What is important to you?

A few weeks ago one of the families at our church decided to leave our church. This family is very dear to me, in fact I would say they are some of my best friends. And when they made this decision it made me think. When it comes to church, what are things that are the most important to me? What do I believe?

It has been a long thought process for me. And believe me when I say that I don't believe this family is wrong in leaving our church. It is a decision that they have to personally make for their family. It has just lead me to think about the things that are important to me in a church.


The thing I decided on as the top is that the scriptures should be clearly preached on, every Sunday. I think that is pretty self explanatory. How can we expect to be edified every Sunday if our own Pastor is not preaching directly from the bible? Here 2 Timothy 4:2 makes it clear: 'Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.'
This passage even applies to the second thing I decided on as something that I can't side step in a church, and that is having a pastor that is active in the community of the church but also in our rural community too. I have been in churches where the pastor only sticks to preaching and views that as the only way he needs to minister to his congregation. When really the pastor's ministry in the church and community are essential to it's growth and fruitfulness.


As a third I picked music. Some of you are sitting there going "Oh sure thats important, but really that important?". And I say yes! To me it doesn't matter how old the song is. Just because it was written five hundred years ago does not make it better. I am just as happy to sing a song that was written two weeks ago, just as long as it is not self centered and is directed as worship to God. It is so easy to go to a church where the music is vibrant and up lifting. It is harder to show genuine worship to God. Worship isn't that tingly emotional feeling you get when you sing a song you really like in worship. And I think that is where some churches don't get it. So follow what the psalms say!

'Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.' -Psa 29:2

'So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he [is] thy Lord; and worship thou him.'-Psa 45:11


One of the other things I think is very important, is for the elders and adults of the church to minister to the youth. And I don't mean in a youth group situation. And I am also not saying that you can't segregate by ages. It is kind of a fine line that has to be drawn. As a teen I know first hand that I really need to have people to look up to that care about me and know firmly what they believe. I know what it is like to look down on an adult because I don't respect them, and it is not a comfortable position. I know most adults understand this, but I don't like having to question what adults do around me. On the other hand I don't want to be brain washed (for any of you that know me, you know that that most likely won't happen). There is a huge responsibility to counsel these teens in doctrine and ministering. So it is very important to me to find that in the leaders and adults in our church.

'And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.'-Psa 139:24


And doctrine of course is important. Even as 1 Timothy 4:13 says: 'Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.' Pretty clear, right?


What are things that are most important to you when it comes to church? Let me know, I would love to hear it.