Our church homes are an important part of our lives as Christians. The church is our main source of support, spiritual nourishment, and our sense of mission in the world. But, what you find supportive and nourishing might not work for someone else, and what they find gives them a sense of mission might leave you baffled. As different styles of Church spring up throughout our communities, how do you know you've found the one that is right for you?
The reality is, there is no such thing as the perfect church. Try as hard as they might, no church, organized and attended by flawed, imperfect people, will ever be able to do it all. Every church faces it's own difficulties and shortcomings. But, when you want to know if you've found the right place for you, there are a few questions you can ask to help you come to a conclusion.
Does my church keep Christ at it's core?
The number one, most important element to any church is making sure Christ is at the heart of everything it does. As the church changes and modernizes, it's important to remember that at the end of the day, the foundation should always be based on Christ. That means embracing the word of the Lord and the spirit of it with a grounding of sound doctrine.
That's not to say every sermon or discussion needs to be a deep, focused study directly on a specific passage or anything. Only that everything should lead back to what has been written and handed down through the prophets, apostles, and the words of Jesus in some way or another. Churches that forget this crucial element, that swerve too far into loose interpretations of the Bible, or drift too far from the source, cannot serve the spiritual needs of their parishioners. If the doctrine is weak at a church, so will the lessons taken from it.
Can I grow here?
Think about what you need spiritually. What do you struggle with? What do you find affirming? What excites you to get out of bed and go to church every Sunday and share with your brothers and sisters? These are the things that you'll want to be sure your church includes.
This is a personal reflection. We all have different needs, preferences, and ideas about how a church community should work. Take a look at your church and ask yourself if it is a place that will feed your spiritual growth.
Remember to keep your perspective though. No church is perfect. Just because you don't find every single sermon positively electrifying, or feel like the community is exactly where you want it to be, doesn't mean it's time to go on the hunt for a new church. Sometimes, this can be a challenge to expand your horizons, dig a little deeper, and find what is interesting in a particular sermon. Or to become the change in your church community that you want to see. These kinds of challenges can also be a path to spiritual growth.
How is the church directing me to serve God?
Service is a fundamental part of Christian life. We all have gifts, abilities, and ways to effect positive change in the world and serve as examples of Christ's grace. A good church will find ways to highlight those abilities and make the most of them to serve the Lord.
Of course, service can take many forms. From singing in the choir, or helping to organize food drives, to raising funds for a mission trip, there are tons of different ways you can use your talents and abilities to serve. However, if your church is not supplying opportunities, or encouraging a drive to do so, in some way, they are squandering the talents of their congregation.
Keep in mind, you need to be looking for ways to serve. Just because you haven't been personally asked to help in some way doesn't mean you can't volunteer or ask where help is needed yourself. Always make sure you've fully explore your options before deciding that the church isn't providing any.
[Comment]
