"If I can't run to the church with my sin. Where do I run?" This was the question posed by a visiting academic at our synod this week. The context was a discussion with ministers about addiction among clergy. It didn't take long to realise that although we are all sympathetic generally when it comes to the various forms of addiction that plague our world, some addictions have such stigma attached to them that we keep them hidden from everyone for fear of being judged and rejected.
Hence the implication behind the professor's question: surely the church should be a place where we can come and receive unconditional love and find support and healing for our illness? And yet in that discussion as clergy, while some were very comfortable acknowledging, for example, an addictive caffeine habit, no-one would freely own a less socially acceptable addiction - whether substance abuse or issues with gambling or pornography. The research clearly says that these issues are rife through all of society, but have we found a safe place to share them?
Jesus provides that safety - the gospels describe how people who had been condemned by society felt at home with the Lord - they were drawn to him. As a community formed by the values and attitudes of Christ, we too should be a safe space where all may find unquestioning support and encouragement, regardless of the struggles they face. I hope that that has been your experience at WMC (maybe especially in your small group?) and that this community feels like a safe place where we can be authentic and share our struggles without fear of rejection.