The Church
I'm reading a book called "Blue Like Jazz" by Donald Miller It' written from the author's point of view and I love how he thinks I just finished a chapter on his views of the church
"So one of the things I had to do after God provided a church for me was to let go of any bad attitude I had against the other churches I'd gone to...It wasn't that they were bad, they just didn't do it for me. I read through the book of Ephesians four times one night in Eugene Peterson's The Message, and it seemed to me that Paul did not want Christians to fight with one another. He seemed to care a great deal about this, so, in my mind, I had to tell my heart to love the people at churches I used to go to, the people who were different from me. This was entirely freeing because when I told my heart to do this, my heart did it, and I think very fondly of those wacko Republican fundamentalists, and I know that they love me, too, and I know that we will eat together, we will break bread together in heaven, and we will love each other so purely it will hurt because we are a family in Christ.
So here is a step-by-step formula for how you, too, can go to church without getting angry:
. Pray that God will show you a church filled with people who share your interests and values
. Go to the church God shows you
. Don't hold grudges against any other churches. God loves those churches almost as much as He loves yours."
I have the 1st 2 with Southwest The 3rd one I still struggle with but I'm trying:)
"So one of the things I had to do after God provided a church for me was to let go of any bad attitude I had against the other churches I'd gone to...It wasn't that they were bad, they just didn't do it for me. I read through the book of Ephesians four times one night in Eugene Peterson's The Message, and it seemed to me that Paul did not want Christians to fight with one another. He seemed to care a great deal about this, so, in my mind, I had to tell my heart to love the people at churches I used to go to, the people who were different from me. This was entirely freeing because when I told my heart to do this, my heart did it, and I think very fondly of those wacko Republican fundamentalists, and I know that they love me, too, and I know that we will eat together, we will break bread together in heaven, and we will love each other so purely it will hurt because we are a family in Christ.
So here is a step-by-step formula for how you, too, can go to church without getting angry:
. Pray that God will show you a church filled with people who share your interests and values
. Go to the church God shows you
. Don't hold grudges against any other churches. God loves those churches almost as much as He loves yours."
I have the 1st 2 with Southwest The 3rd one I still struggle with but I'm trying:)
posted by Rochelle @ 9:30 PM
7 Comments:
At 7:45 PM,
Unknown said…
Its really hard sometimes to not hold grudges. Its really important to go to a church that you feel comfortable and accepted at. I find myself sometimes getting tired of some people at church. But I try to get past it and you just have to pray for God to give you patience.
At 10:10 PM,
darker than silence said…
I have a friend who is considering dumping church altogether because no churches have been what he/she is looking for. We need to love all the churches under God's great sun and moon, but we also need to be open to the fact that not all are designed to suit us. I hope he doesn't think all churches don't fit him, but that he snoops around. It is my prayer I can help him find what he is looking for.
At 8:42 AM,
Anonymous said…
I believe people often leave churches for bad reasons. Some leave because someone has hurt/disappointed them and they can't seem to get past it (can't forgive the person that hurt them). Yet these same people expect God to forgive them - how hypocritical!
Also people will leave because they are "not getting enough out of church", or not being "challenged enough". I don't think church is about what "we get out of it", but rather it should be about what we give to God, through worship, and what we give to each other by serving other believers.
I don't think we should be relying on any individual to "challenge us" or motivate us. By simply having a daily time of reading of God's Word and praying, we can be challenged - challenged to lead the life Christ has called us to live.
There have been times I considered changing churches, but it was usually out of my own selfishness to avoid a problem or to get away from someone/something that bothered me. Ultimatly I did not leave because, the bottom line is, I did not feel God calling/leading me to another church.
In evaluating a church, is it following the example of Acts 2:42 and challenging believers to be devoted to the reading of scripture, prayer, and the Lord's Supper?
At 8:42 AM,
Anonymous said…
I believe people often leave churches for bad reasons. Some leave because someone has hurt/disappointed them and they can't seem to get past it (can't forgive the person that hurt them). Yet these same people expect God to forgive them - how hypocritical!
Also people will leave because they are "not getting enough out of church", or not being "challenged enough". I don't think church is about what "we get out of it", but rather it should be about what we give to God, through worship, and what we give to each other by serving other believers.
I don't think we should be relying on any individual to "challenge us" or motivate us. By simply having a daily time of reading of God's Word and praying, we can be challenged - challenged to lead the life Christ has called us to live.
There have been times I considered changing churches, but it was usually out of my own selfishness to avoid a problem or to get away from someone/something that bothered me. Ultimatly I did not leave because, the bottom line is, I did not feel God calling/leading me to another church.
In evaluating a church, is it following the example of Acts 2:42 and challenging believers to be devoted to the reading of scripture, prayer, and the Lord's Supper?
At 1:31 PM,
Mike said…
great thoughts from "anonymous", so good they posted them twice :) i just wish he/she was brave enough to reveal their identity. anonymity is fine, but it shows courage to make yourself vulnerable.
i believe that we live in a consumeristic culture, we want to be serviced at church. that is a fundamental flaw in americanized christianity. we turn it around to serve us. we need to be more outward focused. we need to be more willing to help others...in any way. we need to focus on serving god and serving others in a way that glorifies god. no church is perfect. it is made up of messy, sloppy, sinful people. no church will ever meet all your needs, as soon as the "honeymoon" is over, you'll find something that bugs you. i guess what it really boils down to is: do i put god first or myself?
great posting rochelle. reading, discussion, and truly listening to god is a great way to continue growing.
At 6:29 PM,
Rochelle said…
Anonymous
thank you for your comments I feel like you must know what I've been through the last 6 months What you wrote is exactly what I have felt you can't base your spiritual growth on someone "feeding" you a sermon once a week I prayed long and hard when I made the decision to stay at Southwest when Darrell left I know that it's where God wants me but it has not been an easy decision I have been judged by those who I feel don't understand what a church truly is It has made me a stronger person in my faith and I thank God for that
Mike
do I put God first or myself? is exactly what I ask myself when I start to doubt or feel attacked I know my church will never be perfect but right now it's perfect for me and I hope to worship and serve the God I love more than anything there for a long time Thanks for being my friend and loaning me books that have opened my eyes and heart to a new way of thinking when it comes to worshiping and serving God
At 9:19 PM,
darker than silence said…
these are all excellent posts. wonderful.
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