The part I highlighted in red has NOT been my experience AT ALL. The only place I have seen this done is at my current church. Other than that it's like you're not allowed to be sad because if you're sad you don't have enough faith and something must be wrong with you. If you cry, people get uncomfortable, pat you on the back and run away. Help and comfort?? ppppfffftttt we must be talking about different churches. lol
Do you see what I am getting at?
I understand it is important to focus on serving and loving people but 9 times out of ten people in the church don't allow me to love them because we never talk about anything important. "oh how's the weather?" "Did you like the sermon?" See?
You look at the world and people of the world are so consumed with themselves they can't see past themselves to love others and I am so afraid the church is the same way. :'( All talk but no action.
Jesus commands believers:
Ro 15:5
7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
KJV
Ro 15:14
14 And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.
KJV
Gal 5:13-14
13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
KJV
Eph 4:1-3
I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
KJV
Eph 4:32
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.
KJV
1 Th 5:9-11
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
KJV
Heb 10:24-25
24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
KJV
Gal 6:2
2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
KJV
Many of these ministries to one another require a level of intimacy that our society tends to discourage.
Even those of us who are willing to open ourselves to each other find it difficult to spend enough time together to develop real intimacy. (Intimacy is making one's self vulnerable with an expectation of safety; and has nothing inherently connected with sexuality.)
Many Churches would be willing to hold themselves to a higher standard; but have difficulty finding ways to consistently spend intimate time together.