Finding the Perfect Church

"If you find a perfect church, then don't join it...cause then it won't be perfect anymore."~Unknown Preacher

Recently I have begun the search for a new church. Before I talk more about that, I'll explain my long and confusing Christian heritage.

I grew up a Catholic, going through all the sacraments: communion, confession, Cathecism, and confirmation. My mother went through Catholic school all her life. I also grew up with a godly grandmother who took me to Mass and Bible study almost every week. Her name was Grace Cowan, and she showed me what a Christian should look like. After high school, circumstances, discovery, and emptiness lead me to be saved and place my trust in Christ at the age of 20. I was then Baptized in the Baptist church and began my life as a Baptist. I have remained a Baptist for the last 24 years. I have been a member of 5 different Baptist churches and also served one year as a youth minister and a year as an interim music minister.

I love my diverse story of faith, and I have enjoyed serving God through mission trips, music ministry, fall festivals, vacation Bible schools, children's camp, Sunday school teaching, and youth camp. However, within the last few months I had reason to leave my current church and start visiting a few churches. My girlfriend and I have visited 7 different churches in the last 7 weeks, none of them Baptist. We visited a Bible church, a non-denominational church, a Lutheran church, and a few Methodist churches. Who knows? I may end up back in the Baptist church, but for right now I am keeping an open mind. I am trying to be patient and seek God's direction, but I have a few requirements for my future church. So here they are in no particular order:

*Loving, genuine and non-judgmental members and staff
*Not so rigid as to exclude sinners and persons of other races
*A service that is not too structured but not too informal
*Music service that is is contemporary (but not afraid of some hymns) and open to choirs, groups, and special music and where I can use my talents in singing and leading (and no choir robes please)
*Preaching that is not too firey but not too weak; firm but flexible and instructive; applicable to everyday life and centered on love
*A church that wants you involved but knows church is only one part of your life and will not try to work you to death
*Non-political but definitely pro-Jesus
*Has an active youth and college minstry
*Not so large in membership as to get lost in the crowd but not so small as to not be effective in outreach
*Has an open-membership policy (no special classes or requirements to join)

Alright so I have laid out all these requirements out and I know what you are thinking. Good luck!! This church does not exist. Which brings me to the point I guess I was trying to make all along. A church is created by Jesus to serve Him and lead others to faith in Him. I guess I want a church that, when it looks in the mirror, sees Jesus. Not a fancy building and not a social club. But a reflection of Him and His love.  The church is not perfect and it never will be because it is filled with imperfect humans. But our leader IS perfect.

So the search continues. I know eventually we will settle on a church and I know I will have to compromise some of the things on my list. Pray for God's guidance as I continue visiting a new church each week. I guess I need to make a T-shirt that says "Official 2012 Texarkana Tour of Churches."

If you know of a church that fits that description in the Texarkana area, email me at mcdsparks@gmail.com. I might just show up there Sunday with a smile on my face and clipboard in my hand. Just kidding. (sort of:-)

If you have any thoughts about this, feel free to post your comments below: