Looking for churches is an interesting experience. Over the years I’ve had opportunity to look for churches many times and I’ve often run into some weird things.

I’m curious what’s the weirdest thing you’ve run into visiting a new church?

My answers in the thread below and in no particular order.

#Christianity #Christian #ChurchSearch #ChurchShopping

1) Church began singing a song that went like: “We are the church of [city name].”

Not the weirdest on its own, but it did seem like (in context) they believed they were the only Christians in that city (one of the biggest in its state).

2) “For those of you just joining us we’re doing our second week of study on the movie Juno.”

So many questions. Why are we studying a secular movie in church? Why did you need two weeks to do this? Why aren’t we even looking at the Bible?

3) “God doesn’t have emotions, He is pure logic. The devil is full of emotions. Be like God.”

Ok pastor, what about all the passages that declare God loves (John 3:16), has compassion (Psalm 135:14), is grieved (Genesis 6:6), has anger (Psalm 7:11), jealousy (Exodus 20:5), joy (Isaiah 62:5), etc? The Bible is clear that God has emotions. This line of thinking will make emotional people feel guilty over traits they may share with God Himself!

4) Height of the pandemic and the preacher talks about why we wear masks being to love on those who are immunocompromised (great point!). Immediately the guy sitting in front of us grunts and pulls his mask down.

#COVID

5) Church announcements start off with the speaker gloating about his road trip over summer break and all the places he went. And then he went on to brag that he didn’t have to attend church because he was on a road trip, unlike everyone else in the room.

This list is far from exhaustive. Some of the weird things are so common most people fail to notice (like the American Flag being prominently displayed, the national anthem being sung, or the preacher taking pot shots at theologians/philosophers whose views they clearly don’t know.)

The weird quirks we see in churches are as many as there are people. None of it has dampened my faith in God, but it does make me wonder how some of these people became pastors.

6) Checked out a local church a few months ago where the preacher talked about all the bad cultural movements throughout the time he's been alive. Some of them I've never heard about, but then he got to more current movements like CRT and the woke agenda.

He made the claim that all of these movements had one thing in common: the goal was sex.

My guy, you don't know what you're talking about. Do some research before you plunge down this road. You're right that the hippie movement was about that, but I'm pretty sure every other movement was not, and I know for certain that you haven't read any source material on CRT and the Woke movement.

@jfslicer My wife and I are weirdos. We’ve never church “shopped.” We knew when arriving to a town which church would likely share our doctrinal commitments. Anything we found we didn’t like at a particular church we believed was our calling to enter into.

Friends of ours still can’t believe that was our approach. 😂

@danielmrose I actually don't think that's too weird. I have always held that you'll never find a church that matches your theology perfectly. The problem now though is that we were targeted at our last church (see my pinned thread for more details) and so we're being extra careful with finding a new one. There are certain doctrinal combinations that are hard to find a church for because in evangelical spaces there's a lot of "if you don't agree with me your wrong and you're in sin."
@jfslicer Oof. That’s brutal. Well, just move to Ypsilanti, MI. I have a place for you.
@danielmrose lol... my wife grew up in MI and has no desire to move back. But thanks!

@jfslicer That’s fair. 😂

I’ll be praying for you all to find a landing place for community.