Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Do you know any good churches in...?
I guess it is because I am a traveling preacher. Or maybe I just know a lot of people. But I frequently get asked if I can recommend a good congregation in different cities. I don't put much thought into my answer, I usually just mention the ones that come to mind first.
But I recently tried to decide why I recommend certain congregations.
It started because a couple we had converted in Abilene were moving to a large metropolitan area with many churches to choose from. I was suggesting churches to visit. Recommending them. Someone heard my list and asked me about it. They pointed out that the preachers were really different, that the worship styles were way, way different, and that my list ranged from very progressive to very conservative. That hadn't dawned on me. I realized my recommendations were like that for a lot of places. So why do I recommend the churches I do? And how do such seemingly different churches get on it?
And yes, there are churches I know about that I don't recommend. But this post is about the ones I do recommend. And why.
So...
All of these churches had some things in common. Things I think are way more important than their differences.
I knew someone personally at these congregations. Someone I knew I could trust to help new spiritual babies learn to walk.
Each of these churches are full of people who love Jesus and want to live like him. Loving god and loving their neighbors in real ways in a real world.
They preach Jesus crucified for our sins and raised from the dead. That is their base theology.
They are all committed to living life together in community. Communion matters because they care about each other.
They are all passionate about reaching people for Jesus. Baptizing people is really about helping them die to themselves and experiencing new life.
I know they worship differently. And I know they have different opinions about lots of issues. I don't even know if these churches get along. Not sure they would recommend each other.
But I know them. And I know what matters to them. So I gladly refer people to them.
So I can't help but wonder... do they know how much they have in common? Way more than ways they are different. So quit being mad at people who do things differently than your church does. And quit being condescending to those who don't do it like you do.
So I hope all those churches are going to grow.
And one of them will get my friends to take care of. And they will help them grow. And Satan will be mad. God will be glad. And the Kingdom will march on.
Together.
But I recently tried to decide why I recommend certain congregations.
It started because a couple we had converted in Abilene were moving to a large metropolitan area with many churches to choose from. I was suggesting churches to visit. Recommending them. Someone heard my list and asked me about it. They pointed out that the preachers were really different, that the worship styles were way, way different, and that my list ranged from very progressive to very conservative. That hadn't dawned on me. I realized my recommendations were like that for a lot of places. So why do I recommend the churches I do? And how do such seemingly different churches get on it?
And yes, there are churches I know about that I don't recommend. But this post is about the ones I do recommend. And why.
So...
All of these churches had some things in common. Things I think are way more important than their differences.
I knew someone personally at these congregations. Someone I knew I could trust to help new spiritual babies learn to walk.
Each of these churches are full of people who love Jesus and want to live like him. Loving god and loving their neighbors in real ways in a real world.
They preach Jesus crucified for our sins and raised from the dead. That is their base theology.
They are all committed to living life together in community. Communion matters because they care about each other.
They are all passionate about reaching people for Jesus. Baptizing people is really about helping them die to themselves and experiencing new life.
I know they worship differently. And I know they have different opinions about lots of issues. I don't even know if these churches get along. Not sure they would recommend each other.
But I know them. And I know what matters to them. So I gladly refer people to them.
So I can't help but wonder... do they know how much they have in common? Way more than ways they are different. So quit being mad at people who do things differently than your church does. And quit being condescending to those who don't do it like you do.
So I hope all those churches are going to grow.
And one of them will get my friends to take care of. And they will help them grow. And Satan will be mad. God will be glad. And the Kingdom will march on.
Together.
