Another church post

Our search for a church was a hard one. I had a list of things I wanted in a church. (I'm just going to present all these facts like they are and not apologize for any of them. It's the new me.)

Here was my list:

1. Close to home and in my community
2. Not Baptist
3. Not too big. Or a smallish church, really
4. Good kid's program
5. Good music

There is probably more, like some parking lot nonsense or something equally as stupid. 

*sigh*

I didn't know much about our (now) church when we started looking for a church. Matter of fact, my sweet friend kept telling me to listen to this pastor's podcasts, but I didn't even know what a podcast was, much less have any desire to listen to one. She mentioned this one particular sermon I needed to listen to, and I kept ignoring her (which I never, ever do typically *ahem*) until...

The sermon she kept telling me to listen to was one about moral failure in the church.  I didn't want to listen for a long time. Our last church had struggled with this very issue, and finally I guess I just decided to give in and listen.

I mean, what could it hurt?

So I flipped on the computer and found the link. The screen came alive and for a few minutes I thought I had the wrong church. The guy I was looking at looked about 20. Maybe. I finally figured out that I was at the right place, and I sat back in my chair and crossed my arms. "I'll give it 10 minutes." I didn't think I'd need much more than that.

Remember, I'm just offering facts here, right?

I think it was at about the 7 minute mark where I uncrossed my arms, sat up in my chair and stopped giving this guy the stink eye. 

I rewound back to the beginning of the sermon, opened up my notebook and proceeded to take about 5 pages of notes. Maybe more. (I still have them, somewhere.)

I think something in my heart got hopeful that night. I got encouraged about the search for our next church. 

But I didn't want to go to this guy's church. It was big, far away, and in a community much different than my own. I had my list, remember?

When we started the actual church search, I told my husband that I wanted to go check this church out. I just needed to see this guy in action. I think I wondered if it was all real. If he was sincere. I thought if I could see it all in person, then I would know. I needed to see the building, the people, the worship and the way it all worked. I was just curious.

But, I reminded my husband, "I do not want to join there." I just wanted to visit.

So we did. We visited. And I wrote this later that day.

I still didn't want to join. Nope.

We visited other churches. We liked some. I wanted to join one.

We went back to this church. We visited again. On the way home, Allen said, "We're joining there."

I choked a little.

What? NO!

"I don't want to join there!" I sputtered. "Are you asking me if I want to join, or are you telling me?"

He shrugged. "We'll attend for a year and then join."

That was that.

But my list. What about my list?

*sigh* 

Oh, fine. 

I thought it was a risky move. But I said, "Fine." And I'm sure I was super kind about it too. :)

Although I am reveling in my solitude, my fatigue has now overtaken everything. There will now be a Part 2 of this epic post. And I'm quite sure that in 4 years, as I'm cleaning this blog up yet again, I'll think to myself, "Gosh, I rambled on forever..." As always.