A How-To on Choosing a Church

Hello Family,

It's been a while, but I hope you all are doing pretty good.  Last week was a trying week and the devil had an 800lb guerrilla on my back but I shook that monkey loose! Thank you to all those who continue to pray for me and my family and to those who continue to encourage me.  I will definitely return the same support!

One of the last times we spoke, I mentioned us being in the hunt for a church in the Milwaukee, WI area.  Well I think this weekend our search came to an end and THANK YOU JESUS!   Trying to look for a new church is stressful and if you aren't careful you could turn into the individual searching for a new spouse at the wrong time!  We had been there before, but we had kept looking so we went back.  It just so happens that in yesterday's sermon, the Pastor talked about 3 things that preaching should do to you (the individual sitting in the pew).  Preaching should stimulate your Intellect, Emotions, and Will.

Intellect -  If you are sitting in a pew at a church you should be challenged to think.  You should have an "a-ha" or "aaaaah" moment.  It should be something that makes you look at things in a different perspective.  We should all be thinking and learning new things every day and this should not exclude the church. If your intellect is not being tapped into then how can you grow it?

Emotions - I have been to many emotion-filled church services.  If you have ever graced a church where shouting is prevalent on a common basis, then you know what I mean. I have been to churches where the music is uplifting, the spirit is high, people are crying and you can feel a great move of God and this is a good thing.  The preaching should stir our emotions and cause us to feel something because the Word now has penetrated our hearts.

Will - Now this one is a tough one and I think we as Christians tend to fall off the bandwagon. The preaching of the Gospel should make you want to do something about what stimulated your intellect and stirred your emotions.  You should feel an obligation to better yourself and others. You should feel like you have the responsibility to NOT let what you've learned go a different direction than you when you leave the walls of the church.  You should now have more WILL-power because of the preaching and service.

There are many times where I have seen lots of emotions in the church, but not much intellect stirring.  Granted, we all learn at different paces and we are at different stages in our walk with Christ, therefore, what works for me may not work for you.  Whatever ever it may be, you should look for all 3 attributes from a church.  If you don't get them from where you are then you are probably in the wrong place.

Be easy family and have a great one!

Regards,

Antoine E. Hall

Blog:   http://toinebo.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/AntoineHall

"It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect." - 2 Samuel 22:33