Sunday Coffee with AChuck

It’s Sunday!

• I can worship on the tee box and greens at my local golf course.
• I can worship at the pool.
• I can worship at the lake.
• I can worship at my favorite breakfast place.
• I can worship in my jammies with a pop-tart and another cup of coffee.

Sound familiar? Maybe too familiar? Did you know that 50% of church attendees attend 50% less than just 10 years ago? I think that it’s because folks have so many options and too many reasons. Here are my beliefs as to why that’s the case:

1. They been to church before and found it unwelcoming, cold, stale and unaccepting.
2. They don’t find it helpful to their personal lives Monday-Saturday.
3. They think the church is still the church of their childhood – No Thanks!
4. They brand a church based on its members and attendees lives.
5. The Music isn’t what they prefer.
6. The speaker/preacher is too ____________________.
7. My kid just never fits in.
8. They heard their parents berate the pastor or church after leaving said church, for years.
9. The church feels like they are always asking for money and children’s workers
10. They are bored stiff in that 60-minute window of life.

For what it’s worth – Theses theories and more are, at times valid and logical. But they are based on an attitude of “what’s in it for me.”

I want to encourage you to find a church that erases most of this list with a church that meets the needs of you and your family with this list:

1. The church that is welcoming.
2. The church that teaches the Bible without political motive.
3. The church that is lively and fun.
4. The church that will actually serve you and its community.
5. The church that is big enough to provide great children’s and student ministries, but still knows your name.
6. The church that allows you to worship with music, not just listen to it.
7. The church that really teaches the Bible, allowing you to understand it and live it.
8. The church that is blind to bigotry and race.
9. The church that maximizes the time that you have given to them on Sunday.
10. The church’s pastor that isn’t the hero of every story.

There is no such thing as a perfect church! If there were, I’d join it and screw it up!

Have the Greatest Sunday!

–AChuck