church #1 - take two
i don't know. i just feel like i just don't know anymore. i feel like i don't know how to do this, what to look for at all, like i'm going about it all wrong. i'm tired of it. i like this church fine, and could probably like it more than that. but he mentioned today that the church has decided it wants to reach out more to the neighborhood that it's in, which, sadly is the hipster part of downtown, not the poor part. as angie and i frequently say to one another: dgoareogaruuirbaiu urangiuahu brauibaib.
posted by melilotnfosco | 8:20 PM
8 Comments:
I don't know what that language is.
I bet hipsters struggle with things too.
it's the language of being frustrated and taking it out on your keyboard
Oh. :)
I'm sorry this is such a struggle. I've done church hunting too, and it's never fun. I'm sure it's worse on your own.
Here's a thought, though, and don't shoot me, because I'm not trying to be critical at all - it's just a thought that crossed my mind as I was reading this:
This really shouldn't be so hard (for any of us, at any stage in life), and yet we make it so. While obviously we should choose a church with sound doctrine - and not compromise on that - shouldn't all Christ-centered, Bible preaching churches be on the same team? We (all) get so wrapped up in the human factor. One or two weeks isn't enough time to look past those things (no one said hi to me; everyone said hi to me; the music was all choruses; the music was all hymns; they minister to single moms; they don't minister to single moms; etc, etc, etc).
The question should be - is this church following Christ and preaching His Word? If so, given time, the rest should fall into place.
(just so you know where this comes from, we've been at our new church for 11 months now and I'm still wanting it to 'feel' right. But the pastor preaches God's Word, and they are focused on serving Christ, and so we are still there)
Sounds like Hobsis has the right idea. Rarely could you attend a service or two and instinctively get the feeling it's right for you. In seven years of traveling and moving around, I've only a few times ever sensed right away that "this is the church I want to attend for as long as i'm here" (Quest Church in Seattle, Willow Creek in South Barrington, and Park Community Church in Chicago). I church-hopped for months in Fairbanks, Anchorage, San Francisco, small towns in Iowa, Illinois, and Arizona. Even the nine months in Melbourne, we spent most of the time at my in-law's church by default, because the other churches we visited didn't 'feel right'.
Actually, this reminds me that my church (Park) had a sermon about church hopping/preferences and I took notes thinking it'd be good to share with you and Chelleybutton! The basic message was similar to what Hobsis said, but when I have a chance I'll see what notes I can put up here.
Oh, and coincidentally, a friend "liked" this on FB and it showed up on my wall just now :-) But I don't think this is any new news to you.
http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevindeyoung/2015/02/05/the-plus-one-approach-to-church/
yes, the plus one thing is what i'm looking for (after sound teaching of course). I desperately need a place to be involved. I would really like that thing to be service to people in recovery, or perhaps a ministry to people coming out of prison, but i'm thinking I have to give up on that idea, as i'm not finding anywhere that has that. my second choice would be to the poor/homeless as there are sometimes overlaps there. i'm not having luck, though.
my ladies last night were telling me to get my butt into a church. I've been struggling with some things lately, and not having a church is part of why. no church is perfect and i can keep finding reasons to not like a church for forever. and i know that. i think now it's a choice between this one, my cousins', and there's one more i'd like to check out. i need to listen to some sermons online to stop wasting my sundays.
i think the main reason i'm struggling with this so much is that i finally felt that GOD showed me who my heart is for, and i'm not going to be able to minister to that group through whatever church i end up choosing to attend. that hurts. i know i can find volunteer places on my own, but i so want to minister with my church. that's the number one way i want to connect with whatever church i'm - through service. ask not what your church can do for you but what you can do for your church, you know?
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