So I crawled out of bed this morning at what felt like the crack of dawn (9:15.....but there was a time change!) to check out another church....Sevenoaks Alliance. What a great church. Truly. It is not where I will be attending (I'm not sure I'll be able to explain that one) but it was where I was supposed to be this morning.
The pastor today articulated my thoughts on the church as a whole (not Sevenoaks specifically, but in general). It was not presented as fact or common opinion, but as HIS opinion, and he made that very clear. He believes that many young people between the ages of 18-30 are feeling a hunger for a real and personal transformation in Christ and yet are not seeing this same desire in a lot churches. He noted that there is sometimes (maybe often times??) incongruencies in the church. ie: Jesus acts one way and some (many?) church members act quite differently from Him. This is not to say that Christians should be perfect, for we are all far from that, but there is a difference between people that are real and know they are sinners and people that are in church to 'do' church and have (what looks like) no sin......so its hidden.
What really struck me about what this pastor had to say is that there is an appetite for life change, yet people (I) look at the church and find this facade, this charade and they (I) become disillusioned instead of yearning to attend. I have this desire to go deeper and yet I don't feel that same desire emanating from the church. There is wonderful teaching occurring, and wonderful songs being sung, and beautiful prayers being prayed, but is the desire, the real burning passionate desire really there? That is what I am looking for. I am looking for a church that has a passion and an authentic faith; people that have an earnest desire to know the Lord. I don't want to attend a church and feel as though I have to act a certain way, or say certain things, or put on a smile that I really don't feel so that someone won't ask how my life is going. (not that its bad, but I think you probably know what I mean) Honesty, life, openness, life, yearning, life...who doesn't want life and want to learn it from those that earnestly seek it?
Sevenoaks was very encouranging for me this morning and I now really want to find a church that I can call home.... an elderly couple asked me to sit with them when they saw that I was alone, the worship pastor gladly gave me his copy of the final song when I inquired about it and then proceeded to pray for me when I started to cry when he asked how I liked the service. My words are oh so limited when it comes to expressing a lot of things, this especially, but this morning gave me the impetus to keep hunting for a church because it will be worth it when I find it!
Some of you know I've been dragging butt a little bit looking for a church.....well alone or not alone I shall continue to search!
Sunday, March 11, 2007
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1 comment:
hey, thanks for your thoughts! It's been a while since we've chatted, so here's my brief update: I'm looking for church as well. I've noticed these 'incongruencies' is churches a lot...churches lean too far one way and not at all in another; for example, tons of programs and classes, but no outreach for the poor. Or the other way around. Where is the balance? I could go on.
I think what I'm looking for (beyond balance) is a church that doesn't concern itself with trends and fads, when it comes to ways of doing church. I'm looking for a church that knows itself; knows its place in the community, knows its members and attenders (and occasional visitors), and its place in the grace of God; and acts accordingly. Somehow, as you (and this pastor) pointed out, that is hard to find.
I hope you're doing well as school winds down for you!
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