Hm what can I say...I know I haven't done the best at blogging lately, but this certain topic has been so heavy on my heart lately.... So here goes (side note- I am not posting this as a bashing of any sort this is my thoughts on this thing and please do not get offended because I in no way intend for this to be offensive) Zach and I have been visiting churches off and on for the past year and a half in search of a place we can call our home church. Since that time we have probably visited 5 to 7 churches, a couple of them we visited more than once thinking we had found some potential only to realize it wasn't the right fit after all. I have to say though the absolutely most heart breaking thing about visiting all of those churches was only 1, can I say that again ONE, at some point during the service offered salvation!!! A lot of the services ended in a prayer, but not even a "if you felt Jesus pulling you during the service maybe now is the time to let Him in"....NOTHING! I am on the road to getting my relationship back on track with God and I'm not one to say oh this is how things should be, but if we are the body of Christ and our mission while on this earth is to reach out to the unbeliever, shouldn't we be offering this one simple part of a service to the possible unbeliever sitting in the midst? I am not placing all the blame on the church because we as believers should be prepared to share the good news whenever asked or if someone just wants to know why we are so happy! It's just really been hitting me the great impact we can have on people in the smallest of ways and I want to be sure my life is reflecting a humble believer who has the joy of the Lord!
Which brings me to the next point on church..I believe having this joy and being able to spread it, is being washed in the WORD!!! Out of all the churches, 3 read from the Bible, yes my friends at church sometimes they don't read from the Bible! If they did have the Bible in the sermon it was a quick reference to the "series" they were currently in. I am currently doing the Breaking Free bible study and I feel like I have dove deeper in the Word and have the yearning to read beyond what is in the study... Not very often do churches inspire me to do such a thing anymore. Having the knowledge of the Bible is so important to be able to share to the unbeliever... If we are going to church and not hearing it and knowing what it says is true how are we suppose to spread that good news? I have to say one of the most enjoyable sermons I have heard recently was at my sisters church where the pastor not only read from the bible he made it applicable to my life! Wait isn't that what its suppose to be?
What happened to sermons like that? What happened to reading the Word? What happened to being the church God called us to be?? Not sweeping sins under the rug for fear of losing members, not speaking the truth in fear of stepping on toes, making the worship more about the lights and the sound instead of the beautiful words of praise to offer up to Him, not making church just a routine to make sure people know we are "christians" and that we went to church, treating church with the respect of what it is a HOLY PLACE, and not a social club or HIGH SCHOOL with cliques? I am pretty sure Jesus didn't mind stepping on toes to make sure people knew He was there and the reason why He was there! I'm sorry if the offends anyone, but I am HIGHLY OFFENDED that church is no longer what it use to be... a place for a sinner to find repentance, a place for the down in out to find joy unspeakable, a place for the sick to be made whole, a place to pray and worship with fellow believers.. I firmly believe that my God is the same yesterday, today, and forever! I have made it my souls prayer to be the mighty woman of God, that I reflect Christ's love in everyone I come in contact with....I pray God leads me and my family to the right church so we can be useful instruments in the God's kingdom!
I know this is a little all over the place, but I can't tell you how renewed, convicted, and free I feel just spending sometime with My God!
