I was doing a bit of research and discovered this post I wrote five years ago. Sometimes I astound myself at how well I listen to God's promptings when I write. Then I wonder, why can I not hear as clearly today? Then I realize I'm still hearing Him, He is just saying something different.
How do you choose a church?
Do you visit and visit and then one day you walk in a church and just know... this is it? This is where God wants me?
Do you wait to see who comes to visit after you've visited?
Do you go to the church were the most people have invited you?
Is driving 30 minutes to go to church too far even if the people are really friendly?
I'll tell you, just about every church I have belonged to has been "on the hunt" for a pastor. Side note: I think there are too few God-called pastors which is why it takes so long for a church to find The Man God has called to the church.
The trouble is not finding A church. In Picayune there are so many churches one would think that there aren't enough people to fill them all. This town is a church going town. The problem is finding THE church that God desires us to join, roll up our sleeves and get to work. THE church.
So. How does one get to work in a church that doesn't have time to go visit the visitors?
How does one get to work in a church that is friendly and has a great preacher and the people love him so much that they flock around him after service so that no one else can shake his hand or so that he can search out the visitors and ask them to come back?
How does one get to work in a church that is so far out it takes 30 minutes to just get there?
How does one get to work when a church has lost its pastor, its associate pastor and the music minister all in the space of about 3 months? Who's at the helm?
Ahhhh... but, wouldn't that church be the one that needs the willing worker? Wouldn't that church be the one that needs the prayer warriors? Isn't that the church that would be surprised if someone would join when there wasn't a pastor instead of waiting to join along with a whole flock of people joining the day a new pastor steps into the pulpit?
Is it up to us to choose or is it God's choice?
8 comments:
Interesting timing. I hope I will "just know" when I walk into the church where I belong in a similar way to how three weeks ago I "just knew" I no longer belonged in the church I've considered home for the last ~12 years. Surety and reasons were found when I went back last week and so yesterday became my first visit to a church I did not grow up in. For the first time (that I can remember), I set aside what I would wear to church the night before so that I would be appropriately "dressed up". For the first time, I went to church not to be introduced as "Josh, son of Doug and Mary", but instead introducing myself.
Unfortunately, my visit was not accompanied by a feeling or sense or urging that this would be it, nor by anything to suggest that it is not. After checking for the obvious problems which would keep me from remaining at a church, I wonder what I should be looking for to get me to stay. And how many times should I visit before I try another?
I have the feeling that I will not know the reason for this move any time soon; instead looking back with the benefit of hindsight will I see God's working. I trust that God has purpose and plan. So as long as I continue to seek after Him, He will make clear when I should stop visiting and then stay or move to visit elsewhere.
Oh, I think we get to "choose" but make no mistake, God will have been doing the leading and directing... :) That's my thought..because...you have been praying, and you wouldn't want to go where God doesn't want you to be used, now would you? ;)
I think God will direct our steps and we will know in our heart where He wants us.
Love ya, dear sis.
God's Grace.
Gina,
good questions. :)
One in response...what were we told to do on a sabbath?
(Does that help us find a church?)
I'm very glad to see you getting back on your feet.
nick
Good questions, Gina! I have only "chosen" one church and I firmly believe it was chosen FOR me by the HS so not sure what the answer is...
I do know that prayer for the perfect church should be the top thing on the list. If you're not asking the Holy Spirit to let you know where "home" is how can you be sure you'll choose the one He wants for you to be a part of?
That's what I did and it worked out great. :-)
It depends on what you mean by "church". The church is no longer a brick and mortar "location", I think, but a concept of Jesus being present with believers in our lives and actively moving and touching the world through us.
Certainly, fellowship is important...so much so that scripture admonishes us to not forsake gathering together. We should be very careful, however, not to allow our desire for social interaction to come between ourselves and time with Him alone and in small groups.
I can go to a fancy church with all the trappings of modern Christianity and leave feeling good about where I'm going spiritually and about our band and about our pastor, but whose life did I touch this morning? Did I warn the wicked from his way? Did I help the widow and orphan? Did I spend quality time in prayer and praise to my Father?
I travel nearly an hour to get to the church I choose to attend, but that comes at a sacrifice of the frequency with which I *can* attend. Instead, have your own worship service right in your home with your family. Read the word together. Go out to the local overpass and feed a homeless man.
Church is not only the embodiment of our faith in action, it should be the embodiment of our actions of faith. You must have both to be a healthy, vibrant follower of Christ. Get out and bring the church to someone who doesn't have it rather than going to a building to get your name on the headcount for this week.
Hey, Gina...
I posted a message last night, and now it's gone. Could you contact me offline and chat with me about that?
Let me just say that God has given me a deep desire to belong to a body of people known as the body of Christ... a church. I am as hungry and thirsty for the relationships and fellowships as I am for the unique bond, support system and accountability that the body of Christ offers. I have to have it every week, and not just on Sunday morning. I want to go Sunday nights and on Wednesdays, too. I want to work in His body and for His body as well as be ministered to by His body.
CV, my blog is set up so that I view posts before they appear on my blog. That way I can screen out commercials. I just had not moderated your comment until tonight. Please forgive me :)
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