What if you could be part of a dream church; what if you could handpick everyone in the church from the pastor on down?
That might sound great and you might think that it would be a dream church without any problems; but if you think that, you are only dreaming.
Just remember, you selected your companion!
Although you love each other you still have disagreements and problems. Jesus chose His twelve disciples; one betrayed Him, one denied Him and another one doubted Him.
Ephesians 4:2-3
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
3
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Matthew 5:9
9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
What kind of church are you looking for? Exactly what are people looking for in a church? People are so fickle and funny until you don't know what they are looking for. In fact, they probably don't even know themselves.
According to the USA Today, 48% of church-goers attend on average once a month. You can't tell a whole a lot about a church by going just once a month.
A U.S. Congregational Life Survey found that: 1 in 4 church attendees have switched churches in the past five years.
How many church hoppers change every five years? How is it that this same group keeps getting peeved every five years or so?
Some people are so fickle until they are ready to abandon ship over the silliest things. They will leave on a whim if things don't go their way. They are like the man that learned from the insurance company that most accidents happen within two miles of home; so, he moved away.
Paul uses the term "itching ears" in II Timothy to describe people who are more interested in satisfying their own desires than sound doctrine. When you've got an itch, it can't be satisfied for very long with scratching. They will eventually find something they disagree with and move on again.
It's a fact that some people just can't get along with anybody.
They are miserable, and they want everybody else to be miserable.
They have a history of leaving church after church after church.
They are looking for the perfect pastor, the perfect youth program, the perfect worship music and the list goes on.
Of course they always make it sound so spiritual:
- "I felt led"
- "I felt released"
- "I'm entering into a new season"
The Taj Mahal in India is said to be the most beautiful building in the world.
A king built it for the queen that he loved so devotedly. He had dreamed of building her a beautiful palace, but she died before his dream came true. He said,
"Oh, beloved queen, I was not able to build you a palace while you were living, but now I will build you the most beautiful tomb in the world."
So, he built the Taj Mahal.
Some people wouldn't be satisfied if you built them a Taj Mahal.
If you could build a church, what kind of church would it be?
There was a congregation that was about to build a new church. The building committee, in consecutive meetings passed the following resolutions:
- We shall build a new church.
- The new building is to be located on the site of the old one.
- The material in the old building is to be used in the new one.
- We shall continue to use the old building until the new one is completed.
Their resolutions left them in somewhat of a dilemma.
We know what Jesus wanted in a church; it was His prayer for the church family to dwell together in unity.
John 17:21
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
It was an atmosphere of unity that ushered in the day of Pentecost; they were all in one place (not all over the place) and in one accord.
Psalm 133:1
1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!