"The Church is Full of Hypocrites!"

Mark 2:17 (NIV)

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

How many times have you heard someone say, “I don’t go to church because it’s full of hypocrites”? Well, guess what? They’re right! There ARE hypocrites in church. But there are hypocrites at work, in your neighborhood, at the grocery store, and everywhere else you go. Yet you keep showing up to those places and I never hear anyone talk about hypocrites at those places! So why is church the one place we decide to avoid because people aren’t perfect?

And before anyone thinks I’m judging them, I USED TO BE THAT PERSON! I used to sit on a barstool drinking, doing things that weren’t pleasing to Jesus, while talking about how I wouldn’t go to church because it was full of hypocrites. Think about that! I was judging people inside the church while refusing to examine the person sitting on that barstool. ME! NOT COOL!

And before someone says I’ve obviously never experienced church hurt, YES, I HAVE! Plenty of it! Honestly more than what should be allowed. I’ve been lied to, betrayed, disappointed, and hurt by people who claimed to follow Jesus. But here’s what I’ve learned. Why would I allow someone else’s behavior to determine MY relationship with Jesus or MY eternity? Why would I give someone who hurt me that much control over my spiritual growth? I can forgive someone without trusting them again, and I can leave an unhealthy church without walking away from Jesus.

I’m not giving another imperfect human being the authority to decide how close I get to my perfect Savior!

Here’s my challenge to anyone who says church is full of hypocrites and don't actually go. Have you actually given it a chance? Have you walked through those doors, gotten involved, and met people who genuinely love Jesus? Because yes, there are hypocrites in church, but there are also some dang good MAT CARRIERS sitting in those churches that we all need! People who will pray for you, encourage you, show up when you’re struggling, and help carry you to Jesus when you don’t have the strength to get there yourself. Just like the four men in Mark 2 who carried their paralyzed friend to Jesus!

The church isn’t a museum for perfect people. It’s a hospital for sinners. And every single one of us needs the Great Physician!

Now, let’s talk about the people INSIDE the church, because we’re not getting a free pass either! Pastor Joby reminds us that we can walk into church, raise our hands, worship Jesus, and not even make it out of the parking lot before acting like we don’t know Him! After Saturated, he shared that during Saturated, someone actually called one of our parking volunteers a DEMON! A DEMON?! During a revival where people were coming together to worship JESUS?!

How can we raise our hands to worship God and then use those same hands to point fingers at His children?

And THAT is one of the reasons I love my church! Pastor Joby doesn’t just tell us what we want to hear. He tells us what we NEED to hear! Whether it’s how we treat people, smoking marijuana, premarital sex, dishonesty, pride, or anything else Scripture challenges us about, he isn’t afraid to address it. Sometimes that conviction hits close to home, and that’s exactly why I keep showing up! I don’t go to church to get comfortable in my sin. I go because I want to become more like Jesus!

And I’m including myself in this conversation! I love Jesus with my whole heart, but I still get angry, frustrated, and sometimes my mouth wants to outrun the Holy Spirit! 😂 I’m learning to surrender those moments to God instead of allowing my emotions to make my decisions. Following Jesus isn’t about pretending we’re perfect. It’s about repentance, surrender, and allowing Him to change us.

Now, religious hypocrisy is real, and church hurt is real. Nobody should be expected to tolerate abuse or mistreatment in the name of Christianity. But don’t confuse the failures of people with the character of Jesus. Sometimes we’re so busy pointing out everyone else’s hypocrisy that we forget to examine the person staring back at us in the mirror.

I go to church because I know I’m not perfect. I go because I want to grow closer to Jesus, and I’ve found people who genuinely love me, pray for me, and walk beside me. But I’ve also learned that sometimes showing up isn’t about what WE need. Sometimes it’s about who needs US. We never know who needs a hug, a prayer, a listening ear, someone to remind them they’re not alone, or someone who has been through the same thing. Sometimes God places people in our lives who show up for us when we can barely find the strength to show up for ourselves. I know my mat carriers have - when they didn't have to.

Sometimes we’re the ones carrying the mat, and sometimes we’re the ones lying on it. That’s the beauty of the body of Christ. ❤️

So before you allow the imperfections of people to keep you away from church, remember that Jesus never asked you to follow perfect people. He asked you to follow HIM. Don’t allow someone else’s behavior to keep you from pursuing Jesus. But don’t allow your own behavior to become the reason someone else doesn’t want to know Him, either.

Because the real question isn’t whether there are hypocrites sitting in church. The real question is whether the person walking out of church looks anything like the Jesus they just walked in to worship. ❤️

🙏 Today’s Prayer

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for loving me despite my imperfections and never giving up on me when I fall short. Forgive me for the times I’ve judged others while overlooking my own shortcomings, and for the moments I’ve allowed frustration, anger, or pride to speak louder than my faith.

Lord, help me remember that worship doesn’t end when the service does. The way I treat people in the parking lot, at work, in traffic, and behind closed doors should reflect the same Jesus I praise inside Your house. For those who have experienced church hurt, I pray for healing, renewed trust, and the courage to seek healthy Christian fellowship without allowing someone else’s failures to define their relationship with You.

Father, continue transforming my heart. Help me recognize when someone needs me to carry their mat, and give me the humility to let others carry mine when I’m struggling. I don’t want to just talk about Jesus. I want people to experience His love through the way I live.

In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen. ❤️