Dear Large Baptist church,

First I want to thank you for giving me so many great friendships. Some of them mean everything to me and I wouldn’t trade them for the world. I also want to thank you for some of the morals that you have instilled in me. The way I think today is mostly because of my upbringing within your classes.

With that said, I am truly f***** up because of it as well. Now that I am grown and have the capability to think for myself, I realize that I am constantly at war with myself. I now know that some of your teachings are good but most are completely false and have been distorted over time by men with the desire for power and money (Also with a strong since of anti-Semitism, but we don’t talk about that do we) but I still have a hard time dealing with things that I once thought to be ungodly and now know that is just means opinion and interpretation. You teach people things because you believe them to be true which I respect because everyone is entitled to their opinion. Also because you were taught them in school, I should know, I also went to “bible college”(Which is a whole can of worms unto itself).

People don’t question you anymore and when they do it’s a lack of faith. I am very close to my Father but in your eyes I wouldn’t be because I don’t do things the way you do them. The fact that you teach that YOU have the truth is laughable because you don’t know that for sure. There is a truth but until that final day it is all by faith. But lets divide his kingdom for our opinion. Lets go to war and kill and slander each other for our opinion. Its ridiculous! When really we could all be wrong.

Also you ruined my marriage. I know that’s harsh and probably not 100% true, but you gave us an expectation of marriage and sex that was unattainable. You teach us very little about sex to begin with, say wait until you are married (cause God said so?), and then when you are married forever and ever sex is awesome…go! So for 21 years I waited. We did everything right (according to you) and then when we were 5 years in and nothing had changed your truth is “suck it up and deal with it, marriage is hard”? F*** you! I want a real marriage, and not a marriage like my parents (like most of your congregations) where they hate each other but they stayed together because “the bible said so”. It’s fake, just like most of your teachings about marriage and sex, which have no backing if you really study the history of it in the bible.

I could go on and on, but I won’t because it won’t do any good. There is so much wrong with religion in general that removing myself all together and being content in living the way I believe my Father desires me to live is enough for me. I’m sorry if this sounds like a hate letter. I used to hate you but I don’t anymore. I’m more understanding that there is a place for you but not in my life. Thanks for the memories but I’ll be letting God take it from here. And if I’m wrong I’ll take my punishment from Him not you.

Sincerely,

One who knows you

Ocala, FL

Dear Unnamed Catholic Parrish,

I get it. We will just transfer the priest and bring in someone as a giant apologizer for the previous priest, as well as the catholic church as a whole.

Save it. You may try to forget everything and move on, but what is my cousin supposed to do? He will carry that abuse for the rest of his life. I just pray he doesn’t blame God for what you all have passively or directively done. 

From,

Gregory P. 

Allston, MA

Dear New Life Church,

​You gave me a place to belong when I had nowhere else. Thank you for accepting me for who I am in Christ, and helping to reveal that to me. It was within your walls that I discovered who I am as a child of God, and discovered the lavish love of God. It was my refuge in my loneliest times. You showed me what it means to have a garment of praise. You have set a high standard for what I understand church to be, and in the mean time even if the people were flawed and caused division… I will always think of this as my church family.

Thank you,

Rachael

(No City Given), Florida

Dear Church,

I write to you with a heavy, yet reminiscent heart. I like to think of the olden days when my friends and I would hang out at church after the Sunday service and get ready for Fine Arts practice. Or when Josh, Jerrell, and I would walk down to Subway after we set up for youth group on Friday and talk about life and the girls we liked. Those days seemed so nice. There was no judgment or condemnation. People had a genuine love for the things of the Lord. Where did that go?

I have thought about this for a very long time now. Why is it that when one teenager messes up and learns a lesson the hard way, they are cast out of the loving family of the church? It was the hardest thing to watch friends leave because they were sick of being pushed out. After seeing the struggle in their eyes of knowing that people were talking about them behind their backs was truly heartbreaking.

Despite all of the heartbreak that you have caused me over the years, I still have hope for you. As time goes on, you slowly realize that rebuking people is not the way to bring them back. I can only hope that the situation will continue to be looked at and grow further in the right direction.

Yours truly,

John

Poughkeepsie, NY

Dear Iglesia El Calvario,

Ever since I was born, you have been my home. Growing up together has been such a beautiful and hard process. I remember seeing you grow from having 500 people to now having about 5,000 people. You have been such a blessing to my life that words cannot even describe the true value you have in my eyes.

From being taught the fundamental truths to being a leader, you also have seen me grow. Thank you for allowing me to serve the least of these. Serving them has truly humbled me and inspired me to look more like Christ. Because of service as leader, I have desired to seek the deeper things of Christ and now my thirst is unquenchable.

As for my future with you, I do not know where the Lord is going to lead me. I have a great desire to stay and work full-time with you as a pastor in any capacity, but I also have a desire to go to the world to preach the good news of the Gospel. God has called me to be a prophet to nations and I plan on obeying and responding to that call of God over my life. Whether I stay close or go far away, rest assured that this will always be a “see you later.” Remember this: you will always be home to me. Home is where the heart is and you, my beautiful church, have my heart forever and always.

From,

Christian S.

Orlando, FL

Dear CLC,

I started working for you after college. You had found out about me through the dean of my school , and based off the great things you heard, you just “knew” I was the one to help your church grow. You didn’t have anyone to take over your children’s ministry, and even though I didn’t have a ton of experience with kids, I was a newly college graduate from a Christian institution, so you knew I would except The Lord’s calling either way.

I was full of hope, inspiration, and love – I felt like I could literally move mountains with my prayers. I was unstoppable. Well, or so I thought…you see, not only did I end up teaching your kids but I also attended your services – where I had to sit and listen to your guest speakers, in a new the church plant, every Sunday. All the while they preached anger, hate, judgment and best of all: how to belittle a person. All I wanted to do was love people, like Jesus did, no matter their sexual orientation, if they were divorced or married, believed in birth control or not, or if they were a “stupid liberal,” or spirit-led Republican. I remember one time you specifically called me out for being a feminist, because that wasn’t “Godly.” That hurt.

So, it’s been 6 months since I walked out of your doors, and it still pains my heart to think of what you’re teaching people every Sunday. So, I stuck it out for a year – fulfilled my promise to teach your kids. And teach them, I did! I taught them to be passionate beings, peacemakers, pacifists, and people full of prayer that’s hopefully and overflows with love.

I never taught judgement, hatred, or humiliation – and for that, I’m grateful I stuck it out the entire year. Thank you for that.

Sincerely,

Nikki  

(No City Given), Connecticut

Dear Harvest Assembly,

Thank you so much for being kind and welcoming to me my freshman year of college. Throughout my life my family and I did a lot of “church-hopping” hoping to find a home where we would grow. You guys were welcoming to me, but not overwhelming or creepy. Quite a few of the churches we visited kinda freaked us out with their unusually large smiles and by showering us with their endless pamphlets of information. I was scared to get my hopes up when I was trying to find a new church home. I didn’t want to keep searching. I never had a place of my own before. You guys were friendly, but also chill. Thank you for taking me in and helping me grow during this vital time of my life. I have never had such a cool pastor and pastor’s wife in my life before. You guys rock.

Sincerely,

Alyssa

Lakeland, FL

Dear MMA Church,

Sorry, but you can’t guilt trip me for watching porn when I was a teenager while you objectify women EVERY DAY through archaic and ancient “submission” teachings. You always say how we need to be “men.” How? By wearing Affliction T’s and shouting really loud? Sorry, but I’m all set. Sounds more like Napoleonic syndrome…

Peter

Seattle, MA

Dear Church (Name I shall not mention),

I used to be an active member of your worship and praise band. I used to love doing it, even if it meant I had to wake up really early for church (7am-1pm service times). It was awesome feeling that kinship with the team, worshipping God together. It really felt like we connected together in spirit and in truth like the scriptures say. I was really happy. 

Then you kept asking about my friend Terry. Terry used to come to church with my family and I. He doesn’t anymore and it is because you kept asking about him. You pulled me into secret little meetings, asking me all sorts of questions about the kind of music he listened to, how he dressed, what kind of people he hung out with at school, and other questions that were never about me, but always about Terry who was never there to answer himself. They were always like suspicious questions, like you thought he has up to something. I didn’t feel comfortable about it then, because it felt so much like gossip, even if you weren’t blatantly saying bad things about him. 

Then one sunday morning before the 10:30 service you asked to talk to me in the pastor’s office. You told me that Terry was a bad influence on me. I asked why and you said it’s because he was a homosexual. I was really shocked that you would say this to me. I had known Terry for a long time and I never knew him to be this. Even if he was that has nothing to do with me. It was confusing for me to be in the room told that I had to remove my friend from my life based on something that there was no proof anywhere for. When I told Terry this he obviously never wanted to come back. When you found out I told Terry you asked me to take a “break” from the praise and worship team. I asked for how long and you said far a long time. 

Terry and I are still friends. I do not think he is a homosexual but if he is the bible says to love the sinner and hate the sin. I don’t understand why you didn’t want me to be friends with someone just because you thought they were a sinner, without proof of this, and kicked me off the worship band because I wouldn’t stop being his friend. This makes no sense. 

My family may still attend your church but I am not coming back. It’s not because you are not letting me be on the worship team but because I don’t think I can learn the Bible from people who don’t seem to know it at all. I’d suggest practicing what you preach. 

From,

Dean

Fort Worth, TX

Dear Harvest Church,

It is because of you that I have found Jesus! My life has never been the same and I am so grateful for the family you have brought me into. 

Blessings!

Tara

Winter Park, FL