Church

This summer I have been thinking about churches a lot and what the church means. The church is not God but God is the church. The church represents God and should be a light shinning in the darkness of the streets welcoming people in and leading them to Jesus. But again the church is not the reason people are saved. God uses the church and the people of the church, but He also can use murderers and thiefs to lead people to a saving faith. 

My background with churches is that I grew up going to the Catholic Church and was confirmed into the Catholic Church. I still attend it at various times of the year with my family. But for me it is not the church for me. That is not to say no christians should go there. God designed us each uniquely with different needs and wants from a church. One thing I do affirm the Catholic Church for is it's service. They are amazing at going out and doing deeds and going where there is a need. Unfortunately sometimes that's what Catholics think get them to have. Again not all Catholics. Beyond that I have visited and attended several other nondenominational and evangelical churches. I have seen lots of things to super small to huge. The problem as you get bigger can be there are just "church attenders" but there can be that problem in small churches too. Finances can always be a problem as well. My point being EVERY CHURCH has it's problems. Just like us churches are not perfect. Even today my church, Valley church, was calling it generosity weekend as their fiscal year ends this coming week. It can just be awkward with churches asking for money or trying to come up with a cool way to do it; but that does not define that church. If they are asking you for this much money EVERY week or not letting you come if you don't then yes it's most likely a problem. 

One characteristic does not define your church. The pastor is not all that the church is although it's a big part, worship isn't all, the building isn't everything. I think the real question to ask does your church draw you closer to God or block you from Him and even cause stumbling? If you come home every week not feeling like you connected to God at all, or like it is all about money and fashion there, or the pastor is teaching falsely you eked to pray about it and possibly let God lead you to a new church. It is so important to keep in mind though that no church is perfect and it will do no good to jump from church to church. If your church is too focused on just church and churchy things and not expanding into the world and city you live in and loving others from other churches it might not be a healthy environment for you. 

I feel like a church should allow you to meet God in your needs. You shouldn't need the church but the church needs God and the church is a place for you to have fellowship and companionship with Him. The church is a safe place for believers to come and confess, worship, not be judged, and to become one foot closer to God every week. It should never take you a step back! It shouldn't cause you to gossip, have doubts, be self concious, feel judged, and you especially shouldn't feel like you are too christian! God wants you to be crazier about Him than we even can imagine! 

Let your church be a place of love, belief, and community. Allow God to dwell there and work.