The Dreaded Changing of Churches

One of the more unpleasant things for me is switching churches. Fortunately, I don't have to do it very often. I generally don't buy into church hopping. I have stayed at this present church through its various blood-lettings. I have learned that there are good reasons and bad reasons to switch churches.

I am not into the cult of personality thing. Switching churches because you are going to a more dynamic pastor seems to miss the point. It has to be more about substance than personality.

Joining a church is making a committment to a group of people. Several years back I fasted with Grace church for three days. At that time, I wanted to fast and break the fast with that group of people. That was at a time when it was going through one of its many downsizings. At that time pastors and many of the people were leaving for incomprehensible reasons. I figured, what the mess, I was going to do life with these people. I wanted to break the fast with them.
When is a good time to leave a church?

I am not a chit-chatter. I don't enjoy talking to people who are obviously in an overly friendly recruitment mode. Coming 5 minutes late is a good strategy to avoid some of this; but then you have to walk toward the front of the church to find a seat because all the back seats are taken. Who else sits in the first few rows besides late newcomers. Ackward. This process is unpleasant enough to make you stay where you are longer than is healthy.

I don't want to jump out of the frying pan and into the fire. How do you find out what the heart beat of a church is? Talk to one of the pastors? Assess their bulletin? Hang out in back and observe? How long do you have to go to one before you get at the real essence of the place?

On a day like today, I am content to go to the 1st Church of Mark. At this church you can drink Dr. Pepper on the back deck and go deep.