Do You Like Your Church?

It is important to like your church. This seems like a pretty easy statement that is easy to grasp, however…this is something that can be difficult to do at times. I remember for about the last year that I was on staff at my first church I literally left each Sunday disgusted by so much. Now to the average church goer perhaps they did not see a whole lot however, to me and a few others we saw things going down an ugly trail with the politics and more. Even in the naming of the church (I have seen this played out in others) the powers that be already have the name picked out but "to appease the church we will have a 'contest'." Guess what name won?

From two sermons per Sunday (offering message 20 min, main message 45-60 minutes) it made for a LONG day including Sunday school. There was also a TBN mentality that crept into the church after we purchased a new building. I remember being laid into for going on my one year wedding anniversary the same time the church moving day was. Here is a situation where I barely went on vacation and when I do it is met with opposition. I chose to put into practice what many if not all pastors preach…FAMILY FIRST. Perhaps some could have learned by my example. So, I went on vacation and went my way.

There literally was a point in my last year and half at the church where if I talked to someone new about finding a church I would send them to the large church just a couple cities south of us. I did not want them tied up in a toxic mess.

As a pastor I find many people using, Radiant Fellowship and it's ministries almost as their mistress. I literally have people coming to me or our staff for counseling because they feel their pastor will judge them, if they are a lady...tell them "you need to submit to your husband" or not schedule them. This is a sad case. You should be able to love your church and expect to get ministry there. If you are not...perhaps it may be an off day or week or maybe month. However, if this is ongoing then there is an issue.

I say all of that because there will be those times you are not the happiest with your church. There have been people at Radiant Fellowship in the past that were not happy and left. Actually quite a few after only a year in existence our church went through a split leaving me with 5 people and a mortgage when I became the pastor. However, if the bad outweighs the good then it is time to move on. I don’t think you will ever really find the perfect church but you should have more good to say about it than bad. Church should be a place where you can let down your hair and be yourself.