I remember inviting Bill to my church. Bill had schizophrenia. He was one of the first people with schizophrenia that I met at the mental health center.
I invited him to my church. Doing so might have gotten me fired, but that’s what we do, right? He came one Sunday, but he wouldn’t sit in my pew near the front. He wanted to sit in the back. A couple of times, when everyone else was quiet, I heard Bill giggle. He giggled a lot.
The next Monday in day treatment I thanked Bill for coming and invited him back. He said he wouldn’t come back. He told me that someone had told him that he needed to go somewhere else to church.
Bill hallucinated and he had delusions, but I believed him.
Tim,
ReplyDeleteMy comment from a reformed point of view would be this: I don't think it was appropriate to ask Bill to come to a Sunday worship service. This may sound harsh but the sole purpose of the worship service is to glorify God and worship. It has nothing to do with the effect it may have on us. Bill, as a non-believer, not to mention being mentally ill, was not capable of this. That is not to say we are not commanded to love our neighbor and spread the Gospel because we are. But, another exposure to the gospel such as a Bible Study or Wed. supper would have been more appropriate. It also would have allowed Bill to be much more relaxed and susceptible to having the Gospel explained through the Word and seeing it through the fellowship of other believers. :)
Rod
Thanks Rod. Bandana?
ReplyDeleteFifteen years ago I didn't understand about such things.
Bill claimed to be a Christian. He made a believable confession when on he was on meds. It was twisted when he wasn't. He was very relaxed. Everyone else was a little edgy, but Bill was relaxed and having a good time.
I tell this story in my lectures. My point is less about whether or not Bill should/shouldn't be invited/invited back. The point is that local churches needing to do a whole lot more for people like Bill.