Which of the challenges described in this lesson surprise you the most? Why? Are any of these challenges similar to those you face in your faith community? If so, which ones and in what ways?

[Leong]

None of the challenges surprised me because I’ve been around long enough to observe that they indeed exist. Perhaps the persecution of churches in hostile societies and the complacency of churches in favorable societies sadden me more than they surprise me. The geographical distance isn’t so much of a challenge today, with the advance of transportation and the possibility of an online church.

In my faith community, where we do not experience persecution, I think that a large part of the church has settled into complacency. Whereas the Christian denominations in my country don’t fight anymore, you could sense a latent schism sometimes in their mission policies. Normally a church prefers to “send” a missionary directly without having to work with other denominations through an agency.

[jedidiah Johnson]

I’m not entirely surprised by the challenges splitting the church. Issues of pride and ego are within the church as well as the other types of sins. In my faith community we seem to have a decent togetherness that doesn’t stop the majority from working together on important community issues.

[David Kew]

Nothing surprises me today about the challenges of the church. The one that seems to split faith communities is a doctrinal disagreement. What I see in my faith community is that when individuals get church hurt, that person just jumps to the next church. There will not be a perfect church. Individuals need to dig in grow personally in their faith in Jesus. Be both the eyes and hands of Jesus wherever he/she might go.

[Abraham Alier]

Nothing really surprise me at all. the same disagreement that happen in the New Testament when the members divinding them between Paul and Apollo is still happening today. I have seen in my community people are ordain base on the tribal line. Even the churches are establish on tribal line.

[Rebecca Crone]

None of the challenges described in the lesson surprise me. Within the United States, I think Geographic Distance might be a bigger issue than people realize. The problem is not that people live too far from church; rather, the difficulty is that there are so many churches in some areas, that people can quite easily pick/choose which church to attend on any given Sunday. If someone is offended or hurt within the local church body, they will easily leave and go down the street to another church. I have seen it happen so many times, and it is quite unfortunate. People would rather avoid a conflict than deal with it biblically.