CSE #4: Reading Bible Names

I’ve decided to shorten “Church Search Experience” to “CSE.”  It’s just easier.  I don’t know how many more of these I’ll do anyway, since it looks as though we like this church pretty well.  But, I just had to tell you about something and I wanted to see if you do it, too.

We’re getting to the point where people are recognizing us and calling us by name.  I even got a hug.  We’ve been to this class three consecutive Sundays and the people are really great about welcoming us and making small talk.  (I’m not a huge fan of small talk because I really suck at it, but I am a fan of people making the effort to be friendly.)  In any event, we’re easy to remember.  There are two of us and they already know one another.  Ergo, they only have to remember one couple’s names from week to week. 

I think you know where I’m going with this.  There are no name tags.   Normally, as a seasoned and comfortable church member, I hate name tags.  They’re irritating and I already know everyone anyway.  But, as a chronic visitor, I have come to embrace the name tag.  It just takes so much pressure off and it helps visitors ease into the class without having to ask people over and over what their names are or, like we do, just go along and hope you overhear someone say their names.  It can lead to embarrassment if you pretend for too long and no one conveniently calls their name while you’re talking to them. 

So, in lieu of the name tag, I’m turning to Bibles.  You know how all us BBBs have our names embossed in gold or silver on our leather-bound Scriptures?  That’s my new tactic.  It only works, however,  if you’re sitting next to them and they leave their Bible on the pew during worship.  It’s rather limiting, but we have to resort to unorthodox means in a tagless congregation.

Church Search Experience #3

We went back to the same church as last time.  Again, we really liked it.  The people are very friendly toward us and the study we’re doing in Bible class is very interesting, saturated in Scripture,  AND thought-provoking!  I don’t have a whole lot to report, except that we still like it!  We’ll be back next Sunday for our third visit.

Sunday Survey

When looking for a church to call your home, what are your non-negotiables?

Church Search Experience #2

So, we didn’t go back to the church we went to last week because they don’t have any Bible classes on Sunday.  Since meeting during the week can’t work for us at all, and since having a group we can closely connect with is important, we decided to move on! 

The church we visited this past Sunday was, in a word, great!  I decided to keep my mouth shut this time until Justin gave his opinion.  Luckily, we’re on the same page. 

There’s  a Bible study class full of young marrieds our age.  Here are the things that struck us about the class: 

1. It was really a Bible study.  There was structure to the lesson, the teacher was well-prepared and knowledgeable, and the study was saturated in Scripture.  Every question and every comment was taken back to the Bible and evaluated based on that.
2. There were lots of couples, but not too many.  Too many is a problem because you never get to know anyone; you’re just perpetually visiting and meeting new people.
3. Everyone was very friendly and seemed genuinely glad that we came to visit.  But, they weren’t too intrusive, either.  There has to be a balance.  I want to feel welcome, but I don’t want to feel bombarded.  They did an excellent job of that.
4. As soon as the teacher referenced a verse, the flutter of Bible pages took me back to days when people brought their Bibles to church and actually used them!  Music to my ears. 

As far as “big church” goes, the service was contemporary with a band.  Apparently, our timing couldn’t have been better because they just added this service about two weeks ago.  Before, there was only the traditional option.  I like having the choice.  That being said, it wasn’t a “full house,” but they just started this service.  It was good. 

All in all, we felt comfortable and welcome.  They even gave us cookies for visiting!  We both agree that it’s worth another visit!  Yay!

Church Search Experience #1

Of course, we visited a new church this past Sunday.  Thus began our “Only-God-Knows-How-Long Search to Find a Home.”

We visited a church that we suspected might be slightly bent toward the “Loosey-Goosey Community by the Stream” theology, but we figured we’d give it a go.  Here are the highlights:

The pastor was out super-sick, so we watched a video of the sermon from the night before.  It was pretty good, considering that it was a video.  No point deduction.

The band was awesome.  Yes, I said band.  It’s not even a praise team.  There is no choir.  (There is a tinge of sadness here because it obviously means that there would be no choir for me to join.)  It was a full-fledged band.  They were talented, but unassuming.  While it was a high-caliber presentation, it didn’t seem like a concert at all.  They worshiped.  We worshiped.  Fantastic. 

We were the only two people in the joint with a Bible.  This appears to be a trend in which selected Scriptures are simply tossed up onto the projector screen and no one’s given the time to actually look up the passage.  I tried to look it up anyway, but the auditorium was so dark I couldn’t really read the words.  So, they were actually preventing me from reading the Bible!  Boo.  I will give them the benefit of the doubt on the lighting because we were watching a video.  Maybe it’s not like that normally.  But still, why don’t people bring the Word of God to the House of God anymore?

This is the point of utmost concern: they may not have any Sunday Bible classes.  It seems a lot of churches are breaking into a “Home Group” mentality in which there is no Sunday School, but rather individual little communities that meet on their own to live life together and to study Scripture.  I’m not against that completely.  It’s actually possibly a very good idea, and I probably can’t knock it until I’ve tried it.  However, I have two concerns: 

1. I’m not sure how visitor-friendly it is to make people go to someone’s home and try to see if they like the people.  It just seems so awkward, honestly.  But, I’m not that outgoing, so it could just be me.  
2. We really can’t commit to any time besides Sunday morning.  And, even then, sometimes Justin has to work.  Hospitals are always open and, unfortunately, between work and work, I’m only consistently free on Sunday mornings.  So, if this is all they have to offer, it could really be a deal-breaker.  I’d like to try it, because I like the idea of it, but it just won’t work for us right now. 

Anyway, we both agreed it was worth another shot if they have Sunday classes.  An email or two to the staff should clear that up shortly.  In any event, I enjoyed worship on Sunday.  I haven’t been able to say that in a long time.

Can’t I Have My Cake and Eat It, Too?

Think about your church.  Really think honestly; is your church generally inclusive or exclusive?

Okay, now that you’ve answered that, which should it be?

I don’t know what your answer to the first question was.  But, it seems like the obvious answer to the second is that your church should be inclusive, whether is actually is or not. 

That makes sense; all are welcome.  But… then what?  All are welcome and then all can bear the title “member” of such-and-such congregation?  Can anyone and everyone just join the church?  Mumble a “repeat-after-me” prayer and all is good?  If they disagree with the theology taught in the Bible study they’re attending, they can create their own group and teach whatever they want?  Really?

Really?

Shouldn’t there be some exclusivity?  Shouldn’t there be some standard of beliefs?   I’m not saying it should be exclusive to the point that the “in-crowd” looks down their noses at new-comers or at people with earrings in their faces.  The church should open her doors to anyone who wishes to participate in the peaceful worship of God.  Rather, I mean exclusive in its beliefs.  If you’re really wanting to covenant with a church, then you really should commit to its foundational beliefs.  And those beliefs should be fairly specific because, you know, the Bible is quite a bit more than just general suggestions for a reasonably successful life. 

This is one of the dilemmas I face.  On the one hand, I see how some churches get too “legalistic.”  They have a quite biblical perspective, (or at least, they probably used to), but they have no love or compassion.  They’re pharisaical.  On the other extreme, however, is absolute freedom.  No rules, no standards, no expectations.

First Legalistic Church creates rigid, judgemental, dead-inside bigots. 

Loosey-Goosey Community by the Stream fosters deluded, biblically ignorant, irrelevant followers of whatever eases their conscience.

I don’t think either is cultivating a deep love for our Savior.  They’re both busy patting themselves on the backs for being right, but is either really leading their flock down the straight and narrow? 

I get so frustrated when I think about visiting more churches.  I am worried about seeing the same things over and over again and it makes me wonder:  Is there no in-between? 

I want a church that reveres the Word of God so much that the Bible is deeply studied, seriously discussed, and sincerely applied.  I also want this church to openly and passionately love broken people, regardless of their hairstyle, choice in pants, or general musical preference.  I want a church that believes and teaches the Bible sincerely, even the hard parts.  I want a church that will love me and challenge me.  I want a church that is merciful and kind, yet honest and theologically sound.  

Oh, I would also like a church with some friendly people in it who are interested in making new friends.    

I don’t just want it; I need it. 

Oh, Church, where are you?

 

(I know this is probably coming across as very cynical.  You’re right.  But I’m just being honest about how I feel right now.  I really just want a place to call “home”.)

Homeless!

That’s right, my friends.  We’re homeless again. 

After leaving South Florida and moving to San Antonio, we had a rough go of it finding a home.  A church home, that is!  We visited what seemed like every single evangelical church in town before we finally found one we both liked.  It had great potential for ministry and mission opportunities, a large class full of couples our age, and an engaging preacher.  We joined about five months ago. 

Unfortunately, however, we joined this fellowship a little too hastily.  There’s nothing intrinsically wrong with the church at all; it just isn’t a good fit for us!  We’re so disappointed in the situation and we just kept trying and trying.  But, it has just never felt right.  I think I got caught up in the excitement of finding something we both liked and I was also just so tired of looking.  We really should have visited longer and then we could have avoided this. 

Anyway, we start our church-search anew this Sunday.  Any suggestions to help us keep our sanity?