My biggest issue right now, it’s hard to find a church in my area, that preaches the full gospel. I keep hearing a feel good gospel, they are carful to stay away from offending people with the scripture… I personally believe this is dangerous…. Preaching the parts that don’t convict, that’s don’t offend, that don’t really make people understand the dangers of not following Christ.
Here in Michigan sound Bible preaching and teaching Churches are far and few between. We searched for a long time. Thankfully with the internet we can go online and get a pretty good idea while doing a Church search. Four months ago we discovered a Reformed Baptist Church fourty miles north of us. We so want sound Biblical preaching and teaching, along with the fellowship of saints. We have found a Church home and give little thought to the eighty mile round trip each Lords Day. Praise the Lord, each Lords Day we have fellowship with the saints and hear excellent Expository preaching of the Word of God ! Thank you Lord Jesus !!
Sadly preaching the parts that convict would be claimed by some as "political speech" and many Church leadership across the country have fallen for the lie that "you'll lose your tax-exempt status" when nothing could be further from the truth. Church leadership absolutely needs to do this for both matters of eternity and matters of helping to steer the direction of this Earth for our time here. As long as they do not tell the congregation specifically who to vote for by name they are not in violation. But they assuredly have dropped the ball dramatically for many years in not telling their congregations the positions of politicians that are not in line with the Bible.
@@markschneider8103 Fellow Michagander here. I'm exceedingly pleased and thankful you found a biblical church home. We travel about 30 miles now. We have to endure the coffee-shop-style acoustic karaoke performance jam band asking God to "set my soul on fire", but the preachers don't ask me to consider thinking about deciding to accept Jesus. We're in a better place than we were, but I still hunger for some sheep food.
I'm looking for a church and have a list of questions to ask. I want to join a church which knows who, what, where and the why of the Kingdom of God. Does anyone know??
That was also Carter Conlon in the 1970's. He and his new wife Teresa went to Europe on vacation for a month or so. He went all over Rome and other "spiritual" cities and could not find God in any of them. He came back so discouraged, he almost went full Atheist.
Best way to find a solid, Bible-teaching church is by associating yourself with solid, Bible-believing Christians. They're being fed Law and Gospel somewhere. Try going where they are and see how it goes.
It's good for believers to get together regularly. It's not a requirement to attend a weekly speech or entertainment venue. And it's not meant to be a one-man show.
The church I attend isn’t perfect. How do I know? Because I go there! I’m part of the reason it’s not perfect. But, I love my church. The pastors preach with the fire of the Spirit and we meet often. I have a lot of friends and I love meeting new people. I’m older now and don’t get around very well, but the youth there are wonderful. And they actually like visiting with me. I’m happy and blessed to be a part of this group. Thank you, Jesus!
When my husband and I left the Methodist Church last year after 30 years, we checked out several churches in our area. The primary criteria was that the church must hold Scriptural truths as Truth. The one thing we found is that there is no one 'right' church, but we left at least one that was a wrong church. I agree with you, Todd, there is no perfect church.
Paul Washer said it best! “Don’t look for the church closest to your home, but a church closest to the Bible! The parable of the lost sheep, that Jesus himself told! Only one sheep knew it was lost. The other 99 had no idea they were lost! Most churches never preach 1st Corinthians 15:1-4, The Gospel, not a gospel, but the Gospel! I never heard about rightly dividing the word of truth, Paul wrote to Timothy! I’m not speaking about John MacArthur, Paul Washer, Justin Peters, Steve Lawson, lest I forget Todd Friel, or the late J Vernon McGee!
Mmmm, the distance sentiment only goes so far. I live nearly 50 miles/50 mins from Grace Community Church on a GOOD day, traffic-wise (but that is not the normal scenario, given the fact that I have to drive right through the heart of downtown L.A. to get there). As much as I would LOVE to sit under MacArthur's teaching every week, when it comes to building relationships and having the opportunity to do the "one anothers" in everyday life and not just on Sunday mornings, that would be a logistical nightmare and a near impossibility because of the distance and traffic concerns (which, if you don't live in SoCal, you truly don't know what a massive hindrance that is). If you want to be involved with the people of your church beyond Sunday, you need to live within a *reasonable* distance from one another.
@@dd41283 your reply lacks logic. I'm not blind and the sky is cloudy today. The US constitution does not allow any individual religions to be controlled by Government or mandated by the Government. If an individual chooses not to follow any one of many theocratic base beliefs that is fine too. To make a blanket statement that Christian theocracy is being targeted is disingenuous and is being used to push people to phobic reactions. If the many forms and versions of Christian beliefs are being left behind the Christian Community must look inward at what is driving people away from their imaginary friend! Look up the word Hypocrisy and you may get a clue to the problem!
@@louishendricks-tv1sxThen tell us what the world history is. We may not agree. That’s fine. Your criticism of Christianity and Christians, isn’t changing my mind. Are we perfect? No, we are not. God loves us and wants us to come to him. He loves all of us. Even people who will never love him back and he commands us to love everyone, even the people who will never love him back. When I see comments like yours, I have to think about what is said and not to be confrontational because that’s not what Jesus wants me to do. Being hostile, does nothing. We have to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. I have been a Christian my entire life and will admit that I was hostile at times when I see comments like yours, but I have learned lately that that is not how God wants me or anyone following God, to conduct themselves. There are thousands and thousands of recorded documents that Jesus Christ, existed and died on the cross. How many do you think for Buddah? Allah? Mohammad? Confucius? Not very many or at all. I truly believe that Jesus is 100% God and 100% man, who paid the ultimate sacrifice for all of us, even you, so that we can be spared hell. He didn’t have to do that, he chose to do that because that’s how much he truly loves us. You may not agree, but that means more to me than you can ever imagine.
There are some if you are interested. Pastor Charles A Jennings teaches the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. It might take some time to adjust your mind to this, but most churches teach a lot of nonsense. Some even think that Lucifer is some great rebellious spirit being standing in defiance of God. The word lucifer can be used but should not be capitalized as it is a description of the King of Babylon whom God was set to destroy. See Isaiah 14:4-12. It is a proverb against the KIng of Babylon. The church invented so-called satan which simply means adversary and not any spirit created being who rebelled against and stands in defiance of God. There is no legitimate teaching of any spirits who can possess a person. People are evil all on their own and use "the devil made me do it" as an excuse to sin. Study this out Pastor Jennings has a sermon on this subject as to others who know the truth. I know Jesus cast out demons or something that was bothering a person such as mental illness or epilepsy and one time Jesus cast the evil from the man and sent the illness to the pigs and they destroyed themselves.
One has to remember that the sheer number of denominations today simply did not exist in Jesus time. “I pray that they all may be one, that the world may know that you have sent your Son. “. So even in choosing the “right“ denomination we are faced with a plethora of doctrinal and traditional challenges….it is just not that simple anymore
1 Corinthians 3:4-9 ESV [4] For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human? [5] What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. [6] I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. [7] So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. [8] He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. [9] For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.
There are more than 50 thousand "Christian" denominations at last count. "Once saved, always saved, saved by faith alone, and prosperity "gospel" are the ones to stay far away from.
I’m looking for sound doctrine. Not watered down. Not seeker sensitive. Not a bunch of buzzwords or catchphrases. Not capitulated to the pressures of modern society. And I’m looking for some semblance of discipleship and community.
We now do church in my home. We have other families show up on Sunday morning, everyone brings something for breakfast. We first sit down and eat together and talk about how everyone is doing. I then teach the kids based on the lesson I teach the adults right after. Then the kids go and do a project and hang out and have fun. We then have the adult study. We spend an hour going through one chapter. We are currently going through John and today we finished chapter 10. We have been doing this for ten weeks so far and the kids are happy and say they love it. The adults are saying they have learned more in ten weeks than a lifetime of going to a building. I’m afraid the Americanized “church” is hurting true believers.
@Packhorse-bh8qn The donation drop boxes, and tithing plates that get passed around during service. People put the green pieces of paper with idols stamped onto them. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing does the design for the plates that stamp Federal Reserve Notes. Deuteronomy 7: 25-26.
I remember listening to Living Waters podcast and Oscar was talking about how his church in an affluent area of Cali talked about idol worship by pointing to Buddhism and Hinduism etc, but not the congregation’s clear worship of the nicest cars, fanciest clothes, biggest house, etc
I left a church after over 20 years (I didn't quit the first time I encountered a problem) because numerous sermons were ruined with sprinklings of untruth. I often came out of a service feeling angry and frustrated, until it became intolerable and damaging. I agree, there is no perfect church, and the one I now attend is definitely more spiritually uplifting. God did not tell me to stay or leave the old church, however I don't think He wants us to stay in a church which corrupts the gospel and causes us to be unhappy.
I was homeless, I had nothing to offer, always sleeping on the street, until Jesus sent me a friend who helped me... I got a job & was managing till I melt a friend who helped ... She changed my life and now I have a home, a wife, a lovely daughter and a new identity... HALLELUJAH
I raised 75k and Christina Ann Tucker is to be thanked. I got my self my dream car 🚗 just last weekend, My journey with her started after my best friend came back from New York and saw me suffering in dept then told me about her and how to change my life through her. Christina A. Tucker is the kind of person one needs in his or her life! I got a home, a good wife, and a beautiful daughter. Note: this is not a promotion but me trying to make a point that no matter what happens, always have faith and keep living!!!
After I raised up to 325k trading with her I bought a new House and a car here in the states 🇺🇸🇺🇸 also paid for my son's surgery (Oscar). Glory to God.shalom..
i keep hearing that there isn't a perfect church but i keep encountering churches and church goers that are pre selecting and judging me based on income for they want a church in their image
Persecutions can solve most of these problems that churches are having and purge the nominal "Christians" out. When our families were persecuted for Christianity, we would cling to Christ, set all differences aside and love one another as it might be the last day we spend together till we meet again...
Call me dark but for the past 18 years I've been praying for the protections that Christians have been taking for granted to be completely removed so that the true believers can be revealed.
@@skeinofadifferentcolor2090 That's actually not as bad as some might think. You want the church to cling to Christ above all else, and persecution will basically ensure that it happens.
Well said. I heard a Russian pastor say that when persecution began, pastoring the church was actually easier because all the goats left and only the sheep remained.
@@loiscarteaux9389 That is so true. There is something about standing shoulder to shoulder with your brothers and sisters in a costly service and painful suffering for Jesus Christ that produces a strong bond and and love for each-other while strengthening our reliance, faith and confidence in Christ. In modern Christianity people can never grasp the depth of Christian fellowship that the persecuted Christians experienced so long as they don't venture forth beyond the levels of their comfort zone.
The cure for churches who think music is worship is to put ALL music/singing/solos at the very end of the sermon, after giving those who dont want music in their service a chance to get out of the concert hall before the rock music and bellowing begins.
Churches tend to look at members as tools in their toolbox for accomplishing their ministry. What is wrong with fathers seeing a church as a tool in his box to effectively disciple his family? If a church is not going to effectively help parents in their first ministry to their children, then it is not a good fit.
Too many churches have turned into entertainment gathering places and very little about GOD and biblical teachings. You can literally see the excitement in people at these mega churches whenever the music begins but not much whenever the watered down sermons begin. I pray for the people who attend these ear tickling churches because they are being led into the lost souls abyss.
In the two churches I have attended and the one I still am. God prompted me too both, I did not choose. In fact the one I am at now would not have been on my radar if I was going to leave and go to another. It took many years of driving past one church and my head was on a swivel every time I drove past it and I had the voice in my head saying "I need to go there", before I finally did. Then four years of attending that church and visiting my friends church. The thought of "I needed to go there and there was something for me to do", popped into my head and 8 months later I did. As in all things, let God direct you,. Not in your own strength or understanding. Hid reasons are far superior to your own.
I think most people don't believe what you said but I do the LORD does speak to those who seek him wholeheartedly his sheep know his voice I see alot of what Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:5 . GOD BLESS YOU
You’ll ALWAYS find something to complain about in a church… no one and no church is perfect. You’ll always find minor disagreements and that’s ok. 1) Do they preach the FULL Gospel 2) Do they follow sound Biblical teachings and not compromise to culture 3) Does the preacher EXPOSIT the Scripture Follow these and you’ll be ok.
4. they foster a culture of evangelism. It's super important that the church fulfills its role not just as a place to learn, but also as an entity to share the gospel.
You would not believe how hard it is to find churches that simply preach directly, expositorily and exegetically from the word of God. That's all I want.
The "apostle" John once said, "ask not what your church can do for you, but what can you do for your church!" Once you've determined the church is biblically sound, plug in and use your spiritual gifts to edify others and glorify God. This will make your church "shopping" a much easier process.
Everybody who loves their church thinks it's doctrinally sound. If they objectively scrutinized the doctrines or traditions of their church using the Bible, they wouldn't be there. Most ppl attend the churches that they do because they like what the hear and they like the traditions. That's why ppl get offended at being told Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Sunday services, etc. are pagan. They don't really care about being in a biblically sound church.
Actually, I did have the perfect church for over 15 years until I had to move away. I knew instantly the day I walked in I was in the right place. Now, I am spoiled because I can’t find it again.
@zsn1gman your judgmental assumptions are not necessary. It could have been for a plethora of reasons, affordability, health, to take care of family or any number of other reasons.
I'm so sorry, that must be so hard. A great church family is worth more than gold, so hard to find. Just Pray that the Lord Jesus will guide you to a church that needs you - and to find the remnant of born again believers there. It took me almost 6 years, and a few hard lessons, but it's all part of the journey. May God richly bless you and your family in your new area.✝️🛐❤️
@@TSeeker1 The Pastor was phenomenal. He built the church from scratch and has been the pastor for over 50 years. Faultless and everything scripture says a pastor should be!
My church has fantastic theology. However, my pastor has gotten into the habit of telling story after story after story, followed by even more quips, quotes, illustrations, and ideas he's pulled from commentaries. Some mornings it's upwards of 15-17 such references. It's distracting and dissatisfying because I go to church to hear *the WORD* expounded upon. I *want* the Holy Spirit to comfort, challenge, convict, and conform me into the image of Christ; a collection of stories, Spurgeon quotes and the like can uplift and inspire, but they cannot sanctify and bring about inner transformation the way the Word can, no matter how relevant they may actually be to the subject at hand. It's gotten to the point where I have stopped attending because I don't see the point, unless I continue for the 'social club' aspect of it. EDITED to add that I have no intentions on bailing altogether from being a part of a local congregation, just that I am questioning my membership at this particular church. I've been an active member who's served in two different ministries for nearly the entire decade that I've attended so I'm not just a self-serving armchair critic. Other congregants have recognized this issue as being a problem as well and a few have brought it up to leadership, but nothing appears to be changing.
My church had a great pastor. He moved. The new pastor is nice, young and has a large family. He does the story after story thing and 'Im just kidding'every other sentence. Theres about 45 minutes of singing, 20 minutes of teaching, but half of that is his stories and 'jokes'. It shouldnt bother me, but it does. I feel the same, I want to hear the Bible and how to apply it to my life. Not jokes & stories
We are not given the option to not attend church. There is no perfect church. Look at the churches in Revelation. There were so many problems and Christ Himself rebukes them. Yet, Christ still calls them a church. As long as the church that you are going to isn’t preaching heresy, you should attend until you find another. Stay faithful and pray for God to open up another church for you. But you should absolutely attend church.
@@MeanMrMustrd I'm seriously so tired of hearing this line which insinuates that anyone who actually wants to hear the Word being preached from the pulpit is expecting to be spoon fed. Please stop gaslighting people who recognize legit deficiencies in preaching. I am neither a new nor an infantile Christian. I have a vibrant prayer life and have been through Hell and back with my Savior. My grasp of the Word - which I developed in my own times of personal, private study - is the only thing which anchored my soul and prevented me from sinking into despair. I do not think the need of the individual to "feed themselves" absolves a pastor of his duty to preach *the Scriptures* to his congregation and not a bunch of stories.
@@jtv_70I think you're right to be bothered by it and I'm thankful to see that somebody else gets it. Frankly I'm tired of being gaslit by people insinuating that I'm being hypercritical or holding too high of an expectation of my pastor because I want to hear more Bible, fewer stories. Or that I'm wanting him to "spoon feed" me which is also insulting.
Besides finding the straight forward gospel without secularism stired in, music not so loud that it’s just a blasting rock concert which I can’t take at all and sermons that feed , no problem. What to do? I was a member of a solid Church until Covid ended it. The church never recovered. 😞
We go to a little country church where we are here in the Ozarks that we absolutely love, and I'm the song leader. We are, however, between pastors right now. We've had quite a few guest preachers lately, two of which I've noticed push word of faith nonsense -- and if either of those 2 guys get hired, I'm outta there. Besides, I know of a church here looking for an organist (they have a pipe organ, BTW), and that's a paying gig, too, which I'd love to have if that's the Lord's will. Just pray that God's will would be done here. Thanx!
We have left 2 Unbiblical churches, and I so appreciate that before we left my husband talked with the pastor and explained the reasons we were leaving showing him the biblical grounds. So people should do this before leaving a church. One it's a check on yourself, do i have biblical grounds to leave, the other is one never knows how Christ will use that in the pastors heart. Also suggest including elders. It takes courage to do this. But is much needed today.
My husband is currently composing an email to the pastor of the most recent church that we left. It is so hard getting your hopes up so you have found a god honoring place to worship only to be slapped in the face with blasphemy and idolatry.
I think finding a church is a very big decision. Particularly when there are so many false doctrines out there. For my family; we are trying out several, making sure the preaching is heavily leaning on the Bible, and that Jesus is loved there. Praying on which one to go to will also be done.
I have never found the perfect church, I thought I did a couple of times, but after a while it wasn't as perfect as I thought, and the only common denominator between them was ME, so when I step in to any church it will cease to be perfect, cause I'm there, and I AM SO FAR FROM PERFECT, and I have read, studied many times daily for 40 yr. I know Gods good and acceptable will, but his PERFECT will, NOT YET
Go to church and be apart of the Lord’s assembly of believers. I have been sick for a while and I miss it so much. Pray for me that the Lord will strengthen me to go please, thank you and God bless you. I believe Jesus is returning soon!! 👍
What about theology? What if the preaching is good, or sometimes OK, but it could go a lot deeper than it does? Or what if you’ve mentioned, the theological dangers behind the groups producing some of the music but no one in any position of leadership seems to appreciate your concerns?
I am thankful for our local church, consisting of Chinese, Mexicans, Latin Americans and a variety of blood bought sinners, giving praise to the Lamb in "tongues"!
I to churches in search of a church that teaches from the Bible, as the Bible being the authority, and a church that does not change the bylaws to match their mood. I haven’t done one yet.
:31 “the music’s too traditional…”. 🤣perfect! I know exactly what church that is, and it’s hilarious you used their music as an example! I have to say, while we were “church shopping” we LOVED that church’s singing!! Closest example of what I imagine the singing in heaven will be like-MormonTabernacle choir could take lessons from their singing and I’ve never heard a more joyful noise! All hymns, everyone singing at the top of their voice! I’d love to know how you picked them as your example😂👍🏼 That said, we left for other reasons and have found the needle in the haystack-a church a few miles from there who preaches the Bible verse by verse! I’m not much of a fan of their music, but the preaching is awesome!!
I have to wear earplugs inside the church building and outside in the courtyard because the drums, multiple electric guitars and vocals are deafening. I attend the traditional service that still uses piano and organ which is not deafening. The average age is probably 65 or 70. I'm on the younger side of that. When we cannot attend due to physical mobility or dementia the service will be replaced with a deafening high school service. I figure then that I'll vote with my feet and move to a church where I don't have to wear earplugs. I love everything else about the church, but I'm not going to compromise on this.
I don’t care about the size of a church, or if they have too many young people/old people, etc. I want to attend a Church that preaches sound doctrine. I don’t want to go to a “church” that has female pastors, or doesn’t preach against sin, or practices ungodly things like celebrating halloween. I want to go to a Church that loves The Lord Jesus Christ and preaches His Word!
My biggest issue with places called churches is the brutal control, hypocrisy and narcissism from the pulpit, heresy, whisper campaigns against those who ask Berean-type questions, and a focus on the authority of a single CEO-style leader when absolutely no such position is described in the entire NT. You tell me how you get a leader whom you must come under the authority of called a "pastor" out of the single occurrence of the word "pastor" as 4th of 5 useful gifts (not titles or official church positions) in Eph 4. The Church is made up of all true followers of Jesus, and we are not to stop meeting together. We do, it's in our homes. And we don't have to deal with lazy, primping dudes in skinny jeans telling us we need to give them money. We don't have to worry about fundraising campaigns to remodel the aerobics room.
As hard as it is to go to a dispensational church that preaches escapism, my main goal to attend a church once a week is to join others in a chorus of praise to our God and Lord Jesus Christ because He is worthy. Other than that, it is very hard to sit through a church that is run by a "pastor" who has no reverence for God, begins his church not by opening the Word but with emotionally manipulative music (very man-centered about how much Jesus loves "ME"), then proceeds to give "quick" announcements about how awesome his church is, then to crack a few jokes and finally to give a sermon that is an unoriginal copy of someone elses sermon because he has not experienced true regeneration and couldn't tell you what true regenerative repentance is to save his life. Too many "churches" today are filled with false converts due to the fact that the pastors and leaders of these congregations have never experienced true repentance themselves and push that "repeat after me: Lord I'm a sinner" nonsense they call "repentance" instead of preaching the full counsel of God and encouraging people to pray for themselves from their own heart. If people are having such a hard time discerning truth from false now, they are in great trouble as there will be plenty more false teachers that will be even harder to detect as the apostasy/great falling away progresses with time.
Seems like finding a church body in which one fits should be based on doctrine and one's place in a congregation's unique participation in local and global mission.
I'm an Apocryphal Christian who reads the bible older than 1611. you wonder why? when there are over 1000s different editions and altered texts, and made worse is people choose to read bibles printed in 2024. maybe go back to GODS original word.
When I wake up on sunday mornings thinking I'd rather just stay in bed I always remember that if I do that I'll feel terrible come the afternoon and wish I'd have gone to church :L
Almost every organized individual, institutional, denominational entity we call a church serves only the denomination or the entity.....not Christ! Then that crosses all of those denominational borders as well! Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Nazarene..... etc. etc.! They are all based in religion! God and Christ call us to a relationship not a religion! John 17:3, John 15:1-8!
I want a church that actually uses the Bible and stays within the text.. I don't care about music even though I like the old hymns.I went to a Methodist church and it was all about membership and not scripture only one verse then 20 minutes on membership.. I am gonna go to a Baptist church up the road as long as they stay in scripture and no magic Jennie god. There is no reason to go to a church that does not teach the Bible then you end up in conflict over what they are claiming.
I attended a church for many years that had sound biblical teaching. But one area of frustration was that with small groups there was a tendency to separate the married people from the single people. I guess the idea was that there wasn't a lot of common ground. I guess? It was semi-OK as a 22-year-old single man, but it wasn't very realistic as a 35-year-old single man. A lot of my friends at that age were married, and I wanted to be around them, not relegated to the "Wait Here til You Find a Mate" section. If there was discussion about strengthening marriage relationships, it's not like I couldn't have benefited from the teaching anyway, either by way of being able to understand and encourage my married compatriots, or by way of carrying he principles into other relationship dynamics.
We go two churches both are solid in bible teaching. One is large the other is small/medium. One has music that is so loud I have to go out in the hallway, the other one I can hear my neighbor sing.
I live in Australia I have been in church for over 30 years really now where is a real church where people r included and not a show by church leadership
God spoke to me and told me to stop looking for churches that fill any other need than the preaching. I was looking for a wife and didn't feel like the big churcn I used to attend had fellowship time to meet anyone. Then i went to a small church and there were no single women. I stopped searching for a wife and just focused on growing closer to the Lord. I since have found a woman i will soon make my wife.
I can never find a church that preaches and teaches the truth. All churches that I've been to teach the truth mixed with error. And the errors can be really significant, including Christological heresies and soteriological errors that compromise the gospel of grace. Should I continue going to church when I am constantly discouraged by their theological errors?
I feel that the biggest problem is our definition of “church”. Church is not over there on the corner of such and such, or over there next to this or that. People are the church. Those who are true followers of Jesus Christ as the Lord of their lives. Church is a family… God’s family. Jesus made us mobile, not to find a place to sit and soak. Most of what we call church today is actually a business. Of course they are going to be using business practices to bring in and keep customers. Money brings in a conflict of interest and compromise. Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to teach us, guide us and lead us in our lives, and into the truth of His Word. When we look for a person, place or brand to follow and teach us the truth, as opposed to going to scripture itself with the greatest teacher of all time, the Holy Spirit of God, we are already heading in the wrong direction. We need to begin to go to God’s Word, for ourselves, and allow God to teach us, what He inspired to be written down and what He wanted us to know. Then, we can go out and talk to people about what He teaches us and allow God to build His authentic “Church”. The “Church” that we read about and see in the Bible, as opposed to a business.
@@christianadventure I agree completely! I was quilty of believing all kinds of stuff(doctrines). Now I put all my faith in the cross, plus nothing! Faith plus nothing equals everything! I can’t get enough of the word (KJ)! Hours a day in study, daily, for 6 years now! Yet I feel I only scratched the surface! I can’t handle milk any more, but I crave strong meat! I know enough tho, to talk about Saul, who became Paul! Who was a hater of Jesus and those who followed Him! Who became the 13th apostle chosen by Jesus! I’m excluding Matthias, who was chosen by Peter and the other 10, to replace Judas! Peter and Paul had a great face to face! Peter was saying unless you keep the law of Moses you can’t be saved! Paul said No, it’s by Grace that you are saved! Must have been a good thing to watch! At the end they agreed, shaking the right hand of fellowship! Peter and the 11, would go to the Jews, and Paul and Barnabas to the Gentiles! Peter praised his beloved brother Paul in 2nd Peter 3:15&16! Saying many things Paul said in his epistles are hard to understand, and those who are unskilled and unlearned twist all the other scriptures, unto their own destruction! I never heard in any church denominational, or nondenominational, 13 apostles! 12 commanded to Go not into the Gentiles or Samaritans( Matthew 10:5-7) But Go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, preaching the kingdom gospel, to Jews only. Never heard anything about Paul! Heard of Paul, but not Paul chosen for an apostle on the road to Damascus to go far hench unto the Gentiles after the cross! I’ll speak all day long about the Bible now, to any who would have ears to hear! So so many preachers today never read or learned rightly dividing! Even Franklin Graham twisted Galatians 1! He was saying all those other religions, Muslim, Hindu, Confucius, were lost! That chapter is about those Pharisees who came in behind Paul, saying to be saved you have to keep the law of Moses! I can’t find any religions Franklin mentioned in that chapter! But Paul said if any preach anything other then Christ crucified, then let them be accursed! Twice in verse 8, and 9! I only write this long response to maybe show others who may read this what the difference is from what was the way to Christ before the cross, and after! Two sides to every story! I never knew that from any church! But only from the Lord leading me to great Bible teachers, and pastors! I’ll listen to many all day long, John MacArthur, J Vernon McGee, many more! I won’t listen to Franklin Graham, who one would think is great after his father Billy! I’ve listened to Billy a lot, but he only mentions Paul, like most who only dabble in Paul! Paul wrote 13 books of the New Testament, Romans-Philemon, and possibly Hebrews! Now that’s important to know this! So this is why I agree with! You absolutely have to study the word! Much more could I say, but will close this! God will bless you mightily when you study!
Most of the so called Christian church services here in Massachusetts consist of the first 30 minutes of deafening Christian rock worship. What happened to just singing psalms and hymns? Besides, my understanding of worship is Romans 12, offering our bodies as living sacrifices, this is our spiritual act of worship. This call to obedience is love for God, not an emotional music show. Then 20 minutes of a minister attempting to be cool with his personality, story telling, humor, dress attire or lack there of. Then if we're lucky, 10 minutes of the word. I'm starving...
I started going to a traditional church. When I was looking around a lot of people told me about finding the right fit, but I was looking for a church that looked like church always did for the first 1900 years of Christianity. It is confusing and there's a lot of complicated things to learn and sometimes I have no idea what I'm doing, but it feels like Church rather than like a rock music club or a community centre. Most people I've met in modern churches reject traditional church as 'fuddy duddy' and weren't very happy with my decision. I prefer the rock music at the last church I went to over the very traditional music of the church I attend, but the church I attend reads from the Bible every single day, has communion every single day, and I don't get shunned for believing the Bible is true. There's still a lot of nonsense to deal with, including people praising Islam from the pulpit, but I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that as long as I remain in the UK I'm not going to be able to find the sort of close knit Christian communities that exist in North America and elsewhere.... In a lot of ways I feel like a baby Christian with no mature Christians available to guide me. I'm heading into the traditional universal infrastructure, but rely on listening to American preachers online to get proper education on the Bible.
An important prophecy of end times; 2 Tim. 4:3) "For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires," NASB
Ask the one who is head of the church, the one who sent His son and watch for an answered prayer. I am in Southern California, Costa Mesa has a church "Mission Bible Church". High desert out in San Bernardino called Mountain View Baptist, Grace Baptist church of Bakersfield.
James 1:21-23(NKJV)-21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
I'm looking for a church at the moment and I want to know what they teach. I've excluded the church taken over by the gay crowd and headed by a lesbian pastor. Another flies Oriental prayer flags in their parking lot. I want to find a church that preaches and teaches the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Whenever I ask that question to Christians, they have no idea what the Kingdom is. The entire Bible is about the Kingdom of God. The verse you speak of in Ephesians 2:12-16 is talking to Israelites and the division which happened between the Southern Kingdom of Judah and the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Christ took the two sticks and bound them together. The writer was not talking to Chinese or Africans or South Americans, he was talking about that particular division in Israel, they hated each other. The Samaritans were of the Northern kingdom, those who remained after the Assyrian conquest.
We love the Biblical, expository preaching in our church, but I'm in my late 50s, and my husband in his 60s and everything is run by the 30s-40s crowd with kids. We're not encouraged to try to help. Total active members of out church is less than 100, mostly under 45.
Yeah, I was born in a pretty remote little dot in a part of Africa with elephants and the likes freely walking around while you also had to sleep through military bombardments and often spend your nights in bombshelters. Not sure if Africa has something similar to cowboys but hey, thank you for giving us the Marlboro Man, man 😂 Also have to thank you for referring to the universal church as a man and not as the bride of Christ because you know, that's not confusing at all to primitives such as ourselves. 😂
For years, I've been looking for a church/denomination that preaches 100% the Bible with nothing filler or contrary. I've been unable to find one. I, at one point, thought I'd found what I was looking for in the Seventh Day Adventists but then I discovered otherwise.
@@Crimzon_Nova They are not Christians. They deny the Gospel of Grace and replace it with the keeping of the Mosaic Law, meaning they have agreed with the Pharisees, Trampled Christ's Blood under foot, viewed the New Covenant as an Unclean thing, Crucified Christ anew, and have committed the Eternal and Unpardonable Sin of the Hebrews who Apostatized and Returned to Judaism.
It's not about looking for perfect churches(the Bible lets us know that believers are the Church). If a person wants to go to a building to worship the Lord, make sure the Word of God is being taught truthfully.
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My biggest issue right now, it’s hard to find a church in my area, that preaches the full gospel. I keep hearing a feel good gospel, they are carful to stay away from offending people with the scripture… I personally believe this is dangerous…. Preaching the parts that don’t convict, that’s don’t offend, that don’t really make people understand the dangers of not following Christ.
Same, they are all Apostate near me.
Here in Michigan sound Bible preaching and teaching Churches are far and few between. We searched for a long time. Thankfully with the internet we can go online and get a pretty good idea while doing a Church search.
Four months ago we discovered a Reformed Baptist Church fourty miles north of us.
We so want sound Biblical preaching and teaching, along with the fellowship of saints. We have found a Church home and give little thought to the eighty mile round trip each Lords Day.
Praise the Lord, each Lords Day we have fellowship with the saints and hear excellent Expository preaching of the Word of God !
Thank you Lord Jesus !!
Sadly preaching the parts that convict would be claimed by some as "political speech" and many Church leadership across the country have fallen for the lie that "you'll lose your tax-exempt status" when nothing could be further from the truth. Church leadership absolutely needs to do this for both matters of eternity and matters of helping to steer the direction of this Earth for our time here. As long as they do not tell the congregation specifically who to vote for by name they are not in violation. But they assuredly have dropped the ball dramatically for many years in not telling their congregations the positions of politicians that are not in line with the Bible.
Find a Calvary Chapel in your area. They are dedicated to verse by verse expository teaching through the ENTIRE Bible.
@@markschneider8103 Fellow Michagander here. I'm exceedingly pleased and thankful you found a biblical church home. We travel about 30 miles now. We have to endure the coffee-shop-style acoustic karaoke performance jam band asking God to "set my soul on fire", but the preachers don't ask me to consider thinking about deciding to accept Jesus. We're in a better place than we were, but I still hunger for some sheep food.
I heard a speaker say, "They weren't 'church-hoppers', they were looking for God in the church, and weren't finding Him." That was me.
I'm looking for a church and have a list of questions to ask. I want to join a church which knows who, what, where and the why of the Kingdom of God. Does anyone know??
This is exactly it!! Plenty of places of worship, but rarely any that truly worship in the ways that He delights in.
@@markh4926what area are you in brother
That was also Carter Conlon in the 1970's. He and his new wife Teresa went to Europe on vacation for a month or so. He went all over Rome and other "spiritual" cities and could not find God in any of them. He came back so discouraged, he almost went full Atheist.
Best way to find a solid, Bible-teaching church is by associating yourself with solid, Bible-believing Christians. They're being fed Law and Gospel somewhere. Try going where they are and see how it goes.
The right church is the one that sticks to the real TRUTH
Amen, Floyd
Truth?
That eliminates EVERY denomination in the entirety of Christendom, they are all preaching false pagan doctrines. Pick your poison.
It's good for believers to get together regularly. It's not a requirement to attend a weekly speech or entertainment venue. And it's not meant to be a one-man show.
You are correct.
I wish there were a turbo like button.
The church I attend isn’t perfect. How do I know? Because I go there! I’m part of the reason it’s not perfect. But, I love my church. The pastors preach with the fire of the Spirit and we meet often. I have a lot of friends and I love meeting new people. I’m older now and don’t get around very well, but the youth there are wonderful. And they actually like visiting with me. I’m happy and blessed to be a part of this group. Thank you, Jesus!
Well said. Thank you
A church near me has their sign that says, "Non Perfect People Allowed."
The true Church is where Jesus is the Head,not someone else....it's not about fit or not...
When my husband and I left the Methodist Church last year after 30 years, we checked out several churches in our area. The primary criteria was that the church must hold Scriptural truths as Truth. The one thing we found is that there is no one 'right' church, but we left at least one that was a wrong church. I agree with you, Todd, there is no perfect church.
Well have you heard the old saying that if you find the perfect church, don’t go to it, because you/me are imperfect and would spoil it.
Paul Washer said it best!
“Don’t look for the church closest to your home, but a church closest to the Bible!
The parable of the lost sheep, that Jesus himself told!
Only one sheep knew it was lost. The other 99 had no idea they were lost!
Most churches never preach 1st Corinthians 15:1-4, The Gospel, not a gospel, but the Gospel!
I never heard about rightly dividing the word of truth, Paul wrote to Timothy!
I’m not speaking about John MacArthur, Paul Washer, Justin Peters, Steve Lawson, lest I forget Todd Friel, or the late J Vernon McGee!
Mmmm, the distance sentiment only goes so far. I live nearly 50 miles/50 mins from Grace Community Church on a GOOD day, traffic-wise (but that is not the normal scenario, given the fact that I have to drive right through the heart of downtown L.A. to get there). As much as I would LOVE to sit under MacArthur's teaching every week, when it comes to building relationships and having the opportunity to do the "one anothers" in everyday life and not just on Sunday mornings, that would be a logistical nightmare and a near impossibility because of the distance and traffic concerns (which, if you don't live in SoCal, you truly don't know what a massive hindrance that is). If you want to be involved with the people of your church beyond Sunday, you need to live within a *reasonable* distance from one another.
It's so refreshing to see so many sincere Christians hungry for the truth. God bless you all. 🙏
I found the right fit by using Grace To You's church finder. We go to church to learn, so Theology is paramount.
If a church/pastor is endorsed by Grace to You, it must be Biblically sound.
The only thing we should be looking for is if the truth is preached or not.
Everything unnecessary will be stripped away when being a Christian becomes illegal.
Found the best comment!!
Who would strip you of your right to be the dupe of a 1700 year old propaganda campaign! All you people need a good course in world history.
@@louishendricks-tv1sx your comment is like a blind man mocking a seeing man for his insightful observations about the color of the sky.
@@dd41283 your reply lacks logic. I'm not blind and the sky is cloudy today. The US constitution does not allow any individual religions to be controlled by Government or mandated by the Government. If an individual chooses not to follow any one of many theocratic base beliefs that is fine too. To make a blanket statement that Christian theocracy is being targeted is disingenuous and is being used to push people to phobic reactions. If the many forms and versions of Christian beliefs are being left behind the Christian Community must look inward at what is driving people away from their imaginary friend! Look up the word Hypocrisy and you may get a clue to the problem!
@@louishendricks-tv1sxThen tell us what the world history is.
We may not agree. That’s fine. Your criticism of Christianity and Christians, isn’t changing my mind. Are we perfect? No, we are not. God loves us and wants us to come to him. He loves all of us. Even people who will never love him back and he commands us to love everyone, even the people who will never love him back. When I see comments like yours, I have to think about what is said and not to be confrontational because that’s not what Jesus wants me to do. Being hostile, does nothing. We have to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. I have been a Christian my entire life and will admit that I was hostile at times when I see comments like yours, but I have learned lately that that is not how God wants me or anyone following God, to conduct themselves.
There are thousands and thousands of recorded documents that Jesus Christ, existed and died on the cross. How many do you think for Buddah? Allah? Mohammad? Confucius? Not very many or at all. I truly believe that Jesus is 100% God and 100% man, who paid the ultimate sacrifice for all of us, even you, so that we can be spared hell. He didn’t have to do that, he chose to do that because that’s how much he truly loves us. You may not agree, but that means more to me than you can ever imagine.
Good luck finding a church that hasn't become apostate. Its like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Yup, all Apostate round by me as well :(
God led me to a great reformed baptist church that's 5 mins up the road.
Sadly true
i.e. satanic...
There are some if you are interested. Pastor Charles A Jennings teaches the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. It might take some time to adjust your mind to this, but most churches teach a lot of nonsense. Some even think that Lucifer is some great rebellious spirit being standing in defiance of God.
The word lucifer can be used but should not be capitalized as it is a description of the King of Babylon whom God was set to destroy. See Isaiah 14:4-12. It is a proverb against the KIng of Babylon. The church invented so-called satan which simply means adversary and not any spirit created being who rebelled against and stands in defiance of God.
There is no legitimate teaching of any spirits who can possess a person. People are evil all on their own and use "the devil made me do it" as an excuse to sin. Study this out Pastor Jennings has a sermon on this subject as to others who know the truth. I know Jesus cast out demons or something that was bothering a person such as mental illness or epilepsy and one time Jesus cast the evil from the man and sent the illness to the pigs and they destroyed themselves.
One has to remember that the sheer number of denominations today simply did not exist in Jesus time. “I pray that they all may be one, that the world may know that you have sent your Son. “. So even in choosing the “right“ denomination we are faced with a plethora of doctrinal and traditional challenges….it is just not that simple anymore
1 Corinthians 3:4-9 ESV
[4] For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human? [5] What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. [6] I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. [7] So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. [8] He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. [9] For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.
There are more than 50 thousand "Christian" denominations at last count. "Once saved, always saved, saved by faith alone, and prosperity "gospel" are the ones to stay far away from.
Thank you Todd! This video is a good reminder of how we can drift if we aren't watchful. By God's grace, He will hold us fast.
I’m looking for sound doctrine. Not watered down. Not seeker sensitive. Not a bunch of buzzwords or catchphrases. Not capitulated to the pressures of modern society. And I’m looking for some semblance of discipleship and community.
Brother, Todd: I love your work! Your the most animated of all my brothers in Christ. Keep on!
We now do church in my home. We have other families show up on Sunday morning, everyone brings something for breakfast. We first sit down and eat together and talk about how everyone is doing. I then teach the kids based on the lesson I teach the adults right after. Then the kids go and do a project and hang out and have fun. We then have the adult study. We spend an hour going through one chapter. We are currently going through John and today we finished chapter 10. We have been doing this for ten weeks so far and the kids are happy and say they love it. The adults are saying they have learned more in ten weeks than a lifetime of going to a building. I’m afraid the Americanized “church” is hurting true believers.
Do you have communion?
I still haven't found a church that condemns idol worship.
Same. It's so hard
What state are you in?
@Packhorse-bh8qn The donation drop boxes, and tithing plates that get passed around during service. People put the green pieces of paper with idols stamped onto them. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing does the design for the plates that stamp Federal Reserve Notes. Deuteronomy 7: 25-26.
I remember listening to Living Waters podcast and Oscar was talking about how his church in an affluent area of Cali talked about idol worship by pointing to Buddhism and Hinduism etc, but not the congregation’s clear worship of the nicest cars, fanciest clothes, biggest house, etc
@josephpurdy8390 so how do you interpret Matthew 22?
I left a church after over 20 years (I didn't quit the first time I encountered a problem) because numerous sermons were ruined with sprinklings of untruth. I often came out of a service feeling angry and frustrated, until it became intolerable and damaging. I agree, there is no perfect church, and the one I now attend is definitely more spiritually uplifting. God did not tell me to stay or leave the old church, however I don't think He wants us to stay in a church which corrupts the gospel and causes us to be unhappy.
They are looking for a Sunday morning social club not a church.
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i keep hearing that there isn't a perfect church but i keep encountering churches and church goers that are pre selecting and judging me based on income for they want a church in their image
How are they doing that? Do you have to show tax returns to join?
Persecutions can solve most of these problems that churches are having and purge the nominal "Christians" out. When our families were persecuted for Christianity, we would cling to Christ, set all differences aside and love one another as it might be the last day we spend together till we meet again...
Call me dark but for the past 18 years I've been praying for the protections that Christians have been taking for granted to be completely removed so that the true believers can be revealed.
@@skeinofadifferentcolor2090 That's actually not as bad as some might think. You want the church to cling to Christ above all else, and persecution will basically ensure that it happens.
Well said. I heard a Russian pastor say that when persecution began, pastoring the church was actually easier because all the goats left and only the sheep remained.
@@cameraredeye3115 exactly! Seeing the blasphemous state of the American Church destroys me so much!
@@loiscarteaux9389
That is so true. There is something about standing shoulder to shoulder with your brothers and sisters in a costly service and painful suffering for Jesus Christ that produces a strong bond and and love for each-other while strengthening our reliance, faith and confidence in Christ. In modern Christianity people can never grasp the depth of Christian fellowship that the persecuted Christians experienced so long as they don't venture forth beyond the levels of their comfort zone.
The cure for churches who think music is worship is to put ALL music/singing/solos at the very end of the sermon, after giving those who dont want music in their service a chance to get out of the concert hall before the rock music and bellowing begins.
Churches tend to look at members as tools in their toolbox for accomplishing their ministry. What is wrong with fathers seeing a church as a tool in his box to effectively disciple his family? If a church is not going to effectively help parents in their first ministry to their children, then it is not a good fit.
I just want a church that preaches the gospel and has decent fellowship,, I live in a crazy liberal town.
Which crazy liberal town?
Nothing happens by coincidence and I needed this one today. Thank you!
Wonderful teaching brother, wonderful teaching!! Thank you!!
Repent!
"Where are all the old folks"... has never been uttered at any church ever...
They are shoved away into nursing homes which is where my family holds Sunday morning services.
Too many churches have turned into entertainment gathering places and very little about GOD and biblical teachings. You can literally see the excitement in people at these mega churches whenever the music begins but not much whenever the watered down sermons begin. I pray for the people who attend these ear tickling churches because they are being led into the lost souls abyss.
In the two churches I have attended and the one I still am. God prompted me too both, I did not choose. In fact the one I am at now would not have been on my radar if I was going to leave and go to another. It took many years of driving past one church and my head was on a swivel every time I drove past it and I had the voice in my head saying "I need to go there", before I finally did. Then four years of attending that church and visiting my friends church. The thought of "I needed to go there and there was something for me to do", popped into my head and 8 months later I did. As in all things, let God direct you,. Not in your own strength or understanding. Hid reasons are far superior to your own.
I think most people don't believe what you said but I do the LORD does speak to those who seek him wholeheartedly his sheep know his voice I see alot of what Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:5 . GOD BLESS YOU
You’ll ALWAYS find something to complain about in a church… no one and no church is perfect. You’ll always find minor disagreements and that’s ok.
1) Do they preach the FULL Gospel
2) Do they follow sound Biblical teachings and not compromise to culture
3) Does the preacher EXPOSIT the Scripture
Follow these and you’ll be ok.
4. they foster a culture of evangelism.
It's super important that the church fulfills its role not just as a place to learn, but also as an entity to share the gospel.
@@calebleach7988 that would fall under 2.)
@@RandomBoxingGuy true, but I still think it’s important to add as a separate point because so many people forget that part these days
You would not believe how hard it is to find churches that simply preach directly, expositorily and exegetically from the word of God. That's all I want.
The clips at the end always crack me up, thanks for the video!
6:23 nailed it Todd
John 13:35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
I pray for a church that I can have fellowship with and good bible study 📖
Music can be bad you’ve probably talked about some. Drums playing loud during prayer trying to emotionally manipulate you is not good.
You guys find the most ridiculous excuses to complain about church.
I freaking hate hearing drums! Just let us pray and worship without feeling them in our whole body
@@kristinakurk8291 not ridiculous when it affects your body and soul
The "apostle" John once said, "ask not what your church can do for you, but what can you do for your church!" Once you've determined the church is biblically sound, plug in and use your spiritual gifts to edify others and glorify God. This will make your church "shopping" a much easier process.
Everybody who loves their church thinks it's doctrinally sound. If they objectively scrutinized the doctrines or traditions of their church using the Bible, they wouldn't be there. Most ppl attend the churches that they do because they like what the hear and they like the traditions. That's why ppl get offended at being told Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Sunday services, etc. are pagan. They don't really care about being in a biblically sound church.
Hmmmmm. I guess I’m a Marlboro Christian. Thank you for pointing that out in me, Todd. Difficult for an introvert like me to overcome, but I’m trying.
Nice job Todd! I was blessed by the Uber part too : )
Thank you. Blessings.
Actually, I did have the perfect church for over 15 years until I had to move away. I knew instantly the day I walked in I was in the right place. Now, I am spoiled because I can’t find it again.
You left a perfect family to pursue what? Wealth? Leasure? Comfort??
@zsn1gman your judgmental assumptions are not necessary. It could have been for a plethora of reasons, affordability, health, to take care of family or any number of other reasons.
@@zsn1gman No. I was laid off and couldn’t find a job in my state for a very long time. But, I’m still in contact with my brother’s and sisters there.
I'm so sorry, that must be so hard. A great church family is worth more than gold, so hard to find. Just Pray that the Lord Jesus will guide you to a church that needs you - and to find the remnant of born again believers there. It took me almost 6 years, and a few hard lessons, but it's all part of the journey. May God richly bless you and your family in your new area.✝️🛐❤️
@@TSeeker1 The Pastor was phenomenal. He built the church from scratch and has been the pastor for over 50 years. Faultless and everything scripture says a pastor should be!
I wasn't going to comment- but then I saw the skit at the end. Thanks for the laugh- and moreso thanks for the advice.
To be fair, Church gets too big. It is a valid concern. My old church was so big that I can’t even find a parking spot.
My church has fantastic theology. However, my pastor has gotten into the habit of telling story after story after story, followed by even more quips, quotes, illustrations, and ideas he's pulled from commentaries. Some mornings it's upwards of 15-17 such references. It's distracting and dissatisfying because I go to church to hear *the WORD* expounded upon. I *want* the Holy Spirit to comfort, challenge, convict, and conform me into the image of Christ; a collection of stories, Spurgeon quotes and the like can uplift and inspire, but they cannot sanctify and bring about inner transformation the way the Word can, no matter how relevant they may actually be to the subject at hand. It's gotten to the point where I have stopped attending because I don't see the point, unless I continue for the 'social club' aspect of it.
EDITED to add that I have no intentions on bailing altogether from being a part of a local congregation, just that I am questioning my membership at this particular church. I've been an active member who's served in two different ministries for nearly the entire decade that I've attended so I'm not just a self-serving armchair critic. Other congregants have recognized this issue as being a problem as well and a few have brought it up to leadership, but nothing appears to be changing.
Adults can feed themselves. Eat before you go so you can serve the Church with a pure heart.
My church had a great pastor. He moved. The new pastor is nice, young and has a large family. He does the story after story thing and 'Im just kidding'every other sentence. Theres about 45 minutes of singing, 20 minutes of teaching, but half of that is his stories and 'jokes'.
It shouldnt bother me, but it does. I feel the same, I want to hear the Bible and how to apply it to my life. Not jokes & stories
We are not given the option to not attend church. There is no perfect church. Look at the churches in Revelation. There were so many problems and Christ Himself rebukes them. Yet, Christ still calls them a church. As long as the church that you are going to isn’t preaching heresy, you should attend until you find another. Stay faithful and pray for God to open up another church for you. But you should absolutely attend church.
@@MeanMrMustrd I'm seriously so tired of hearing this line which insinuates that anyone who actually wants to hear the Word being preached from the pulpit is expecting to be spoon fed. Please stop gaslighting people who recognize legit deficiencies in preaching. I am neither a new nor an infantile Christian. I have a vibrant prayer life and have been through Hell and back with my Savior. My grasp of the Word - which I developed in my own times of personal, private study - is the only thing which anchored my soul and prevented me from sinking into despair. I do not think the need of the individual to "feed themselves" absolves a pastor of his duty to preach *the Scriptures* to his congregation and not a bunch of stories.
@@jtv_70I think you're right to be bothered by it and I'm thankful to see that somebody else gets it. Frankly I'm tired of being gaslit by people insinuating that I'm being hypercritical or holding too high of an expectation of my pastor because I want to hear more Bible, fewer stories. Or that I'm wanting him to "spoon feed" me which is also insulting.
First, the church needs to teach and believe the entire bible. On equal grounds, the church needs to love. After that, everything else is secondary.
Besides finding the straight forward gospel without secularism stired in, music not so loud that it’s just a blasting rock concert which I can’t take at all and sermons that feed , no problem. What to do?
I was a member of a solid Church until Covid ended it. The church never recovered. 😞
COVID revealed a lot of cracks in our churches. Perhaps that was the point. 😕
We go to a little country church where we are here in the Ozarks that we absolutely love, and I'm the song leader. We are, however, between pastors right now. We've had quite a few guest preachers lately, two of which I've noticed push word of faith nonsense -- and if either of those 2 guys get hired, I'm outta there. Besides, I know of a church here looking for an organist (they have a pipe organ, BTW), and that's a paying gig, too, which I'd love to have if that's the Lord's will. Just pray that God's will would be done here. Thanx!
I have a friend who goes to the United penticostal church in the Ozarks.
I live in the Ozarks also. As many churches are here it's hard to find a good one.
What did you mean by word of faith?
@@newbeginning3571 think kenneth copeland, joyce meyers, creflo dollar, etc.
@@JesusistheonetrueGod oh, faith in money and yourself and not in JESUS.
We have left 2 Unbiblical churches, and I so appreciate that before we left my husband talked with the pastor and explained the reasons we were leaving showing him the biblical grounds. So people should do this before leaving a church. One it's a check on yourself, do i have biblical grounds to leave, the other is one never knows how Christ will use that in the pastors heart. Also suggest including elders. It takes courage to do this. But is much needed today.
My husband is currently composing an email to the pastor of the most recent church that we left. It is so hard getting your hopes up so you have found a god honoring place to worship only to be slapped in the face with blasphemy and idolatry.
@@skeinofadifferentcolor2090 May our Lord Jesus give him wisdom as he composes his email.
I love my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. My "shopping" consisted of 2 churches online and one in-person. I'm right where God wanted me.
I think finding a church is a very big decision. Particularly when there are so many false doctrines out there. For my family; we are trying out several, making sure the preaching is heavily leaning on the Bible, and that Jesus is loved there. Praying on which one to go to will also be done.
I have never found the perfect church, I thought I did a couple of times, but after a while it wasn't as perfect as I thought, and the only common denominator between them was ME, so when I step in to any church it will cease to be perfect, cause I'm there, and I AM SO FAR FROM PERFECT,
and I have read, studied many times daily for 40 yr. I know Gods good and acceptable will, but his PERFECT will, NOT YET
Good point. GOD BLESS YOU
Go to church and be apart of the Lord’s assembly of believers. I have been sick for a while and I miss it so much. Pray for me that the Lord will strengthen me to go please, thank you and God bless you. I believe Jesus is returning soon!! 👍
What about theology? What if the preaching is good, or sometimes OK, but it could go a lot deeper than it does? Or what if you’ve mentioned, the theological dangers behind the groups producing some of the music but no one in any position of leadership seems to appreciate your concerns?
If the theology is off, then everything else will be off.
Most of the churches I’ve visited have been so lukewarm, as in I don’t feel much or any love when I go to a service
Hard to find a good church that doesnt sugarcoat the truth
I am thankful for our local church, consisting of Chinese, Mexicans, Latin Americans and a variety of blood bought sinners, giving praise to the Lamb in "tongues"!
"Hi, I'm Todd. I'm gonna be your 'uhbber' driver." lololololol
I to churches in search of a church that teaches from the Bible, as the Bible being the authority, and a church that does not change the bylaws to match their mood. I haven’t done one yet.
0:31 Hey! That’s my old church: Southwest Baptist Church in Oklahoma City! Funny to see it on Wretched!
:31 “the music’s too traditional…”. 🤣perfect! I know exactly what church that is, and it’s hilarious you used their music as an example! I have to say, while we were “church shopping” we LOVED that church’s singing!! Closest example of what I imagine the singing in heaven will be like-MormonTabernacle choir could take lessons from their singing and I’ve never heard a more joyful noise! All hymns, everyone singing at the top of their voice! I’d love to know how you picked them as your example😂👍🏼
That said, we left for other reasons and have found the needle in the haystack-a church a few miles from there who preaches the Bible verse by verse! I’m not much of a fan of their music, but the preaching is awesome!!
I have to wear earplugs inside the church building and outside in the courtyard because the drums, multiple electric guitars and vocals are deafening. I attend the traditional service that still uses piano and organ which is not deafening. The average age is probably 65 or 70. I'm on the younger side of that. When we cannot attend due to physical mobility or dementia the service will be replaced with a deafening high school service. I figure then that I'll vote with my feet and move to a church where I don't have to wear earplugs. I love everything else about the church, but I'm not going to compromise on this.
I don’t care about the size of a church, or if they have too many young people/old people, etc. I want to attend a Church that preaches sound doctrine. I don’t want to go to a “church” that has female pastors, or doesn’t preach against sin, or practices ungodly things like celebrating halloween. I want to go to a Church that loves The Lord Jesus Christ and preaches His Word!
I am searching for a church that preaches Truth. Preach the gospel in context without changing the content!
My biggest issue with places called churches is the brutal control, hypocrisy and narcissism from the pulpit, heresy, whisper campaigns against those who ask Berean-type questions, and a focus on the authority of a single CEO-style leader when absolutely no such position is described in the entire NT. You tell me how you get a leader whom you must come under the authority of called a "pastor" out of the single occurrence of the word "pastor" as 4th of 5 useful gifts (not titles or official church positions) in Eph 4.
The Church is made up of all true followers of Jesus, and we are not to stop meeting together. We do, it's in our homes. And we don't have to deal with lazy, primping dudes in skinny jeans telling us we need to give them money. We don't have to worry about fundraising campaigns to remodel the aerobics room.
As hard as it is to go to a dispensational church that preaches escapism, my main goal to attend a church once a week is to join others in a chorus of praise to our God and Lord Jesus Christ because He is worthy. Other than that, it is very hard to sit through a church that is run by a "pastor" who has no reverence for God, begins his church not by opening the Word but with emotionally manipulative music (very man-centered about how much Jesus loves "ME"), then proceeds to give "quick" announcements about how awesome his church is, then to crack a few jokes and finally to give a sermon that is an unoriginal copy of someone elses sermon because he has not experienced true regeneration and couldn't tell you what true regenerative repentance is to save his life. Too many "churches" today are filled with false converts due to the fact that the pastors and leaders of these congregations have never experienced true repentance themselves and push that "repeat after me: Lord I'm a sinner" nonsense they call "repentance" instead of preaching the full counsel of God and encouraging people to pray for themselves from their own heart. If people are having such a hard time discerning truth from false now, they are in great trouble as there will be plenty more false teachers that will be even harder to detect as the apostasy/great falling away progresses with time.
Seems like finding a church body in which one fits should be based on doctrine and one's place in a congregation's unique participation in local and global mission.
I'm an Apocryphal Christian who reads the bible older than 1611. you wonder why? when there are over 1000s different editions and altered texts, and made worse is people choose to read bibles printed in 2024. maybe go back to GODS original word.
Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, great word true to the bible
❤ Soli Deo Gloria!
When I wake up on sunday mornings thinking I'd rather just stay in bed I always remember that if I do that I'll feel terrible come the afternoon and wish I'd have gone to church :L
Almost every organized individual, institutional, denominational entity we call a church serves only the denomination or the entity.....not Christ! Then that crosses all of those denominational borders as well! Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Pentecostal, Nazarene..... etc. etc.! They are all based in religion! God and Christ call us to a relationship not a religion! John 17:3, John 15:1-8!
I want a church that actually uses the Bible and stays within the text.. I don't care about music even though I like the old hymns.I went to a Methodist church and it was all about membership and not scripture only one verse then 20 minutes on membership.. I am gonna go to a Baptist church up the road as long as they stay in scripture and no magic Jennie god. There is no reason to go to a church that does not teach the Bible then you end up in conflict over what they are claiming.
Amen, so true. I'd settle for a church with a majority regenerate membership and that doesn't follow primarily pagan practices.
That ending was funny, messed up though. God Bless.
I attended a church for many years that had sound biblical teaching. But one area of frustration was that with small groups there was a tendency to separate the married people from the single people. I guess the idea was that there wasn't a lot of common ground. I guess?
It was semi-OK as a 22-year-old single man, but it wasn't very realistic as a 35-year-old single man. A lot of my friends at that age were married, and I wanted to be around them, not relegated to the "Wait Here til You Find a Mate" section.
If there was discussion about strengthening marriage relationships, it's not like I couldn't have benefited from the teaching anyway, either by way of being able to understand and encourage my married compatriots, or by way of carrying he principles into other relationship dynamics.
Yea single man over 23 or 24 has no chance in any church except maybe a huge church.
We go two churches both are solid in bible teaching. One is large the other is small/medium. One has music that is so loud I have to go out in the hallway, the other one I can hear my neighbor sing.
I live in Australia I have been in church for over 30 years really now where is a real church where people r included and not a show by church leadership
God spoke to me and told me to stop looking for churches that fill any other need than the preaching. I was looking for a wife and didn't feel like the big churcn I used to attend had fellowship time to meet anyone. Then i went to a small church and there were no single women. I stopped searching for a wife and just focused on growing closer to the Lord. I since have found a woman i will soon make my wife.
I can never find a church that preaches and teaches the truth. All churches that I've been to teach the truth mixed with error. And the errors can be really significant, including Christological heresies and soteriological errors that compromise the gospel of grace. Should I continue going to church when I am constantly discouraged by their theological errors?
I feel that the biggest problem is our definition of “church”. Church is not over there on the corner of such and such, or over there next to this or that. People are the church. Those who are true followers of Jesus Christ as the Lord of their lives. Church is a family… God’s family.
Jesus made us mobile, not to find a place to sit and soak. Most of what we call church today is actually a business. Of course they are going to be using business practices to bring in and keep customers. Money brings in a conflict of interest and compromise.
Jesus gave us the Holy Spirit to teach us, guide us and lead us in our lives, and into the truth of His Word. When we look for a person, place or brand to follow and teach us the truth, as opposed to going to scripture itself with the greatest teacher of all time, the Holy Spirit of God, we are already heading in the wrong direction.
We need to begin to go to God’s Word, for ourselves, and allow God to teach us, what He inspired to be written down and what He wanted us to know. Then, we can go out and talk to people about what He teaches us and allow God to build His authentic “Church”. The “Church” that we read about and see in the Bible, as opposed to a business.
@@christianadventure I agree completely!
I was quilty of believing all kinds of stuff(doctrines).
Now I put all my faith in the cross, plus nothing!
Faith plus nothing equals everything!
I can’t get enough of the word (KJ)!
Hours a day in study, daily, for 6 years now!
Yet I feel I only scratched the surface!
I can’t handle milk any more, but I crave strong meat!
I know enough tho, to talk about Saul, who became Paul!
Who was a hater of Jesus and those who followed Him!
Who became the 13th apostle chosen by Jesus!
I’m excluding Matthias, who was chosen by Peter and the other 10, to replace Judas!
Peter and Paul had a great face to face!
Peter was saying unless you keep the law of Moses you can’t be saved!
Paul said No, it’s by Grace that you are saved!
Must have been a good thing to watch!
At the end they agreed, shaking the right hand of fellowship!
Peter and the 11, would go to the Jews, and Paul and Barnabas to the Gentiles!
Peter praised his beloved brother Paul in 2nd Peter 3:15&16!
Saying many things Paul said in his epistles are hard to understand, and those who are unskilled and unlearned twist all the other scriptures, unto their own destruction!
I never heard in any church denominational, or nondenominational, 13 apostles!
12 commanded to Go not into the Gentiles or Samaritans( Matthew 10:5-7) But Go only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, preaching the kingdom gospel, to Jews only.
Never heard anything about Paul!
Heard of Paul, but not Paul chosen for an apostle on the road to Damascus to go far hench unto the Gentiles after the cross!
I’ll speak all day long about the Bible now, to any who would have ears to hear!
So so many preachers today never read or learned rightly dividing!
Even Franklin Graham twisted Galatians 1!
He was saying all those other religions, Muslim, Hindu, Confucius, were lost!
That chapter is about those Pharisees who came in behind Paul, saying to be saved you have to keep the law of Moses!
I can’t find any religions Franklin mentioned in that chapter!
But Paul said if any preach anything other then Christ crucified, then let them be accursed! Twice in verse 8, and 9!
I only write this long response to maybe show others who may read this what the difference is from what was the way to Christ before the cross, and after!
Two sides to every story!
I never knew that from any church!
But only from the Lord leading me to great Bible teachers, and pastors!
I’ll listen to many all day long, John MacArthur, J Vernon McGee, many more!
I won’t listen to Franklin Graham, who one would think is great after his father Billy!
I’ve listened to Billy a lot, but he only mentions Paul, like most who only dabble in Paul!
Paul wrote 13 books of the New Testament, Romans-Philemon, and possibly Hebrews!
Now that’s important to know this!
So this is why I agree with!
You absolutely have to study the word!
Much more could I say, but will close this!
God will bless you mightily when you study!
Most of the so called Christian church services here in Massachusetts consist of the first 30 minutes of deafening Christian rock worship. What happened to just singing psalms and hymns? Besides, my understanding of worship is Romans 12, offering our bodies as living sacrifices, this is our spiritual act of worship. This call to obedience is love for God, not an emotional music show. Then 20 minutes of a minister attempting to be cool with his personality, story telling, humor, dress attire or lack there of. Then if we're lucky, 10 minutes of the word. I'm starving...
The big lie is 'if I can't find the perfect church for me then I won't go to any church'!
The Church is too lukewarm.
It's not even room temperature.
I started going to a traditional church. When I was looking around a lot of people told me about finding the right fit, but I was looking for a church that looked like church always did for the first 1900 years of Christianity. It is confusing and there's a lot of complicated things to learn and sometimes I have no idea what I'm doing, but it feels like Church rather than like a rock music club or a community centre.
Most people I've met in modern churches reject traditional church as 'fuddy duddy' and weren't very happy with my decision.
I prefer the rock music at the last church I went to over the very traditional music of the church I attend, but the church I attend reads from the Bible every single day, has communion every single day, and I don't get shunned for believing the Bible is true.
There's still a lot of nonsense to deal with, including people praising Islam from the pulpit, but I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that as long as I remain in the UK I'm not going to be able to find the sort of close knit Christian communities that exist in North America and elsewhere.... In a lot of ways I feel like a baby Christian with no mature Christians available to guide me. I'm heading into the traditional universal infrastructure, but rely on listening to American preachers online to get proper education on the Bible.
the catholic church is the church that practices the liturgy and teachings from 1900 years ago
@@wjm5972 I think you're right.
An important prophecy of end times; 2 Tim. 4:3) "For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires," NASB
I was looking for a reformed church and found a great one.
Same here!
@@hackbritton3233 Amen and Amen
I'm trying to get my family out of one.
@@JAMESschwartz1 why? Reformed theology is solid. Even this channel is reformed in it's theology.
Except Sunday, Y'all know GODs rest day is Saturday right?
Ask the one who is head of the church, the one who sent His son and watch for an answered prayer. I am in Southern California, Costa Mesa has a church "Mission Bible Church". High desert out in San Bernardino called Mountain View Baptist, Grace Baptist church of Bakersfield.
Of all the churches out there remember this
Matthew 23:9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
When you recreate the church prior to 100 ad. Let me know. I will attend!
Ain't gonna happen. The best they did was imitate the Catholic mass minus the pasty transubstantiated wafer.
James 1:21-23(NKJV)-21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror;
I'm looking for a church at the moment and I want to know what they teach. I've excluded the church taken over by the gay crowd and headed by a lesbian pastor. Another flies Oriental prayer flags in their parking lot.
I want to find a church that preaches and teaches the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Whenever I ask that question to Christians, they have no idea what the Kingdom is. The entire Bible is about the Kingdom of God.
The verse you speak of in Ephesians 2:12-16 is talking to Israelites and the division which happened between the Southern Kingdom of Judah and the Northern Kingdom of Israel. Christ took the two sticks and bound them together. The writer was not talking to Chinese or Africans or South Americans, he was talking about that particular division in Israel, they hated each other. The Samaritans were of the Northern kingdom, those who remained after the Assyrian conquest.
We love the Biblical, expository preaching in our church, but I'm in my late 50s, and my husband in his 60s and everything is run by the 30s-40s crowd with kids. We're not encouraged to try to help. Total active members of out church is less than 100, mostly under 45.
I want to be around wisdom. Usually in the older folks. Not the stuck ones, but yeah.
Is there a rainbow flag? Yes? Then get up and leave.
If your looking for church in a buiding you'll never find it....
What? If people are the church they are in a building, unless you mean the building itself 😅
Yeah, I was born in a pretty remote little dot in a part of Africa with elephants and the likes freely walking around while you also had to sleep through military bombardments and often spend your nights in bombshelters. Not sure if Africa has something similar to cowboys but hey, thank you for giving us the Marlboro Man, man 😂 Also have to thank you for referring to the universal church as a man and not as the bride of Christ because you know, that's not confusing at all to primitives such as ourselves. 😂
For years, I've been looking for a church/denomination that preaches 100% the Bible with nothing filler or contrary. I've been unable to find one. I, at one point, thought I'd found what I was looking for in the Seventh Day Adventists but then I discovered otherwise.
What was wrong with it if I may ask?
@@Crimzon_Nova They are not Christians. They deny the Gospel of Grace and replace it with the keeping of the Mosaic Law, meaning they have agreed with the Pharisees, Trampled Christ's Blood under foot, viewed the New Covenant as an Unclean thing, Crucified Christ anew, and have committed the Eternal and Unpardonable Sin of the Hebrews who Apostatized and Returned to Judaism.
@@Crimzon_Nova It was a 7th day Adventist church. Need she say more?
Find a Calvary Chapel Church. Pastor will teach the Bible verse by verse every service
@@FrankBizon that doesn’t help. Explain detail on the particular church at its location.
IMO...we are a "convenience" society...if its not that, we won't be bothered! Pray, study, repent!
It's not about looking for perfect churches(the Bible lets us know that believers are the Church). If a person wants to go to a building to worship the Lord, make sure the Word of God is being taught truthfully.
Jesus called it his "assembly", not church. God's assembly refers to people, not to a building or a religious organization.