How Do We Shop for a Church?
The other day God spoke to me about how people today view finding a church. Apparently the best place for God to speak to me is in the shower. (Anybody that did the Mark Virkler study about “how to hear God’s voice” knows that’s a good place for that)
Shopping for Clothes VS Shopping for a College
Many of us view finding a church like shopping for clothes. We look for the best fit for us. What church makes me look good? Which church makes me feel good about myself and I walk away thinking “wow I look good”. Just like a great fitting outfit can make us feel thin, tall, fit, rich, hip (fill in the blanks here) we desire our church to make us feel the same way about ourselves. Some people look for a church that they can imagine themselves leading worship in, maybe running a small group or becoming a leader in. We view church as a place that will meet MY needs and make ME feel good about myself. A place to promote myself and give me a platform to do my thing. We also love churches that makes us feel better about ourselves (especially when they makes us feel “thin” when we already know we have plenty of “fat” in our lives) – figure out your own symbolism here.
But God desires we find a church like we look for a college. When I picked a college, I wanted to find one that was going to challenge me. I wanted something that was going to help me grow, learn and become the person I was created to be. I wanted a place that I could live at, make friends that would help define my life, find people to help challenge and sharpen my life and career. I remember being forced to grow up (college will do that to you) and learn how to live life on my own (sometimes the hard way). It wasn’t always easy, it pushed me in ways that I wasn’t used to. It challenged my thoughts, my ideas and my beliefs. But anyone that has attend college knows, it gives us knowledge and a purpose to pursue our dreams, our visions and our calling in life. Although it kicked me in the butt sometimes, it had a big hand in making me the person I am today by giving me the tools to succeed.
How to do you view your church experience? Are you in it so you can feel better ABOUT yourself or are you in it so you can truly become better IN yourself? Do you like messages that make you FEEL good or do you like message that help you BECOME better? Jesus never sugarcoated His message. He didn’t always tell people what they WANTED to hear but what they NEEDED to hear. Jesus did everything, and said everything, out of love. Love sometimes causes us to challenge our thought process. Love challenges our belief system. It makes us think deeper about WHY, WHO, WHAT, WHEN, WHERE and HOW. It leaves us wanting MORE not being satisfied.
My process of finding a church home involves me seeking God to direct and lead me to the perfect place where I will be guided to seek more of Him and desire more of Him. It should feel like family, not an event. It should challenge our expectation level instead of driving us to complacency. How can we possibly figure that out in one visit? How can we possibly find that place by viewing their website? How can we determine our home by how hip the worship or pastor is?
Why do we, as Christians, view our process of finding a church like it’s no big deal? Possibly leaving at anytime when our feelings are hurt, personal space is taken up, thoughts are challenged or we are asked to exercise deeper faith? Jesus preached all of this everywhere He went yet we don’t want to be inconvenienced today in 2011.
Challenge your thinking…seek Him to direct your path and REALLY listen. I believe many of us think we are listening but we are still looking for that perfect slimming pair of jeans.
MR
Posted: August 29th, 2011 under Life Stuff.
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