At Re:call we thought of many different expressions of church. It strikes me that some differences between churches are simply about people's differing tastes. I am not sure I have a major problem with this. However it got me thinking about what are the essentials that we should look for in a church. I have listed the following seven questions we should ask:
1. Do these people love the one true God?
2. Is the Bible faithfully taught?
3. Do these people love one another?
4. Are these people seeking to reach the lost?
5. Are these people open to Christians of different cultures?
6. Is there an emphasis on the importance of prayer?
7. Do they encourage their members to use their gifts to serve others for the glory of God?
But then there are at least two questions that we need to ask of ourselves before we join a church:
1. Am I willing to love, and be loved by, this community?
2. Am I willing to put up with the fact that not everything will be done my way or in accordance with my tastes?
Joshua Harris writes a book entitled, 'Stop Dating the Church'. We need people who, once they have chosen a church, are committed to that fellowship and are even are even willing to put up with their church's imperfections, as their church puts up with theirs!
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