7 Helps for the Church Shopper

Let’s not pretend – finding a church is hard! And the myriad of reasons describing why “church shopping” is hard is as long as the ocean is deep. Sometimes it’s us, sometimes it’s them, and sometimes it’s both!

A comment I read recently on Facebook from a recently reconnected high school friend caused the gerbil in my head to start running on his exercise wheel, and a few hours later, a blog post was leaked out. How does one go about searching for a church in which to worship and/or serve (hopefully both)? I don’t know that there’s a formula to know when you’ve found “it”, and I’m certain I’m no expert on leading and seeking out churches, but what if I can offer some suggestions that might make the process less painless?

So here you are, church shopping friend! A list of ideas and helps for you to help get you connected to that life-giving, Christ-following, Gospel-preaching body called the church, hopefully in an area near where you currently reside. Here are…

7 HELPS FOR THE CHURCH SHOPPER
1. Know what you believe, but be open for God to mold and/or challenge your beliefs. Let me say this – you are perfectly free to believe (or place your faith in) whatever and/or whomever you desire. You are permitted to believe, like Christopher Columbus, that the world is flat. Just be aware of the facts pertaining to the shape of the world.

If an individual believes something that is untrue, though they are perfectly allowed to do such, they usually find themselves unfulfilled and searching. Know what you believe and why you believe it, and then ensure it is in line with Biblical teaching. Beliefs not based on the teachings of Jesus Christ are simply opinions.

2. Don’t cling to the familiar. When you look for a church, be willing to set aside what is familiar to you for the sake of a true, passionate relationship with the Creator God. Maybe you grew up in the Methodist church, but later God leads you to invest in a Bible church or a non-denominational. It’s more blessed than you can imagine, and finding a group of people (called the Church) in your area who are experiencing God as you desire to experience him, makes life more joyous, blessed, and fulfilling.

Along these same lines, I would encourage anyone truly searching to not limit your scope to looking a churches who might be defined by some completely humanistic terms. Labels like conservative, traditional, liberal, progressive, and cutting edge only serve to confuse the human brain, divide what should be a unified Body, and distort the Gospel. If you see yourself as a “traditionalist”, be prepared for God to call you to a place that may be less traditional to grow and stretch you beyond what you’re comfortable.

3. Look for obvious signs of God at work. Author and teacher Henry Blackaby says it like this in his popular Bible study series entitled “Experiencing God”; (paraphrased) if we are to experience God in daily living, we must look for places where He is already at work around us and commit to join Him at work there. Pastor Craig Groeschel of LifeChurch.tv in Edmond , OK, labels the presence and work of God in a person and/or church “it” and wrote a book describing it for us.

When it’s all said and done, I don’t think I could adequately describe “it.” I do, however, know there are some things that confirm the presence of God in a person or place. In fact, God wrote them down for us in Galatians 5, a passage called the “fruit of the spirit.” Check it out and use this list from God’s Word when you’re church shopping. These are proof of God’s presence within the Church and a person.

4. Pray for God’s direction. Because there are a lot of choices, pray that God would direct you and connect you with the place He wants. The church was designed for His glory, so if we take no account of His will in church hunting, it will be hard to say our investment in such is for His glory. Finding a church is a calling from the Creator God, so approach it like one! Pray, visit, study, pray again, and wait for God’s direction.

If you’re having trouble with the idea of church in your life because of a bad experience in the past, let me also encourage you to pray about this as well. A bad church experience as a child shouldn’t keep you from investing in and being blessed by the richness of the Bride of Christ. We’ve probably all had bad restaurant experiences where our food was cooked wrong, cold, or just messed up. I know I have! Yet I continue to eat, day after day. And if I have another bad restaurant experience tomorrow at lunch, I’ll still eat supper tomorrow evening. Are you with me?

5. Seek it out. I’ve only been in ministry for about 10 years, but I’ve run across many individuals who say they’re looking…but, they’re not looking. It’s as if they want this unicorn of such – the perfect church – to just move in next door! (By the way, just in case you’re wondering, the “perfect church” doesn’t exist this side of Heaven.) You’ve got to be willing to do the leg work – to research, to study, to contact, and eventually to go and invest. It takes your time – seek it out!

6. Don’t stop after 1 visit. Take your time and visit the same church for 2-3 Sundays to get a better pulse on the church and it’s operations. Deciphering your calling to a local church is a HUGE decision and responsibility, so invest adequate time in checking out each possibility. Meet the staff, ask questions, familiarize yourself with that church’s beliefs – all of this takes time, and 1 visit simply won’t cut it.

7. Persevere! Finding the local church to which God has called you can take a lot of time, depending on a wide variety of unknown (by me) factors. Stay with it until God leads and gives you the confirmation of peace that comes from a decision made in His will. It’s not a duty (just for you Mary!)…it’s a privilege to worship the Living God and commune with others who do the same!

The iPad Has Landed

Today it became official – the iPad has landed!

I’m certainly not the 1st to bring this hot bit of technology news to you, but if you’re a casual internet observer, maybe you missed this today. Apple’s latest creation, the iPad, was officially announced today, though delivery is still several weeks out if you order. And now for your viewing pleasure…

The Necessity of a Steadfast Spirit

2 Samuel 11 records a chilling tale of adultery, lies, manipulation, and murder. After King David in the Old Testament committed adultery with a woman named Bathsheba, the prophet Nathan came to David and confronted him in his sin (2 Samuel 12).

Later, the book of Psalms contains a psalm of David, written after Nathan confronted David in his sin, and after David confessed and repented of his sin, which reads like this…

Psalm 51:10 – “Create in my a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” (NIV)

As we at Coastal Oaks Church wrap up a concentrated week of prayer, I wanted to write down some reflections on the week and what it means to pursue God – to pursue Christlike-ness – in a pure and steadfast manner.

What does it mean to be steadfast? From Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, it means to be firmly fixed in place, immovable, not subject to change, and/or firm in belief. In Christendom, it looks like an individual who is completely determined to pursue Christlike-ness in every aspect of life for the remainder of their life. They’re not distracted to the left or the right. The human eye by itself probably couldn’t give an accurate description of a person who’s spirit is steadfast, but we’ve all seen passionate individuals. Not the lovey dovey junk – true, unbridled, unhindered, determined passion.

Synonyms: persistent, passionate, patient, driven. Are you thinking of a steadfast individual?

The apostle Paul in the book of Philippians said it like this: Philippians 3:7-14 – “But 1 thing I do; forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal…”

Let me point out a few things about the call to Christlike-ness as we go on.

1. The call to be like Christ is one that consumes every aspect of your life. Essentially when a person commits to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ, he or she is giving up all rights, dreams, and desires, and is replacing them with the rights, dreams, and desires of Jesus Christ.

2. The hardest part of following Christ is the changing of your mind. It requires the most focus and determination to do, but it also requires an incredible work of the Holy Spirit in one’s life.

3. You don’t change the way you think in the span of 1 decision or public announcement. Maybe you “walked the aisle” (churchy phrase #1) at some point in your life and made a “public profession of faith” (churchy phrase #2), but the process of becoming like Jesus Christ will not only consume every aspect of your life, it will take up the rest of your life.

David, when confronted by Nathan, prayed for a renewal of a steadfast spirit, implying that he recognized he once had a steadfast spirit, but at the time this was written, did not. This brings me to #4…

4. If not maintained, those things about which we are steadfast will naturally decline. A steadfast spirit doesn’t just happen and won’t simply stay – you’re going to have to work at it and for it.

Are you in a place in your life where you recognize you once had a steadfast spirit, but now do not? How does one regain the fervor to pursue Jesus Christ in literally every aspect of daily living? Let me give you some suggestions that could help…

1. Confess sin and repent. Notice there was a specific reason David needed to pray for a renewal of a steadfast spirit; sin was keeping him focused in other directions and on other things. Of course I have no way to know if you are dealing with sin and it has caused a drop in your devotion to God, but let me encourage you at this point to look inside and see if this isn’t the root of the issue.

2. Pray for a steadfast spirit. When David was confronted with his sin, what did he do? Remember Psalm 51? He prayed that God would renew his steadfast spirit. Wouldn’t it be incredible if God could look on his people as they are steadfast in prayer? Could we even be accused of such? If you want a steadfast spirit, pray and ask God to give it to you. Pray steadfastly for a steadfast spirit!

3. Get accountable. For many, the maintenance of a long-lasting passion is closely tied to their ability to find and connect with like-minded individuals. Painters want to be around other painters. Musicians can easily find company in the presence of other musicians. If you desire a steadfast spirit for Godly things, then you need to be connected to people who also desire and pursue the same things.

As we (the Church, all together) pursue Jesus Christ, our steadfastness will no doubt be tested. Be steadfast and pursue Christ!

Helping Haiti – What Can I Do?

Since national news media outlets broke the news of a massive earthquake (7.0 on the Richter Scale) which struck the Caribbean nation of Haiti, many organizations have sprung into action, sending money, food, water, medical supplies, equipment, and manpower to assist in search and rescue efforts. And in the days since as media outlets publish videos and pictures (some may be quite graphic) giving us glimpses of the devastation and loss, many have asked 1 very important question…

WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP?
Beyond actually going to Haiti, which many simply cannot do, and even those who are willing are finding it harder to do, there are several ways you can be involved in the relief efforts in Haiti. I am by no means an expert on Haiti considering my 1 year of experience in missions in there, nor am I a disaster relief expert, but since many have asked the question, I hope with this blog post to give you some ways to connect with respectable, organized, and mobilized organizations who are involved with disaster relief efforts.

Follow a Twitter link if you wish – I personally would rather connect with relief organizations in a more traditional manner. If you feel called to donate, I believe you deserve to know your money is not being pilfered or spent frivolously, but that it is going exactly where you want it to go.

Below is a list of 10 highly reputable and world respected charities and relief organizations. Pray over the list and pick 1 to pledge your donation online and send the fastest aid possible to the earthquake victims in Haiti.

10 WAYS TO GIVE TO HAITI DISASTER RELIEF
(in no particular order)
1. Compassion International
2. Hands and Feet Project
3. Food for the Hungry
4. Texas Baptist Men
5. American Red Cross
6. Samaritan’s Purse
7. World Vision
8. World Relief
9. Feed My Starving Children
10. Water Missions

But…what if you can’t give? There’s great news! You can actually be involved in probably the greatest and most under-used aspect of any disaster relief effort! How?

You can PRAY for the Haitian people along these lines…
- Pray for peace in the midst of chaos.
- Pray for comfort for those who have lost family members.
- Pray for healing for those who were wounded.
- Pray for patience amongst the Haitian people as relief efforts are organized and delivered. It does take time.
- Pray for generosity as relief organizations will no doubt be stretched financially.
- Pray for the safety of those on the ground working in search and rescue right now.
- Pray for the pastors and churches in Haiti as they work to minister to 1000s of their countrymen.
- Pray for orphanages who will likely see an increase in the number of children in need.

If you’ve asked the all important question, congratulations. Now let’s put some words in action!

At the Corner of Heresy St. and Madness Ave.

I can honestly say I’m not surprised any longer by comments that come from TV personality Pat Robertson (I personally don’t believe him to be an evangelist). I find myself, emotionally, having invested my own life into the people of Haiti, in a similar place as that of author Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz, Searching for God Knows What) – I’m not angry with Robertson, I just hope and pray at this point that many more will see the fallacies behind his logic.

My desire is no longer to be angry with half-witted comments like these and the people that speak them, but for people, both inside and outside of the Christian faith, to take these comments for what they are – opinionated, lacking Biblical backing, and full of wrong views of God, grace, and salvation.

Mr. Robertson has made headlines recently for 2 statements concerning the recent earthquakes in the Caribbean nation of Haiti. Watch for yourself…

If I understand what he’s saying correctly, he believes the earthquake in Haiti is completely upon the shoulders of the Haitian people. They got what they deserved, in other words. Not only that, he seems to imply that God has blessed their island counterpart, the Dominican Republic, and the proof is that they have resorts. Las Vegas, Miami, Fiji, the Grand Caymans, and thousands of other locations have resorts, but the Dominican Republic’s resorts are a sign of blessing.

Let me say this again – I’m not angry. But I do strongly believe Mr. Robertson’s comments to be full of error. Let me be more specific – I believe his comments are flat wrong.

They got together and swore a pact with the devil. They said, “We will serve you if you will get us free from the French.” True story. – Pat Robertson, 1/13/10

It is my continued pursuit of Christ-likeness and study of the Gospel story that lead me to believe there are several reasons why Mr. Robertson’s statements are wrong. Maybe you can relate?

1. Mr. Robertson leaves no room for the innocent. What about the children who will be without fathers and mothers, even more so now than they were before the earthquake? If you thought the orphan population was high in Haiti before, you should expect to see a rise in that population again. Are the innocent to blame for this earthquake?

2. He assumes every person in Haiti has made a personal decision to reject God. What about those who had truly never heard of the Gospel? This most obvious assumption is to me the most asinine of them all. No one can make this assumption with any degree of accuracy and it’s foolishness to attempt such. Here’s a little reminder from Scripture – Matthew 28: “Go and make disciples of all nations…”; it does not say “stand up and from afar make assumptions about all nations.”

3. Jesus never blamed the poor for being poor, but had compassion on them. Jesus called the rich to give selflessly and generously to those who were less fortunate, but never blamed the poor for their condition. I wonder which of Robertson’s cars he chose to drive to work this morning?

Moreover, it is my personal belief that Mr. Robertson is standing at the corner of what I’m going to call Heresy St. and Madness Ave., a corner upon which he loves to dwell and from which he loves to speak. I’m just glad at this point that more and more people, both Christians and non-Christians, are seeing through his smokescreens and banter, refusing to let his opinion be accepted as that of the “conservative.” He does not speak – now or ever – for this conservative. So Mr. Robertson, you can have your platform at the corner of Heresy St. and Madness Ave.; I’ll be in Haiti come June serving the widows, children, and other pagans who are cleaning up what they deserved.

I think this all was best summed up by a Tweet I read last night from Matthew D. Hansen, co-founder of Restore Austin, when he said, “Pat, we all made a deal with the Devil, and God responded with the cross…”