I'm thinking about this because my little sister went to a different church this morning, one that we had talked about a few times. In fact, I had been taken to that church when I was in Indianapolis last May. Tom stayed at his brother's house and went to church with his brother, I went to church with my brother. I really liked this church and enjoyed the music and the message. In fact, I enjoyed it so much I have downloaded the app for the church and still listen to the messages. This 'Pastor Steve' really is open and tells it like it is. I like that in a pastor. He recently shared how we should vote. No, he didn't say whom we should vote for, but he said to take a piece of paper and to list what is important to you as a Christian. I don't remember how he said it or all that he said, but a couple points he made was 1) the Bible states that marriage is between one man and one woman. 2) the Bible states that we are knit together in our mother's womb (conception)... and I forget the third point - but the idea was to list those things the Bible says, then vote for the candidate who supports those Bible teachings. Sounds pretty simple to me. As a Christian we are to believe in those things the Bible teaches. I am still amazed to hear friends who confess to be Christians state they are voting on the one candidate.... when you know it is nothing more than color. What has blinded them to the truth?
Anyway, didn't mean to get off on that, but talking about different churches and different styles of preaching. I found it interesting my little sissy had listened to Pastor Steve on the downloaded app, and she chose to drive several miles to go to his church and hear him and see what the church is like. As she shared that she went, she commented about the distance and how big the church was. So I ask her, was it worth going to, to which she replied yes. But she also went on about how they go to a couple other churches close to home. And her hubby likes one other especially which is very close to home.
I commented how my hubby and I used to drive 85 miles one way to go to church for about five years - to which she came back it was because we wanted to be on staff. Which is true, and we were on staff, but only in name since we lived so far away. We still went because we wanted to. We stopped after about five years because I was growing weary of all the driving (I was driving about 50 miles a day M-F) on the weekends and we felt God was leading us back to Phoenix to worship.
I pause to think about her real reason for going. I don't know why she really went. She likes the churches closer to her; in fact, if I recall correctly, they recently 'joined' this one church nearby. So why are they church hopping? I don't know unless she just isn't feeling like she is getting anything from the other churches. She knew what to expect from Pastor Steve - as I said she had listened to him on the app before. But seeing him in action in person is pretty cool. Not that he does anything, it is just the entire church atmosphere which is warm and inviting. I love how they do baptisms. That alone can turn lives around!
'Our Pastor Steve's' wife, Wanda, was at our church this morning. It was so good to see and get to talk to her for a few minutes. She asked how we were fitting back in where we are. I was honest with her and told her we have tried to go slowly to get to know people who came while we were gone, but it just wasn't the same. We want to become more involved, but we just don't feel the warmth and invitation that we had before. Again, lots of new people have come to this church in the five years we were gone. We still don't really know the pastor yet. I mean, we know him, and are even in his prayer group on Sunday mornings, but we don't know him, his vision for the church. We have gotten bits and pieces of it, but overall, we feel on the outskirts. I suppose we should invite him over for dinner (along with his wife, of course) and just point blank ask him what his vision is and how can we support him in it.
If we lived in Indianapolis, I know that I would want to go to the church in Brownsburg, although we are church of God ministers and it isn't one of our affiliations. But it doesn't mean they don't believe the same as we do. Most churches, even church of God, may have a few things that they interpret a different way. I know in my mind I am more rigid in some areas and less rigid in others. Some pastors I raise my eyebrows at what is said and done, thinking 'no way'! But, I am not responsible for them, I am responsible for me.
The church we are attending right now has been our church nearly since we came to Phoenix. We love the people there and truly want to be a part of the congregation. It just takes time to get involved the way we want to. I have joined the leadership of women's ministry, although that has never been my 'thing'. I guess mainly I didn't want to be responsible for just women's ministry, but I think I will enjoy the area I am able to be a part of. In fact, we have a meeting tonight that I will need to go to. This women's ministry is active and alive - and I do participate in the activities. In fact, Zumba is on Mondays at 6:30 PM and Tom makes sure it is on the calendar so that I don't forget to go as I did the first week! I hope we can get it to grow - we have a lot of fun there.
My area in the women's ministry is the small groups so I will get to help promote some of these. This is my first meeting so I hope I will get a better feel of what they want - don't want to step on any toes. I think I am just to work with the leaders of these small groups - which are not many at this point. I can only think of maybe 3 - but will probably get a list tonight and then can work from that. Who knows - maybe this is my calling and I don't know it!
Bottom line, it does matter where you go to church. Yes, I said that right. It does matter. You want to go where you can be 'fed', but also where you can feel welcomed and part of the church body. You want to be able to pick up the phone and share with others. You want to be able to read on facebook those things you need to know. Like today, another friend posted about the shocking death of another friend this morning. I had met this person only a couple times and knew she had health issues, but still, it is always a shock to hear the family found her dead in her apartment this morning. We use facebook and emails as a way to connect as well as study groups and other activities. Hopefully this person was able to connect with other women (which she obviously did) who walked the journey with her.
And it isn't just about the women. Men need to reach out to other men and mentor or be mentored by them. Something you did before may not be where you need to be at now. For example, previously at this church Tom was the head of men's ministry. They immediately asked him to be on the men's ministry team - and he was for a very short while, but he felt that wasn't where he was to be and resigned. I'm not sure if he has found his niche yet; but hopefully he will.
We all need God and we all need fellowship with other believers. I was thinking this morning how when we got this house my thought was that we would be able to entertain others. It hasn't happened on any large scale because, quite honestly, Tom doesn't share my love for entertaining. It has really put a damper on using our home as a base for gatherings. It has been his loss, for sure, and has affected me as well. I do have a tea part planned here in December though. Part of my women's ministry tea group. I do love to have people over - but there always seems to be a reason why I can't invite anyone. Enough of that!!
Bottom line - if you aren't in church, you need to find one in which you can be encouraged, loved, and able to grow spiritually. Your children need to be in church, learning about God. That is one thing (my opinion, yes) that has gone wrong with this world! Men and women have turned from God and to the world to satisfy them and to meet their needs - only now the world has literally gone to hell. Parents can not control their children because they don't control themselves. They have never learned skills to parent their children, and they have passed that on to their children, to their children... and the end result is chaos. When you take the Bible as your guide to teach and direct your children (true, it doesn't mean they will obey it when they get older), they stand a greater chance of being a man or woman responsible and respectful of others. Ok, off my soapbox.
Proverbs 22:6
Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.
As you seek a place to worship, as you go to your selected place of worship, remember it isn't about you, it is all about God. Plan to go to church next Sunday and get your children in church. Go to church expecting to find God. He's waiting on you to invite Him home with you.
Blessings!
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