I  can still remember years ago sitting in a church listening to a guest speaker who happened to be speaking on the subject of church attendance and committing to a church. Indeed this is a broad subject, but none-the-less one of utmost importance to the Christian. There are some things you choose to do, or not to do, that will affect your life for the rest of your life and the particular church you decide upon attending is one of those choices.

The speaker was a traveling evangelist and former rancher who had a somewhat gruff and straightforward style about him. It was actually somewhat refreshing, that is, listening to someone who speaks plainly and who doesn’t attempt to politicize or socialize the gospel. Anyway, in the course of expressing his frustration about Christians who can’t seem to make up their mind about what church to attend, he made a statement that “split the atmosphere”. He said “If you ever find the perfect church, don’t go there, you’ll ruin it”. Upon hearing these words, my carnal mind struggled greatly, even to the point of becoming offended. But, the more I thought about his words, the more I realized he was exactly right.

I mean, after all, if there was such a thing as a perfect church, with perfect people, then what business would I have going there because I’m not perfect. So, in theory, if I did go to this perfect church, I would “ruin it”. This was a very difficult reality for me to accept, but over the years, I realize that the theology of the statement is awesome.

Here is what I’m saying. We read in I Corinthians where Paul writes that “God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased”. Notice the words “…as He pleased”. This means that it is God who makes the choice, not us.

The point is this. If you are going to claim to be a serious Christian, and one who is led by the Holy Spirit, then the reality is that the church you decide to go to, or not go to, is really not your choice at all, but it is to be chosen for you by the Holy Spirit and then you are to simply obey the leading of the spirit. That’s right. It isn’t your choice at all!

The reason it can’t be your choice is this. If choosing which church to go to is left up to us, then guess what, we will always look for the most dynamic, most mature, most established, most developed, most organized, most trained, most complete, most spiritual church we can find and say in our natural analysis, “of course this is the church I belong in”. You know this is true of most Christians. We all have this tendency. We all want the “finished product” without having to work for it.

The cold, hard truth is that when looking at the criteria for choosing which church to go to, many Christians have missed the mark and are out of God’s will. Each one of us has a talent and ability that God has given us. These talents and abilities are to be used in the church to strengthen the church, to spread the gospel, and to give us an individual sense of identity and purpose as Christians. So, if God has given you a particular talent and ability and that talent and ability is supposed to be used in a particular church, but, you are attending the “wrong” church, then how is that going to work. It just leads to frustration and “church shopping” and if that particular believer isn’t careful, it can lead to a falling out church involvement altogether and that person then becomes a “spiritual vagabond”.

I can hear the responses to this now. Indeed a “firestorm”. But, regardless of what you may be thinking, you still cannot escape the reality. You will be completely fulfilled only when you are in the church that God wants you to attend. That’s right, there is a church that is best suited for you, and that you are best suited for. It is a church where you can grow and mature spiritually. It is a church, although not perfect, it is a church where you can have a wholesome and fulfilling experience in your Christian service. May the Lord help you to find that church. Amen.

 Publish Date: June 25, 2006

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