Churches and Their Perfect Match

 Like many Friday mornings, I sat in the dark watching out the window. Usually, the sky is covered under its blanket of night when my husband gets up for work on Fridays so after I make the coffee and put something out resembling food for him, I wait. Slowly the sun slides in breaking open the darkness and starts the cycle of chores. Country living necessitates having good visibility when you venture out where the wild things are creeping.

 But today, I just sat. Restless animals started rustling but I did not budge. The sun was screaming at my eyeballs and I remained unmoved. My thoughts tried to wrangle why my heart was rebelling against this new day and it hit me. About this time a year ago, I did not just sit, I picked up and moved from my church. It was hard, very hard but it was right and that has been made even more obvious during this year. Spiritually, I have grown leaps and bounds. Hard to believe, I know.

 Now I get it. The picture of the church as a Body makes so much sense. I understand better than I ever could about leaders being shepherds and how we  submit to that leadership. That is why it is so important to find a church that is committed to following the Bible. The leadership will have to answer for how well the sheep are doing. This makes me a little hesitant. Do I want to do that to a new church that is just gaining strength to stand on its own? A young leadership? They are going to have to know me and the other sheep are going to have to love me. That's a lot to ask. If there was a site to match believers to churches, I would be in trouble. 

Sheep-Harmony Profile

 Looking for a few more sheep? Try this little piggy:

People tell me that I have a good personality

- 3 previous sheepfolds
- Lives with goats
- Financial contribution is limited
- Feet are prone to stumbling and jumping in muddy puddles sometimes wallowing in them
- Eye problems, leak consistently and lose focus easily
- Likes reading, walking, and debating anything. 
- Loves baby sheep, studying, natural health, and chocolate
- Dislikes cotton candy teaching, intermingling with others because of fear, & the mall
- Desires to glorify God

 Kidding aside, it is time to refocus. Churches are full of sheep with all kinds of maladies and no one can claim to be the worst without forgetting the work Christ has done at the moment of salvation. That being said, He has called us to be in a Body and outfits us with talents and abilities to suit that Body. It is a commitment, it is part of a covenant, and, yes, it is serious. We should not break fellowship with a Body without serious prayer and consideration. If you leaving your church does not cause at least a ripple, something is wrong. A Body cannot lose parts without feeling it and the part cannot separate from a Body without starting to die off spiritually. 

 Once you leave, find a church that is solid. Is the congregation growing (I don't mean numerically)? How does the leadership handle Scripture? What is the focus of the worship time? How does the leadership handle sin/issues? How does each member handle sin/issues? Do they know and care for one another?

 Seems like there is a theme in those questions, doesn't it?  And, no, I did not forget questions about programs. A church should  be focused on God and His Word. How they deal with sin speaks a lot about how well they know and obey Scripture and that speaks a lot about what they think about God's holiness.

 Which, by the way, is something that each of us should examine in ourselves so that we are beneficial to the Body. Get God's holiness right and it is difficult to get doctrine, living, and serving wrong.

- Psalm 99

The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! 
He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!

2  The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples.

3  Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!

4  The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity; 

you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. 

5  Exalt the Lord our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!

6  Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who
called upon his name. They called to the Lord, and he answered them.

7  In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them; they kept his testimonies

and the statute that he gave them.

8  O Lord our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them,

but an avenger of their wrongdoings.

9  Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain;

for the Lord our God is holy!

Jesus is Not American But He Knows All His Sheep

  When a church has turned from sola scriptura, the journey can go in any direction. This is where I find myself.

  I penned a letter, a plea for the church to open its eyes. It addressed my concerns for sound doctrine in the pulpit, biblically sound worship, and unity. This plea garnered very little response and as much as I desired for the church to turn around, I knew my feeble cry would be more about my obedience than a David versus Goliath victory. However, one response was quite interesting. 

  Apparently, my stealth ninja skills are amazing because even though I have been at this church for almost 6 years, some people do not know me from Adam (excuse the cliche). One older gentleman (who I was in a theology class with) asked a friend of mine if she knew this letter writer. He wanted to know my status as an American citizen. Was I an illegal immigrant? Was I anti-American? 

  Here is what I said that got him in such an uproar:
 "Is not the Creator worthy of being worshiped in Truth above country? Above holiday? Above everything?"

  It should be a concern when we use time that is supposed to be dedicated to worship of our mighty, holy, awesome God to glorify other things but all that he heard was, "America stinks." That was a huge leap especially when seen in context with the rest of the letter.

  Most certainly we are to give honor to whom honor is due but does that mean we do it in worship time? Is God not a jealous God?

  I am blessed beyond measure that God put me in America. Just one step outside of this country and it is clear that there is freedom and abundance here. My family members have served this country as well, some still suffering the wounds from it. No one can discount that. But, understand this, God is God and He is first above all. His hand is protecting all His sheep, American or not, and all His sheep are one in Christ. Submitting to that can only result in making me a better American, a better woman, a better wife, a better mother, a better anything (except sinner).

  How can one not glory in a Shepherd that loves His flock so dearly? He knows us by name when others even in our own city or church do not. He knows our every concern right down to the number of hairs on our head. He even knows the smallest, weakest, and least valuable in the world's eyes, listens to her every cry, and answers. He does not forsake us. That is above and beyond any wealth or freedom and all my soul knows to do is pour out praise to Him.