Until around the mid 1960's the church was the core of the town, and the elders were respected and revered by the congregants. Attendance began to decline with the introduction of counter-culture. No longer was church "the place` and a steady hemorrhaging of young people began. The bleed out has continued to this day with many young people finding church stuffy and old fashioned at the least, and too strict at the most. There is some hope in the form of social media. Millennials are finding fellowship and faith on platforms such as YouTube and Facebook. But what about those who are branching off from their parents and grandparents, and are choosing the institutional church?
Depending on when, where, and what sort of influences were on your life you may decide that yes the institutional church is for you. It is important, however to consider your options, and like a nice coat church must fit properly.
Here's how to get started.
1 Pray- God is great at giving answers, even ones that might surprise you.
2 Talk- Go to a friend in a church and talk of their worship experience.
3 Know yourself- No two people go at worship the same way.
Once you've done all of this sit down with a piece of paper and ask yourself-
1 What am I looking for in my church experience? Are you looking for something that's community minded, or something a little different?
2 Am I willing to go out of my comfort zone? Did you grow up going to a church where it was very stayed and routine?
3 Is population a deciding factor? Some people aren't so hot with crowds, where others would thrive in a larger population.
4 What other types of focus do you want? Did you go to a church that spent much of the Saturday or Sunday service mostly focused on getting rear ends in pews and you now crave one where the focus is more on meeting particular needs of the surrounding area?
Do you think church shopping is a good idea, or are you of the school of thought that once your there your there?
Gillie
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