Concerning God as our Center

Excerpt from "Freedom of Simplicity," by Richard J. Foster, pp. 94-95

I hope you understand what I mean when I speak of living out of the Center. I am of course referring to God, but I do not mean God in an abstract, theoretical sense, nor even God in the sense of the One to be feared and revered. Nor do I mean God only in the sense of One to be loved and obeyed. For years I loved God and sought to obey him, but he remained on the periphery of my life. God and Christ were extremely important to me but certainly not the Center. After all, I had many tasks and aspirations that did not relate to God in the least. What, for heaven's sake, did swimming and gardening have to do with God? I was deeply committed, but I was not integrated or unified. I thought that serving God was another duty to be added to an already busy schedule.

But slowly I came to see that God desired to be not on the outskirts, but at the heart of my experience. Gardening was no longer an experience outside of my relationship with God - I discovered God in my gardening. Swimming was no longer just good exercise - it became an opportunity for communion with God. God in Christ had become the Center.

Church Cliques

I see a lot of hits on my brief article on church cliques.
What are some of your experiences with these? Would you like to hear some advice on your issue?

What's your story?

Many people leave their churches or are pushed out of them.
I hope you'll consider sharing your story here, so we might all learn from it.

Dechurched: Our hidden beliefs

Excerpt from "The Church and the Dechurched" by Mary Tuomi Hammond, pp 46-47

Persons dechurched through abuse at the hands of Christian institutions or professing believers often experience four "rules" of the dysfunctional family, whether in their church families, denominations or families of origin. These four rules - don't think, don't feel, don't talk and don't trust - are subtle messages designed to silence the individual in question.

The admonition Don't think stifles a child's development of original and independent thought apart from the thought of adult authority figures in his or her life. Judgments, ideas, and questions are buried deep within the self unless these views agree with those of the dominant adult. The child learns to placate authority by avoiding conflict.

For a while, this pattern enhances feelings of personal safety; in fact, it is deceptive. The game plan becomes one of keeping the peace at any price. A child who masters the don't think rule develops a facility in conforming outwardly to the ideas and opinions of others while repressing his or her genuine thoughts. Thus, the child never fully experiences the true self. Instead, the "split self" becomes the norm, with one set of thoughts being hidden from public view and another more accepted perspective being presented to others.
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Ms. Hammond makes a case that we create a false fiction of safety by trying to keep peace at any price.

What do you think happens when people are not allowed to be honest with their beliefs with church friends?