Silver Linings Playbook: How the Church Dropped the Ball

         I recently saw the Oscar-nominated film Silver Linings Playbook. This film chronicles the journey of someone entering back into society after having just been released from a behavioral health facility. The story is woven in a way that he finds his sanity and love in the most unlikely of places. In the climactic scene of the movie, the protagonist’s father proclaims, “You have to pay attention to signs. When life reaches out with a moment like this it's a sin if you don't reach back... I'm telling you.”

            I adored this movie; it fostered a conversation that people need to have about mental health awareness. But one thing caught me that I’m sure not many others might catch. Throughout the movie, one part of life is severely lacking. The church is strangely absent from this film. Some of you might argue that the Hollywood culture no longer involves church but I’m starting to think that may not be the case.

            Where has the church been all these years? Where have we been as a community of faith? We’ve become entranced in the idea that somehow this entity we call church is a country club for saints instead of something more akin to Alcoholics Anonymous for sinners. I’ve seen it happen at churches all across the land, we walk in, our heads held high and our voices loud as we proclaim that all is right in our world. When deep down, our marriages are crumbling, our friendships are in ruin, our nights are a little darker than they used to be.

            The church has been absent. We’ve missed opportunities. I’m not saying we need to be everywhere at every possible moment. However I am suggesting that there are times when we need to stand in the gap. We need to be that bridge between a culture so hell-bent on destruction and the Kingdom of God offered to us.

            This can take many different forms. Mental health awareness within our congregations, domestic violence education and prevention, sexual ethics training and programs that enact safe congregation policies for our children and older adults are all steps congregations right here in our community to take to stand in the gap.

            One of the things I love about the community of faith is that, for me, they have stood in where I needed them. They have become the very essence of God by their actions and their kindness. On the flip side there are times when I felt like the community surrounding me wanted to do nothing that was fruitful for my faith development or the good of the Church as a whole.

            Ultimately, we must always remember that the church is a very human institution. There will be times when we make atrocious mistakes, but God isn’t done with the church yet. Take heart, because there is still work to be done. There are still needs in our community that congregations can meet. It’s our time, and our chance to stand up for the oppressed and stand in the gap for humanity. Friends when life reaches out to you at a time like this, it’s a sin if you don’t reach back.