So it's no secret that the world is full of Hypocrites and Liars.  I'm sure if you ask anyone on the street they could tell you a story about how their lives have been affected by one of the aforementioned.

Contrary to what some people would like to think, The Church is no exception!  The Church is full of Hypocrites and Liars...mainly because the church is full of people...sinful human beings.  What sucks is that these people's actions represent a much bigger entity known as GOD and they end up giving Him an extremely bad rap...one which He definitely does not deserve!

After several years of talking with students, you feel like you've heard just about every story...and if not, you've at least heard a scenario that is quite similar.  One thing that never gets less devastating to hear is when a student tells you that someone in the church (staff members in particular) has done something to cause them to turn away from God or seriously question their faith (and not in a good way).  I HATE hearing that...it makes me so mad and at the same time makes me extremely sad for the student that they were treated in a manner that would drive them away from the Lord.

Often this is the result of a situation being mishandled and that could be due to a number of things whether it's just lack of experience, the leader having a rough day/week or just not knowing what to say or do to reach the particular student.  However, on the flip side of that coin is that the leader could be acting out of a lack of character, integrity, and obedience to God and that is when it becomes blatant SIN that needs to be repented for and change needs to be sought.

The tragic part of this is that the students affected by this Sin often question the nature of God because they feel like the Leader should be a "Representation" of Him (which they definitely are)...and when that Leader fails them, lies to them, tells them to live in a certain way that they don't adhere to themselves, those actions clearly speak louder than any words they’ve said and indicates to the student that there is something to be questioned about the validity of God or the church…instead of just the leader.

I've recently been witness to numerous lives that have been affected by the poor leadership and lack of moral integrity in the church.  Granted, we are all human and will inevitably make numerous mistakes and we all need the forgiveness that Jesus Christ offers...but we still need to be extremely mindful of the impact our Hypocrisy and Lies, often stemming straight from a sneaky little sucker known as Pride, can have on so many lives around us.

So...with all that being said...I want to first apologize to all of the students whose faith and belief has been affected by the actions of us "leaders" (that are associated with Christianity and the Church).  Secondly, I want to point out that we are mere human beings with innumerable flaws and although we represent God, PLEASE do not base your ultimate opinions of God off of our life witness.  God is PERFECT and LOVES like no human can...we are an imperfect people who could never properly represent our God in a fashion that could come anywhere close to doing Him justice.

Ultimately your faith, belief, and relationship with your Creator is a personal one between you and Him...please do not let the sins of others, especially those in the church, hinder that.