within the church or without the church. So I would just say pastorally to someone, you know, my— My brother-in-law was sexually abused by a pastoral figure in the church.

That's wrong. It's horrific. It's a nightmare. It's always wrong. It's demonic. It's horrible. And the church is still the bride of Christ. And Jesus is coming back for his church, and the church is still important. And so, yes, we have to name it and call it what it is, demonic, horrific, wrong, a nightmare, tragic, and still see that the Holy Spirit works through people in the church.

That's wrong. It's horrific. It's a nightmare. It's always wrong. It's demonic. It's horrible. And the church is still the bride of Christ. And Jesus is coming back for his church, and the church is still important. And so, yes, we have to name it and call it what it is, demonic, horrific, wrong, a nightmare, tragic, and still see that the Holy Spirit works through people in the church.

And it's all... God is still good and he's good. And then I could tell you all the stories about what happened to David through, he went in a bad place and then he rediscovered Jesus because of the church. And so you still see the hand of God in the pain because God is sovereign and he is working in all things, even the things that we hate.

And it's all... God is still good and he's good. And then I could tell you all the stories about what happened to David through, he went in a bad place and then he rediscovered Jesus because of the church. And so you still see the hand of God in the pain because God is sovereign and he is working in all things, even the things that we hate.

So, great question. And so, deconstruction, depending on who you ask, there's a lot of opinions about it. So, some of my peers as pastors would say, deconstruction is always bad. And the reason they would say that is because they have a limited view of what they've heard about it of people that might be

So, great question. And so, deconstruction, depending on who you ask, there's a lot of opinions about it. So, some of my peers as pastors would say, deconstruction is always bad. And the reason they would say that is because they have a limited view of what they've heard about it of people that might be

really hurting, genuinely hurting, and get with a group of people that basically says, forget all churches. I hate God. All Christians are bad. And they flip off God in the church and walk away. And so that does happen. But I would say that deconstruction done well it can actually be a form of discipleship.

really hurting, genuinely hurting, and get with a group of people that basically says, forget all churches. I hate God. All Christians are bad. And they flip off God in the church and walk away. And so that does happen. But I would say that deconstruction done well it can actually be a form of discipleship.

Meaning that when you look at what Jesus did when he came, and see, five different times, he said, in the Sermon on the Mount, he said, you have heard it said, but I say to you. Your whole life, you've been taught this. But I'm going to tell you that's either incomplete or it's not true. And let me tell you what is true. So in a sense, what was he doing? He was kind of deconstructing.

Meaning that when you look at what Jesus did when he came, and see, five different times, he said, in the Sermon on the Mount, he said, you have heard it said, but I say to you. Your whole life, you've been taught this. But I'm going to tell you that's either incomplete or it's not true. And let me tell you what is true. So in a sense, what was he doing? He was kind of deconstructing.

And so here's the thing. The problem is, we all read the Bible with a bias. As much as we want to read it purely, we come to it with our own hurts, our own family backgrounds, from what country we're from, what type of church we're raised in. I could preach the same text. Another preacher could preach the very same text, and we preach it with a different tone.