Stained Glass Masquerade

by Casting Crowns

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so small

Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they’ll soon discover
That I don’t belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything’s okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I’ll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them

*Chorus*
Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who’s been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who’s traded
In the altar for a stage

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be

Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay

Chorus x2

Well if the invitation’s open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin’ so small
---------------------------------------------------

I have always loved this song, since the first time I heard it. It would remind me of what my church was NOT like. It helped me remember that I was around people who loved me and really wanted to know who the real me was, and they were real themselves. They were there for me when I was hurting and needing help and prayer. If I walked in the door and painted on a smile, or said I was fine when I wasn't... someone would just look at me and say "Are you sure? You don't look like everything is fine." And they would share and seek prayer for their problems as well, instead of pretending everything was just fine. I had learned through this family of mine that the love of Jesus was enough to make them stay. It was a wonderful place to be.

This Sunday, we chose to listen to this song as we pulled away from the church service we had just attended. Only this time, it was not a reminder of what we already had.... it was a reminder of what we do not want.

Have you ever been to a church where everything was just too perfect? Where everyone is just trying too hard? Where it seems like they are putting on a show rather than truly worshipping the Lord?

The people were nice, and we were encouraged when we walked in hearing Jars of Clay in the background. They were playing contemporary Christian music leading up to the beginning of the worship. People welcomed us and introduced themselves. The Pastor came by to say hi. The youth pastor came over to talk to Nikki. Real people, real relationships. That's what their website said.

Then the four pastors took their places on stage and began to lead their "incredible worship". (This was the headline that caught my eye in their add and what brought us to this church in the first place.) Unfortunately, their idea of incredible worship was not our idea of incredible worship. When the worship began, we immediately felt like we were in the middle of a Tammy Faye Baker Telethon. Nothing about their worship seemed real to us. It was not genuine. But it looked good. Almost perfect.

I had a really hard time with this one. I kept trying to reconcile in my head the differences between what I read and heard with what we saw. The message this church wants to proclaim is extremely good. Relationship, not religion.... Believing the Bible from cover to cover..... Powerful prayer works miracles in our lives.... and so on. This is what I read on their website, and these same words were spoken in their sermons. This is what I am looking for.

So if this is the message that you believe and preach, then how is it that you can be so plastic? This church is saying they believe all these things, yet they give off the image of performing for perfection... putting on a show... unrealistic optimism.

During the service as I was sensing these things, I had a hard time determining whether I was accurate in my assessments, or if it was triggering what I call my "mother filter". She is a hyper-positive person that says all the right things but I do not believe in her sincerity at all. So was I just sensing something that wasn't there because of her? Or was this really a problem?

I got my answer at the end of the service when my husband (who does not have my "mother filter" problem), turned to me and started reciting the Casting Crowns lyrics, "shiny plastic people".... so he got them a little wrong, but I knew what he was talking about.

I thought back to the red flags I did see on their website. They put an incredible amount of focus and emphasis on how qualified its leaders are, all the degrees they possess, and how if you want to join the music team you must audition and be prepared to handle criticism and comments from their musical leaders/professionals. (I'm not sure they used the words professionals, but it was clear that is what they meant.) There were a lot of mixed messages, I was just hoping the side I liked would be the winner.... but this was not the case.

As I watched all the pastors in complete charge of every aspect of this service, I recognized that I do not want to be in such a controlled/controlling environment. I don't want to be micromanaged by my church leadership. There is no real freedom there, no matter how much you preach about relationships and love.

So that brings me back to my original question... How can I reconcile the complete differences in what is being preached and what I see? I do believe that they "believe" what they are saying, but somehow they are still getting it all wrong.

Then I thought of my mother. I know my mother "believes" in all her new age positive mantra as well. But she just doesn't know how insincere she seems. She wants to believe so badly, that she has herself fooled, and the enemy has her right where he wants her.

And the answer came to me... They do not know how plastic they are! They think they have all the answers and are on the right track. They actually think their worship is incredible. They don't know they are missing the "real" in real relationships, real people.

This made me sad. Sad to know and to see exactly how Satan can even have believers all wrapped up in his web. He has them fooled, maybe not as badly as my mother... but nonetheless, they are missing a huge key and don't even know it.

Lord God, please open up the eyes of the lost... those who are lost in the world as well as those who are lost in the church. Help them see what is real and who you really are. Help me keep a positive attitude with each church we visit... like Edison who said "I haven't failed, I just found 999 ways NOT to make a light bulb!"..... we aren't failing in our search to find a home church, we are just finding churches that don't fit us. Give us wisdom and discernment with each visit. And thank you for each lesson you are teaching us in the search. I love you. Amen.