Lyrics Page
Church Hurt
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Sep 23, 2026 updated
As I Am album
Verified editorial review
Song Meaning
Hannah Kerr turns a familiar question inward rather than outward in "Church Hurt" — "are we sinners in a glass house throwing stones? Do we do it so nobody else will know that we stumble and we struggle to show the love of Jesus first?" The song indicts the church from within it, not from outside.
"It's supposed to be a safe place to fall, where you walk in with your shame and walk out whole... but now we hide all the brokenness we feel" names the gap between the church's purpose and its actual practice honestly, without softening the accusation into something vaguer. "When did we start making you feel unworthy? When did we stop giving love, showing mercy?" repeats the same two questions rather than offering easy excuses.
"I'm sorry for the ways that you've been wounded, I'm sorry for the times we let you down" closes the song as an apology rather than a defense, and "I hope you turn to Jesus with His arms around your hurt" points past the institution's failure toward the person the song insists never actually failed.
Lyrics Verified by Editorial Team
It's supposed to be a safe place to fall
Where you walk in with your shame and walk out whole
Bring in all your burdens and get help
Love God and love your neighbor as yourself
But now we hide all the brokenness we feel
Do we hurt the ones that Jesus wants to heal?
Are we sinners in a glass house throwing stones?
Do we do it so nobody else will know
That we stumble and we struggle
To show the love of Jesus first
Is that what makes the church hurt?
Is it a place where anyone is welcome?
Even if we don't all look the same
Didn't Jesus show us how to be a family
Instead of leaving people hopeless in their pain?
Are we sinners in a glass house throwing stones?
Do we do it so nobody else will know
That we stumble and we struggle
To show the love of Jesus first
Is that what makes the church hurt?
Is that what makes the church hurt?
When did we start making you feel unworthy?
When did we stop giving love, showing mercy?
When did we start making you feel unworthy?
When did we stop giving love, showing mercy?
Are we sinners in a glass house throwing stones?
Do we do it so nobody else will know
That we stumble and we struggle
To show the love of Jesus first
Is that what makes the church hurt?
I'm sorry for the ways that you've been wounded
I'm sorry for the times we let you down
I hope you turn to Jesus with His arms around your hurt
He says He never leaves you, and He always keeps His word
He can heal the church hurt
He can heal the church hurt