{"id":31854,"date":"2022-09-10T15:46:38","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:46:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/3-reasons-your-church-shouldnt-be-a-perfect-fit-for-you\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:46:38","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:46:38","slug":"3-reasons-your-church-shouldnt-be-a-perfect-fit-for-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/3-reasons-your-church-shouldnt-be-a-perfect-fit-for-you\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Reasons Your Church Shouldn’t Be a Perfect Fit for You"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Rupert Britton photo – Unsplash<\/div>\n

By Daniel Darling<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThere are things in this church I don\u2019t like,\u201d I would frequently say of my church in Illinois. Sometimes this came in the form of, \u201cand this is how it should be.\u201d<\/p>\n

I wasn\u2019t talking about genuine concerns and areas of biblical fidelity that had to be addressed. There are things in a church a leader cannot ignore.<\/p>\n

But there are far more areas of body life that, while annoying, might not be critical issue but preferences that might rub us the wrong way but make brothers and sisters feel at home.<\/p>\n

This is the essence of church life. I came to this realization early in my ministry when I realized if I lead the church in such a way that it was shaped around my preferences and my ideas, it would be awesome for me\u2014but would be uncomfortable for everyone else.<\/p>\n

If every worship set was matched exactly to my musical tastes, the d\u00e9cor perfectly matched my liking, and the programming fit my schedule preferences, this would be a church just be a weird funhouse mirror\u2014a pet project geared toward my self-interest.<\/p>\n

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Finding a church that exactly fits our fallen preferences and subjective desires isn\u2019t a reflection of New Testament Christianity.<\/p>\n

And whether we\u2019re pastors, church staff, lay leaders, or regular attendees, we shouldn\u2019t seek out churches that hit all of our spiritual love languages and we shouldn\u2019t complain when our congregations don\u2019t meet our superficial expectations in every area.<\/p>\n

Biblical church life is about mutual giving. We gather with a local body, not because each of our brothers and sisters are exactly like us, but because in our differences God is calling out a new people.<\/p>\n

While we should be united and fixated on the things that matter\u2014the truth of God\u2019s word and the beauty of orthodoxy\u2014we should hold loosely those other aspects of church life that might be important but secondary.<\/p>\n

This requires a healthy dose of humility and a love for our brothers and sisters who might be different from us. I think there are at least three ways in which we can allow this to happen:<\/p>\n

1. Community is meant to be a discipline, not something that \u201cjust happens.\u201d <\/strong><\/h3>\n

In his book Uncomfortable, <\/em>Brett McCracken writes this about the commitment to regular, sustained church life:<\/p>\n

On most Sundays, it\u2019s far easier to stay home than it is to come spend a few hours singing and mingling over donuts with people you would never otherwise hang out with. Whether you\u2019re an extrovert or introvert, millennial or octogenarian, Republican or Democrat, you probably find it tough at times to relate to some of the people at your church.<\/em><\/p>\n

This is exactly right. You\u2019ll have to fight for community. This means you\u2019ll have to have a lot of awkward conversations with people you don\u2019t know, from backgrounds you don\u2019t recognize, who have life experiences with which you can\u2019t relate.<\/p>\n

So be it. Dig in and get to know your body of believers. Be willing to love and come alongside people who are different than you. It\u2019s worth it.<\/p>\n

When you invest in biblical community, you\u2019ll find the friendships you sow with brothers and sisters in the Lord can be sweet and life-giving and soul-shaping.<\/p>\n

2. The awkwardness and discomfort of church life is good for your sanctification. <\/strong> <\/strong><\/h3>\n

You heard that right. The things in your church that others might prefer\u2014music types, schedule structures, or preaching styles\u2014might be the very things God has put in your life for your own growth and sanctification.<\/p>\n

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Walking alongside other redeemed sinners allows us opportunities to give and take, to forgive and be forgiven, to love and be loved. In your quest to find a church that reflects you, you\u2019ll end up without community.<\/p>\n

But in community with people who have different preferences, varying stages of spiritual maturity, and differing gifts, God shapes your heart.<\/p>\n

He uses the things that annoy us about other Christians to make us more patient. He uses the sin struggles of other Christians to make us more compassionate. And he uses the opinions of others to sand off the rough edges on our own faulty ideas.<\/p>\n

In other words, don\u2019t look for a church that looks like you. Find a church where others\u2019 preferences rub up against yours in such a way that it helps you grow more like Jesus.<\/p>\n

3. Our ideas and preferences aren\u2019t central to everything.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

God has given each of us unique gifts, interests, and ideas. This is good.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m glad, for instance, that some Christians specialize in apologetics, helping us all become sharper at engaging skeptics and seekers.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m glad that some are especially adept biblical scholars and can comfortably explain the original Greek and Hebrew.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m grateful for Christians who are alert to movements in the culture and politicians and can lead us in thinking well about the world.<\/p>\n

These are just a few of many ways in which God specifically gifts and calls people to serve the church, but we should be willing to use these, not to advance ourselves, but for the edifying of the body of Christ.<\/p>\n

We shouldn\u2019t insist that our thing\u2014project or preference or pet issue\u2014is at the center of all programming and church life. And we should be willing to learn from the gifts and callings of others. McCracken says, again:<\/p>\n

Submitting to the authority of community means we are humble and teachable rather than arrogant and \u201cI\u2019ve got this\u201d overconfident. And that goes for the old as well as the young, the seasoned in faith as well as the green. It means submitting to accountability beyond ourselves.<\/em><\/p>\n

I\u2019m not saying that there aren\u2019t times when some things are worth fighting for. Paul urged Timothy and Titus to stand up for the gospel and be unyielding on orthodoxy. But he also says to \u201cfight the good fight (1 Timothy 6:12).\u201d<\/p>\n

Too often our fights aren\u2019t good fights. They\u2019re over preferences and an unwillingness to die to our preferences in order to give, serve, and love our brothers and sisters in the Lord.<\/p>\n

Not only should you have things in your church you don\u2019t like, you should embrace the privilege of the opportunity to grow in a community that will be used by God to sanctify you.<\/p>\n

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Daniel Darling<\/h2>\n

@dandarling<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Dan is the director of the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Seminary. He is the bestselling author of several books, including The Characters of Christmas<\/em>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n