I have been at those meetings. A group of church people sitting together arguing about an issue, about something that has gone awry. In the middle of the conversation about the awful F-word, someone steps up, the voice of reason, and makes the statement.
We cannot ask for Forgiveness. We have to understand that it would open up a possibility of a lawsuit. By saying we are sorry, we would automatically become liable. The church cannot afford that.
I have been at those meetings, and when the voice of reason has spoken, I want to stand up and shout the other F-word at the nice reasonable person at the other side of the table and proclaim. “Why are we here anyway? If we are afraid, if we don’t dare to ask for forgiveness, if we think that the church is about avoiding lawsuits, we should just close shop.”
However, I am polite and when this has happened, I understand the reasoning, nod my head, and complain about this crazy world we live in. Where we always have to make decisions according to the lawyers.
I was therefore deeply touched when I read the front page article in US Today this morning. The piece is about a congregation that did say the incriminating F-word, because it is the right thing to do. They did not live according to the lawyers but tried to live out their faith, their understanding of who God is. Even when their insurance company tried to step in and stop them from asking for forgiveness and even threatened to cancel their coverage, they still did what they were called to do.
In some sense it is perplexing that a church living out the gospel, stretching out, asking for forgiveness, trying to make things whole, is considered news worthy.
It is similarly sad how touched and surprised I personally was, reading about a church living out their calling, doing what is right. After all, I am a church leadership specialist or something like that. Should I not expect those things to happen?