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BBBCanada
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Date Joined Jun 2001
Total Posts : 2763

Posted 4/6/2010 7:53 PM (GMT -6)

I don't think we have ever covered this topic here but I do think it is an important question.

How should one go about picking a church to attend? What criteria should they use in helping them make a decision toward a church. I've heard it said that you don't find a church, church finds you. And while I think there is some truth to that that still doesn't absolve one from deliberating, praying and making responsible choices in finding one.

I've got to tell you. I have been burned by evangelical churches and many if not most of them I am not interested in attending frankly. I've had racist remarks made to me and when everyone knew about it and I talk to the pastor nothing was done because the pastor didn't think it was that that big of an issue. I've questioned some things about churches around here such as money that has been spent on buildings (in the millions) and that causes me to pause about my involvement. Gordon Fee said that that was materialism and I happen to agree. Should that be on a criteria list? What about when you pay "tithes" and yet you are not allowed to participate because you might be too controversial? And that leads into doctrinal issues and disagreements. Greg might be controversial with some things like hell, universalism, open theism, politics, but it seems leadership at his church allows for wide range of differences of belief. Not many churches are like that. They stick to their guns without wavering about things. At the same time, there may things that one has to balance. I may disagree with this doctrinal position my kids love it here. The pastor is awesome and my family loves it here, but they have a multi-million dollar expense that could probably be better off going to the poor.

See what I'm saying? So what should one do?

Brandon

It is the purpose that makes strong the vow, but vows to every purpose must not hold.--A friend.

To love without love is slavery--Mother Teresa

Similitude
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Date Joined Apr 2004
Total Posts : 4968

Posted 4/7/2010 6:43 AM (GMT -6)

I look at two criteria:

1) Can I be edified at the prospective church?

2) Can I edify any one ELSE at the prospective church?

If either or both can be answered affirmatively (which will not be the case for many churches, probably), then it's a matter of degree.

might-be-don
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Date Joined Jun 2001
Total Posts : 830

Posted 4/7/2010 11:32 AM (GMT -6)

How about within a half-mile radius and under 100 people. This allows for community, and a minimum of financial worries.

^{The world's perfect, wouldn't change a thing.}

BBBCanada
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Date Joined Jun 2001
Total Posts : 2763

Posted 4/7/2010 11:44 AM (GMT -6)

See, that's what I'm thinking. I mean, seriously, does sinking MILLIONS of dollars into a building or building project figure into your criteria? I mean, would you attend a mega church? Sometimes, I wonder how something like what Greg has is that much different. In terms of his theology his church would be one reason I would attend. But a drawback would be this mega organization with all those costs. I'm not trying to come down on Greg, I'm just trying to process these things. One of the reasons I like Clark Pinnock's church is because it is smaller, you can build stronger relationships and you don't have that sort of cost.

Brandon

It is the purpose that makes strong the vow, but vows to every purpose must not hold.--A friend.

To love without love is slavery--Mother Teresa

Similitude
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Date Joined Apr 2004
Total Posts : 4968

Posted 4/7/2010 9:36 PM (GMT -6)

As much as it is used for evil, the internet is making up, in part, for the difficulty of finding meaningful fellowship in most churches.

Tom
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Date Joined Jul 2001
Total Posts : 10353

Posted 4/7/2010 9:45 PM (GMT -6)

My daughter and I were watching a special on Mormonism yesterday and were surprised to discover that for Mormons, which assembly/church you attend it absolutely determined by where you live. It's that simple. The argument of the Mormon commentator was that if Mormons constitute a real family that transcends other social structures, then you have no more choice in what church you attend than you do what family you're born into. His point was that real community means accepting others as they are and working within that. So the idea of a smorgasbord of choices which modern Christians seems to expect nowadays as a kind of entitlement is essentially a denial of genuine community. There are some churches we WILL NOT embrace as the context for working out our salvation.

He has a point. Still, I doubt Piper's church would WANT me to attend!

Tom

KIXYTΘEMTA

Post Edited (Tom) : 4/7/2010 9:48:43 PM (GMT-5)

Daniel M
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Date Joined Jan 2009
Total Posts : 263

Posted 4/7/2010 10:48 PM (GMT -6)

Hey Brandon,

I have a similar problem. I'm probably one of very few Christians in the philosophy program at my university. Within the context of Christianity around campus, I'm one of very few from the Anabaptist tradition (Mennonite). Within that I don't think I've ever met another Mennonite Open Theist. They might exist, I just haven't ran into any

There are a lot of baptists around here, and (at least at these churches) there's a tendency towards the "God and Country" point of view, with the american flag flying high up in the front, and I have a hard time even sitting there, since I'm inclined to interpret such things as utterly idolatrous.

All that being said, lately I've been getting the impression that it's not about where I want to go to church, it's about what community God wants me to be a part of. In which case, the only reasonable option is prayer.

The dilemma is that a lot of churches prefer theological homogeneity. Thus, it's hard to become a full-fledge "member" at a church where you might disagree with the pastor about some big issues.

Similitude
Registered Member

Date Joined Apr 2004
Total Posts : 4968

Posted 4/8/2010 6:23 AM (GMT -6)

There are different senses in which we "accept" people as they are. There is church discipline, e.g. Sometimes, there are degrees of diversity on issues which can seem huge to some that the differences just ARE show-stoppers. God's grace is sufficient. He will provide sufficient fellowship/edification for us in some way. I don't think anyone who honestly wants fellowship/edification is turning it down when it's available. Most of us want more than we are getting.

might-be-don
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Date Joined Jun 2001
Total Posts : 830

Posted 4/13/2010 11:19 AM (GMT -6)

Brandon says,"Sometimes, I wonder how something like what Greg has is that much different".

It's not different... it IS a mega-church.

^{The world's perfect, wouldn't change a thing.}

Similitude
Registered Member

Date Joined Apr 2004
Total Posts : 4968

Posted 4/17/2010 10:05 AM (GMT -6)

I agree, Don. Huge numbers creates problems in all types of social organizations of humans. You see it in large organizations of all kinds. Diversity of talent is a good thing. Diversity of BELIEF about what LOVE is and does is a problem. And the larger the numbers in a social organization, the more difficult it is to meaningfully address diversity of belief. And if we don't care about what we believe, then what's it even all about? It's precisely beliefs that we put into action.

As an example, do you think Greg is happier to have the staunch Republican political crowd gone from his church? I bet he is. Because he, himself, knows numbers isn't as important as proper thinking/believing. Because right thinking/believing is a necessary condition of right-relating. That doesn't imply that Greg has the right view of the State. But it does mean he knows diversity of belief on a subject having practical implications about right-relating can be too problematic.

Post Edited (Similtude) : 4/17/2010 10:14:17 AM (GMT-5)

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