That, of course, is the wrong title.
Perhaps it should be “8 suggestions for deciding whether I want to attach myself to a group of people who are calling themselves a church, knowing that I can’t blame “them” for not measuring up if I am not willing to commit myself to learning how to be part of these things as well, and doing everything I can to help this group make these things be true.”
But that title would never fit.
- Do they consider themselves a they or a building? (Church, biblically, is always the people.)
- Do people stick around after formalities are done? (It’s a sign of community, whether it’s a large Sunday gathering or a committee meeting.)
- Do they acknowledge God in three persons and build from the Bible (This one matters to me.)
- Do they teach things that I’m not sure I exactly agree with, but do it in a way I can converse with? (I don’t want a group that only knows what I know. I gotta be stretched. But lovingly. And as an invitation to love.)
- Do they allow brokenness or do they expect perfection? (No one isn’t broken. Too often, however, we say “fix yourself and then you can come to God.” That is exactly backwards.)
- Do I feel a sense of holiness that makes no sense? (Can’t explain it)
- Do you have to be related or part of the cultural tribe before you can be accepted as part of the church tribe? (If everyone is Swedish but you, or everyone is tatted or no one is, or you have to have a beehive.)
- Do they go more than they gather? (Are they at the jail and the Starbucks and the neighbor’s garden and traveling across the country with @hardlynormal to visit people without homes.)
300 words a day 
Joseph Ruiz
Jon this is excellent. You should convert it to an ebook or something. It is so spot on – on so many levels.
Great food for thought. I first thought of this in terms of searching for a new church then it got me thinking about my present location. How do we measure up?
Thanks for sharing. I plan to borrow this for our next “Meaningful Community” meeting next week.
Have a great weekend.
Grace and Peace
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Jon Swanson
Joe – thanks. And thanks for taking this the right direction in community. If we say, “See? My church doesn’t measure up. I’m leaving” we miss the invitation to community.
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Bill Hanifin
Great topic and a good list, to which I thought of adding:
* Is the leadership humble and transparent and do they put Jesus at the top of their “org chart”?
I passed by a huge church in Atlanta recently and noticed the pastor’s name engaged in stone near the entrance…..
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Andrew Hoffman
I’m glad you write things like this.
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Jon Swanson
Bill. I understand that tension. So, what does transparent look like? (I know. weird sentence, but still).
Andrew – i’m glad you live things like this.
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Bryan Entzminger
Great list. An excellent reminder of many of the reasons I so love the church I am a part of. Some days I just can’t get over the grace of God that allows people to disagree and still walk in love and unity. Excellent.
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