What I Like About My Church

When one writes for awhile on the subject of gender and Biblical equality, one wonders whether all the words sound just a little too negative when all that is meant is to try to make things just a little better in church, at home, and in the world at large. So it’s good every now and then to take stock of one’s spiritual situation, and at the moment I’m thinking that I need to count the ways that my church is doing right despite its complementarian ways. Here goes.

We preach the gospel. The sermons are understandable to seekers and young Christians alike because theological jargon is explained. The pastor is creative in the way he presents his sermons, including video and audio clips, Powerpoints and other technology helps. Songs and scripture are displayed on big screens. We’re growing so fast we’ve gone to two services over the last year. The leadership takes chances. We are creative in the places we look for additional staff, including a retired Air Force fighter pilot and past director of the area Youth for Christ who was looking to volunteer at a church. We have a four-base system which are introductory seminars that teach Christian discipleship basics. Deeper levels are being planned. Many members have been through Walk Through the Bible where the Bible is read in one year. We sing contemporary praise songs with occasional older pieces/hymns. We’ve always had a great rock and roll band. We are very active in the community with outreach ministries such as Boy Scouts, a baseball diamond on the premises which we let local teams use free of charge, Helping Hands which helps those who are in need, an active AA group, a preschool in the building five days a week, a coffee house and concert ministries which bring up-and-coming rock bands to perform in the evening, a very active summer daily vacation Bible school, close connections with Youth for Christ, support for unwed mothers, etc. We have Sunday School for kids and small groups for adults, Tables of Eight (rotating monthly suppers in various homes), Divorce Care, Bible studies that pop up as needs arise, occasional sermon series on topics of the day, such as the upcoming one on the Da Vinci Code book and movie, skits, storytelling and drama in worship, church-led mission groups to foreign countries. It is a church with a mission, to reach the lost and to bring them into Christian maturity. From its start ten years ago, it tried to remove barriers between the unchurched and the way we do things. We dress informally including jeans, but try to have at least one designated suit so those who show up in one won’t feel totally out of it. We sing a contempoary style of music that is not all that different than the kind many unchurched people like. Many of those who come eventually to worship came first to other programs, such as children’s choir programs, Boy Scouts, preschool performance programs, concerts, etc. Although women cannot be on the elder or deacon board, they do lead church ministries, read the Bible at the front during worship, lead the congregation in prayer, teach adult Sunday School and mixed small groups. We built an all-purpose building (the sanctuary is a basketball court) in 2000, added a temporary out-building for additional Sunday School classrooms in 2004 and have already outgrown both. There’s probably more but I’ve run out of steam.

Thank God for strong lampstands that hold up the light. Not bad for a staid denomination like the Reformed Church in America.