What are you seeking when you go to church? Beyond the pat answer of seeking the Lord, which we should all be ultimately doing. What motivates you to stay within the body of one church?
First and foremost, we should be looking for a church that preaches the Word. If you are not required to pull out your bible each and every time and question what you are being taught, then you may need to reevaluate whether you are in the right place. If you are never required to check what is being preached against God’s word, how do you know what you are being taught is accurate and truth? I’m no theology major but we have attended a few churches where what the pastor said and what the bible said were polar opposites. Not good.
I have an ideal idea of what church should be. I bet you do too. I may ruffle some feathers with what I have to say but I’m okay with that.
To be quite honest, I don’t care for denominations. I honestly think they are more prideful than accurate. I really don’t care if a book is published by a certain denomination or written by an author of another denomination. What matters to me is if it matches up with scripture. Reading or studying from a book does not mean we become associated with a group or that we agree with them.
It appears to me that we get too caught up with denominational stuff and lose focus on what’s truly important. Time spent bickering is time we can never recover. It is a waste of all God has for us and dishonors Him and our own brothers and sisters in Christ. To win means someone else has to lose. We shouldn’t want that for any fellow believers.
For me, church is a family of believers coming together to grow, love, help, and encourage. We should come ready to bond together and reach out to the world. Church shouldn’t be a special club that only select few get to be a part of. Cliques should be stomped out. Pride left at the door. After all, your sins nailed Jesus to the cross just as mine did.
We should be working side by side to save the lost. The building is a meeting place to regroup. To learn more about who He is and then get out into the community and make a difference. A place to put our heads together and come up with a fighting plan to help those in need. To love those who need to be loved on. To bring His lost children to His feet.
The church shouldn’t feel like another institution. It should be warm and welcoming. It’s not about wearing your Sunday best and looking or acting perfect. I don’t believe Jesus cares one iota if I wear a dress or skirt or if someone has tattoos and green hair. We are all His children and deserve to be treated as such.
Come as you are and embrace His love. Come and embrace those who need to feel loved. Leave your institutional expectations at the door. We are called to be servants of Jesus. If Jesus can wash the feet of His disciples (John 13:4-5 ), then surely we can put aside our differences and act lovingly toward one another.
I don’t want to be a Sunday Christian. I want to be a part of a body of believers who are actively out in their community.
What about you? What is it you want from a church?
John 13:34
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.