For the last 8 months we have been without a home church. From the time we got married, and through the births of all of our children, we attended the same church. Upon leaving in December, we began the "church hop." Some people seem to do this for life, just hopping around every few months, depending on the sanctuary temperature or the church solos. We, however, are very unaccustomed to doing the whole church-swap thing, and it's been rather trying.
The kids also began to drag each week, asking "where are we going today?" But last week we found what we were looking for...three very basic and necessary things: Care for the kids (safety and teaching,) Teaching from the BIBLE, and joyful worship by genuine people. Doesn't seem like those things would be too hard to come by, does it?
And, actually, the hardest thing to find is expository preaching. I guess some pastors have found that it can be easier or more "entertaining" to preach from the Reader's Digest jokes, or just pick a sweet feel-good thematic approach for each week. Yeah, that's nice. Those fluffy little things can be cutsie to read. Yeah, they give me warm fuzzies and sometimes make me think about.... whatever. But the Bible is what feeds. It's the Holy Spirit that empowers, and we can get that direct link through true worship, prayer, and God's Word. Why settle for anything less when we have the very best thing available?! :-) Anyway, I am overjoyed to have found a place that we all love.
It is over an hour round trip for us, but it's worth it. In fact, I think hubby has been working ovetime just so we can get to this church and back each week.
The service today was from Matthew 13. (from the BIBLE-- I still can't get over that, and I'm thrilled!!)
And, Tob, thank you. Thank you for leading us to such a wonderful place. You invited us months (maybe years?) ago, and you never gave up. We resisted for so long because of the drive. Also, habits are hard to break. It's like we were eating plain rice for years and had no idea that increcible fresh and flavorful food even existed...
