Twice as a teenager, I was discouraged from attending church by church people.
One Sunday morning, a friend and I decided to go to church and went to the closest one within walking distance. It was a few minutes before the service would start. We entered the double glass doors on the front of the building. There was a short staircase on our left that led to some double doors that went into the auditorium. Once at the top of the staircase, a man I presume to be an usher said, “Stop right there.” He continued, “You boys can leave the way you came.” and gestured toward the door. My friend and I looked at each other and then turned and left. We were shocked that we had just been told to leave a church.
Not to be deterred, we decided on a second church we could walk to. This time we agreed that we would go and speak with the pastor to find out if we would be welcomed. On Monday, we went into the building and found a secretary in an office just inside the entrance. We introduced ourselves and asked if we could speak with the pastor. She picked up the phone and told him that there were two boys waiting to speak with him. He came out into the foyer and asked how he could help us. We explained that we were looking for a church to attend in our neighborhood and asked if he would mind us attending his. He informed us that his church didn’t have a very large youth department and that we would be happier if we looked somewhere else. Rejected again, we turned and left. I guess we didn’t fit the demographic.
It is incredible to recall these two events and wonder what these men could have been thinking. God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. These guys were a little more particular.
Joel Stiff's Adventure 