Stop Dating The Church (Part 2) - Attitudes of a Church-dater
by Tyler Zach
What the heck does "flirting with the church" mean? I mentioned that phrase in the previous article. Well, to get started, let’s look at a quick profile of a church-dater.
The three Church-dater attitudes:
1) Me-centered - the driving question is, “What can church do for me?”
2) Independent – they go to church because that’s what Christians are suppose to do. But they are careful to avoid getting involved too much, especially with people.
3) Critical – they are short on loyalty and quick to find fault in the church. They treat church like a product. They never stop church shopping - always trying to find something better.
I have been (and still am) guilty of having either one or all of these attitudes. I have been caught saying, “I like the worship a lot better in this other church.” Yeah, well, I guess we think that the grass is always greener on the other side.
If JFK were a modern day preacher he would say, “Ask not what the church can do for you; ask what you can do for the church.” My fraternity has always pounded the statement, “You only get out what you put into the fraternity” into our heads.
All of these statements stem from a bigger underlying truth that comes directly from God. God wants us to have a stronger commitment towards seeking Him and serving and growing in the local church. If we have the attitudes listed above, then we will never be able to make any long-term commitment. We will always be church-daters.
Remember that the church is not some plan or program invented by humans. In fact, the church is the only institution God promised to sustain forever. Churches exist because worship doesn’t. Missions is the means, worship is the end. We can’t ignore the church and expect to please God.
If you are flirting right now, ask God to point you to a community that you will be able to learn and grow in, no matter how flawed the church may seem. Love the people and the vision with all your heart. Invest your time and energy into making that community come alive to the rest of the world.
If you aren’t in a church community right now, it is important to seek one out right away! In part 3 of this article, I will go over ten questions that will help you in seeking out a godly church.
What the heck does "flirting with the church" mean? I mentioned that phrase in the previous article. Well, to get started, let’s look at a quick profile of a church-dater.
The three Church-dater attitudes:
1) Me-centered - the driving question is, “What can church do for me?”
2) Independent – they go to church because that’s what Christians are suppose to do. But they are careful to avoid getting involved too much, especially with people.
3) Critical – they are short on loyalty and quick to find fault in the church. They treat church like a product. They never stop church shopping - always trying to find something better.
I have been (and still am) guilty of having either one or all of these attitudes. I have been caught saying, “I like the worship a lot better in this other church.” Yeah, well, I guess we think that the grass is always greener on the other side.
If JFK were a modern day preacher he would say, “Ask not what the church can do for you; ask what you can do for the church.” My fraternity has always pounded the statement, “You only get out what you put into the fraternity” into our heads.
All of these statements stem from a bigger underlying truth that comes directly from God. God wants us to have a stronger commitment towards seeking Him and serving and growing in the local church. If we have the attitudes listed above, then we will never be able to make any long-term commitment. We will always be church-daters.
Remember that the church is not some plan or program invented by humans. In fact, the church is the only institution God promised to sustain forever. Churches exist because worship doesn’t. Missions is the means, worship is the end. We can’t ignore the church and expect to please God.
If you are flirting right now, ask God to point you to a community that you will be able to learn and grow in, no matter how flawed the church may seem. Love the people and the vision with all your heart. Invest your time and energy into making that community come alive to the rest of the world.
If you aren’t in a church community right now, it is important to seek one out right away! In part 3 of this article, I will go over ten questions that will help you in seeking out a godly church.
posted by Tyler Zach at 1:34 PM
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