Church Shopping

I'm in the market for a church home. I'm looking for one that is open-minded. I would like for it to not be too big, I don't want to feel like I should leave a bread trail to find my way around. I also want one that's not so small that you might as well be sitting in someone's living room.

It should also have a youth group, ministry, service. If my children don't enjoy attending then I won't enjoy it either. It should be big on helping. I've been reading on denominations and you wouldn't believe on how many don't believe in doing good works. It's the mind frame that yea it's a good idea, but it doesn't matter how much good you do in life. I don't believe that people are inherently bad and will always be bad(sinners) until we die and no amount of good done in life will help you get into Heaven. So nope no talk like that for me. I think you get back what you put out. If you volunteer your time (not just money) to helping others and are a generally nice person then that's got to count. Reverse is the same, if your a greedy self-centered little prick then that counts as something as well. May not be the something you want but it tallies up.

I also want the church to have a choir and music. I grew up going to a Church of Christ, and while there was quite a bit of singing done in church it was all acappella . I would like to hear piano, or organ music accompanying it was well sometimes. It doesn't have to be a fully symphony of sound, just little bit something more. I'm not saying that acappella music isn't beautiful. I always thought the church I went to growing up sounded wonderful.

With these and a few other issues in mind, I attended a church service at a friends church this past Sunday. The first thing that caught me off guard was that my son's and I drove by at 20 till 10am and there wasn't a single car in the parking lot. I knew service was to start at 10am and so figured well maybe everyone is running late. So I circled the block and came back around. It was now 9:45 and still no one was there. I went ahead and parked and tried calling my friend to make sure I had the time right. Two vehicles pulled in as I was dialing, neither one my friend. She said she had to pick up someone and was running 5 minutes late.

So the boys and I get out and are greeted by a nice lady and enter the church. It is after 10am now and people are beginning to straggle in. The lady mentions that they kind of just float in, in the mornings. So the boys and I are introduced and introduce ourselves to members that are there and the preacher and his wife. We take our seats and wait for everything to begin.

This church is an independent baptist church and doesn't have a sunday school per say. They have what they call family church and Sunday's lesson was on John 3:16, John 14-21 and a bit from Numbers (the brass serpent). My son stood up and read from John 3:16 after the other kids had recited what they had memorized. I think he wanted a piece of candy, but still was rather proud of him having the confidence to do so. Then sometime near 11 the family church time was over and the preacher said in about 5 minutes he would begin the sermon. The kids went to another room to eat their candy. The adults stood and stretched their legs and visited. About 11:15 the preacher started the sermon. It was on John 3:16 as well as some excerpts from John III.

All in all it wasn't a bad time. The members were friendly and everyone was welcoming. However, I cannot say it's what I was looking for. I asked my sons before I mentioned my opinions for what they thought of it. My oldest said it was okay. My youngest asked if we could go somewhere else next Sunday. So, like me, they thought it was okay but not what they would like in a church. So next Sunday we are attending another friends church. This time it's a big First Baptist church. I'm not sure it will be what I'm looking for either, but I won't say no without giving it a try first.