Glory to God for all things!
Youtube recently "pushed" me a video about a Protestant pastor who started reading the Church Fathers and discovered a few things along the way. His name is Pastor Scott Klaudt and he has a rather eye-opening sermon series from his church, Zootown.
I was curious about pastor Klaudt's journey and found something unexpected and beautiful in his sermon "Where Our Tree Got Bent." Around the 6 minute, 30 second mark, you hear the heart of a true pastor.
"There was spiritual abuse. That's on me. I was the leader. And I'm sorry. I'm sorry. We were trained to do it this way."
Perhaps you are someone, from Milestone Church or elsewhere, who needs (or needed) to hear these words from your pastor (or former pastor) but were denied the privilege of hearing them. This is for you. You should have heard them.
"Please forgive me for failing to love you. Please forgive me for failing to protect you. Please forgive me, a sinner," is a core teaching of the historical Christian Church.
Every liturgy in every Orthodox Church, before offering the gifts at the altar, the priest comes out to his congregation and says, "Forgive me, my brethren," thus fulfilling the command of Christ.
On "forgiveness Sunday," the day before Great Lent begins, every member of every parish goes around to every other member in a (long) line, prostrating to the ground, asking for and granting forgiveness with a threefold kiss and the precious words, "Forgive me a sinner." And "As God forgives, I forgive."
The ancient Church knows what it is about in this arena. The modern Church is still offering up self protective platitudes, finger pointing and blame, to its shame. It is time for modern Christendom to repent and walk in the humility commanded by our Lord and Savior. It is time for the modern church to return to her holy and orthodox roots.
In Christ,
Catherine
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