When I was growing up church was a safe place

Didn′t really understand the depths, but I'd say the grace

Put my hands in the air, sing the songs same way

Made me feel good about myself in a strange way

See, I never really doubted God ever

Tough times came but I knew they′d get better

I used to blame him for the violence and the wars

But then I realized that we do that to ourselves, it's a flaw

Still had my cake and ate it too

Guess I was away with you

I'd go against the bible, but when I needed something praise him too

When I was struggling I′d look for help in heavenly places

Then forget God in devilish phases

Got baptized and when I came out of the water

I felt like a new man

I recognized the trauma that I′d been through

From the day I was born to the days I

Was brought up, the stories working together

I just gotta trust the author and I learnt to

Try to be a man of virtue

Committed to the church 'cause I knew they′d never hurt you

So imagine my surprise

When my pastor went to jail, for abusing some of the guys

I was devastated

'Cause to the church I was dedicated

It was meant to bring some light into this world of hatred

But we′re shady and need to go back to basics

Some friends they couldn't face it

And left the faith because they lost patience

Started struggling

And I couldn′t put my mind to rest

Reading up on stories about some of the

Congregation being homeless and depressed

While the pastor's buying private jets

Paid by the very people tryna fight their way through debt

How's that gonna earn respect

Friends are sending tweets and texts

These ain′t the words that Jesus said

And ain′t the reason Jesus bled

I'm tryna find some peace in bed

It′s kinda like Ephesians says

I pray for wisdom and knowledge for all the other leaders left

And we let these things go on in the church,

Then we say how evil those people are out in the world

You guys, that's completely opposite of what God desires

God says "You know what? The people who don′t know me?

They're gonna do what they′re gonna do. And you need to love them."

You ne-you need to go after them

Isn't that what Jesus did?

He was out with the alcoholics, with the prostitutes

With the murders, with the thieves, that's who Jesus hung with

Out in the world

They say the church is supposed to look

Differently, God says "I want the church to be pure"

La-la-lately I′ve been looking at my own life

All my weaknesses and my struggles, they seem to hold tight

I call myself a Christian, go figure

I guess looking at the church is kinda like looking in the mirror

′Cause it just ain't a building, it′s the people

We're the ones that make the same mistakes again, it ain′t the steeple

I'm just, wondering if I played my part in the evil

I know we′ve all got different sins

We're fighting demons till the sequel

I'm a hypocrite

Made some mistakes I gotta live with it

Praying for forgiveness everyday, there′s something different, it′s

Playing on my mind

'Cause there were times I used to find all the faults

In someone else when I was struggling with them myself

I′m gonna change my ways

Looking at this world, I think there's space for faith

Helps me on my wayward days

But it′s time I raised the stakes

You know, trynna practice what I preach

Be a man of my word, try harder to become a better person

In the meantime, even though I know it's not perfect

I′m faithful to the church 'cause I feel like I'm always learning

And you can hate it if you want to

But I realized the other day, that there′s hypocrites in the clubs too

And people still go back to party

So, I go back to church ′cause I believe in what God has started

He brought me out of the darkness

Gave me a home to put my heart in

Sticking by it regardless

I'm committed when times are hardest

′Cause my church prayed for me when I lost my dad in an instant

The church gave me sight when I didn't have any vision

The church gave me songs when my mind was stuck in a prison

I would sing ′em so loud and feel freedom enter my system

I see my church feed the homeless and give them service

I've seen ′em take the kids off the street and give 'em purpose

I've seen ′em give a home to the nations so they can worship

I′ve seen the church see past my flaws, I'm undeserving

There′s many pros but they're many flaws

The good, the bad, the ugly and I′m ready for it

And everybody disses it

Till they got a funeral

A wedding or a christening they need a venue for

There's cons but there′s pros too

The good, the bad, the ugly, that's the whole truth

The church isn't the place that I just go to

It′s the family I belong to

(Belong to)