Church Checklist 01/24/2012
 
_My mom has been looking for quite some time for a new Church. She asked me a couple of weeks ago if I would help her by attending with her. I have not yet started my new church so I said, sure. Now my mom has a check list. It has to have a Baptist theological standing. A great, teaching the Bible preacher. An awesome, outgoing choir. Not too big of a Church but also not too small. It must have Sunday school, Sunday night and Wednesday night services. It must be active in missions and outreach. "OK, mom, I told her, I am not sure this Church exist. I think you are going to have to let some of this go." She responded back, "God will take me to the right one and I will know it."

So I have been thinking and pondering this notion of finding the perfect Church. Should we look for what we want or wait for God to show us what He wants. But if we know that a  particular Church has a boring preacher or fighting members or only meeting on Sunday mornings...would God want us to go? If He knows we would be bored, anxious or unhappy? Or is it that God will takes us where He wants and give us the peace in the things we may not like? Maybe these "things" are the things He wants us to help improve? To help pray for? To help encourage?

God has been calling me to a contemporary Church for the next stage of my life. Now I have been blessed in that I have been to many, many Churches and experienced every style and kind of preaching and service imaginable. So to me, where God wants me isn't that big of a deal. But even so, you know what you can handle and what you can't.

Lord, thank you for making us change. Thank you for opening our ears and  our minds and our hearts to YOUR will. Thanks for not allowing me to get stuck in what I want but move into what YOU want. Amen.

Romans 8:27
And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
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Last week I had to call my bank for a personal matter. I called the 800 number as I knew things would go faster. I ended up getting a guy named David Belton from Roanoke, VA. He was able to fixed the things I needed. Then out of the blue he ask me what "The Singles Network" was. I am used to this question as most folks think its a dating site. I quickly shared what it was and what I did. We continued to talk for over 30 minutes about the needs of singles and what society things about them. We talked about the breakdown of the family and the increase of singles living with other singles as well as singles living alone. We also discussed how emails and texting have affected relationships. That the next generation isn't learning how to deal with conflict. He appeared to agree with me on every point leading me to ask the question of where he went to church. I didnt't think he was necessarily a believer but he didn't seem at all afraid to talk about God or the Bible. He said well, I don't go to church. He said he grew up in church but found it hard, unforgiving, judgmental and full of hypocrites. He did read the Bible, however, but instead of the "traditional church" he belonged to a group called "Wicca". I also lost my breath. He ask if I was familiar with Wicca. I said yes. He said, the group he is involved with is family focused, caring, supportive and nurturing. That they care about nature and each other. I told him the only connection I had with Wicca was a group in New Bern, NC who worshiped the devil. He proceeded to say his group did not and that the devil was found only in the Bible. He said he found a group of folks that showed real love and that the traditional church did not to him.

So, hmmm, this made me start to think. As far as Wicca, maybe there are other groups that do different things. The thing here to me isn't so much what he belongs too (of course he is lost) its more about where he found support, encouragement and a family that cared for him. I felt sorry for him that his experience with a church was so bad that Wicca was more attractive. I felt sorry for the "Church" as a whole who has not done their part.

So OK, what does this mean to me. It gives me food for thought. I want to stay connected to this guy. I told him my email address and other contact information. I want to pray for him, for his salvation for his life. So if you would, please join me in praying. David even said he felt no connections were by accident. Boy, if he ever knew how true that is. God wants David. I am thankful for the messed up with my bank that allowed me to speak to David.

Psalm 65:2
You who answer prayer, to you all people will come.
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Last week I was near St. Louis, MO doing a singles retreat. The retreat was sponsored by First Baptist in Arnold, MO. We had a ton of fun and I am very thankful for being there. No only did we grow closer to each other but also to God.

On Saturday a few of us went to dinner and then to dessert near St. Louis at a famous frozen custard restaurant named Ted Drewes. The custard was wonderful and reminded me so much of our own local Goodberry's here in Raleigh. But what was even more wonderful than the custard was what I was witnessing all around me. There were people from every walk of life. From different races to incomes to families to singles to those in cars and to those on foot. As I ate my apple pie custard, I observed how all of these folks came together, with all their different backgrounds, opinions and beliefs and somehow got along. They got along because they all had one thing in common, they loved Ted Drewes.

Hmmm, shouldn't this be the same with God's people. Shouldn't church on Sunday morning have many colors of people with different backgrounds and interest. Shouldn't church be filled with singles, marrieds, families, those on foot, those who drove, those with special needs, those that are lost, etc..Shouldn't God's church draw people from everywhere all for a single reason...because we love God and because He loves us? And that love helps us to get along, deal with conflict, deal with our differences? That loves is what unifies us?

Believe me, no one was fighting at Ted Drewes. Instead they were smiling and laughing. I pray one day God is as important to folks as custard ice cream. Then maybe we can serve beside each other because of our love of God, even if we don't always like each other.

Ephesians 4:3
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
Kris Swiatocho, Director
TheSinglesNetwork.org Ministries
YesMarketingandDesign.com
NavigateConference.com
FromHisHands.com
919.434.3611
2664 Timber Drive, Suite 307, Garner, NC 27529
The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy but I have come to give life to its fullest. John 10:10
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