Recently reviewing some materials from a local church, I came across a permission slip for a youth activity. At the end of all acquittals, disclaimers and discharges was this statement: "
I understand that ________ Church is a Christian organization and that my child may be exposed to Christian principles and Biblical activities."
I am stupefied. Well, at least I was yesterday when I read this . . . no, wait . . . yep--I am still stupefied.
Did you know that the Church was a Christian organization? Ok, granted the term “church” has been politicized enough so it means just about anything to any organization who wants to use it—like the “church of satan” or whatever.
But really—do people need to be told that even certain groups of people who want to use the term “church” are “Christian?” Something is very wrong here. Someone is assuming that the reader of the document knows what “Christian” means and because the “church” is redefined, both “church” and “Christian” are equated for the reader by the writer of the document.
What is more: by attending the functions of this Christian organization, your “child may be exposed to Christian principles and Biblical activities.”
Parents, the possibilities could be high enough that by attending our functions, your children just might could possibly be exposed to holiness, goodness, righteousness, freedom from sin, and other social ills. I mean, really—it can happen!
And those Biblical activities! Singing, reading the Bible, prayer, encouragement—maybe even healing—the possibilities are just not fully known!
Your child might come home “different”—hope that’s ok with you. Your child might bring a friend home, too—oh, you won’t see Him, so He won’t be in your way; but, you may find your child “talking” to Him (this is what we call in the Christian Church, “perfectly normal”) and wanting to spend time with Him—stuff like that.
So just sign on the bottom line. Oh, and, though we are not responsible for your child’s behavior and anything that can (and believe us, it can!) get broken—we are also not responsible if anything “spiritual” happens either. After all, we are a "Church."
