Are you looking for a Good Church?

So AM I!

Last year I had the blessing to go to a few places around the globe and view some pretty impressive places. I went to the Cathedral Basilica in Covington, Kentucky to photograph this beautiful Church. It has such great sculptures and architecture.

Then in May we had the pleasure to travel to Barcelona, Spain to see the beautiful La Segrada Familia. This means, The Sacred Family. As you can see it is STILL under construction due to the artisans are just now getting the technology and the idea of the vision of the architect, Gaudi. This whole Church is a sacred sculpture within itself.

Then we went to Tuscany, Italy to see some wonderful Churches.

Sometimes during our search one feels that they are on the right path but then some times you don't know if you are going up or down. Hunting for a great Church to shepherd you and your family can sometimes be confusing.

Some might wonder why that I would put the Colosseum among these pictures but it was here that Christians payed with their blood so that we may know the freedom of truly living for God. Christians were massacred and slaughtered by the thousands under the guise of entertainment.

Then of course, while we were in Rome we dropped by to see the Massive City of the Vatican.

It was huge, magnificent, ancient and somewhat daunting and overwhelming.

Here back in Barcelona, Columbus is ever pointing the way back to which we came.

Although these are beautiful and wonderful pieces of Architecture and history, this is NOT the Church. The other night I was watching the movie of Angels and Demons in which the actor Tom Hanks was attempting to defend the Church which was Saint Peters Basilica in Rome from the Illuminati.

There was the threat in which a threat was made that said, that they would blow up the Vatican thus eradicating the Church and have the Church crumble to the ground.

We must be reminded that the brick and mortar all though wonderful in it's architecture, is NOT the Church.

The Church is a living breathing entity that Cannot be killed! The Church is the body of born again, baptized believers who are the true Bride of Christ.

So, to my leading question, Are you looking for a good Church?

The Church has been hated and hunted for centuries. They were first called Christians at Antioch. Before Antioch there was the small group that formed in the upper room in Jerusalem awaiting the coming of the Holy Ghost. There were one hundred and twenty of them that waited in one accord. The Holy Spirit swept thru and filled them and Baptized them in his Spirit as well as sealing them until the day of Redemption. Those same one hundred and twenty souls went forth from that room as a dynamo and began to tell the Gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone that they came into contact with. Daily they break bread and prayed in their homes and soon there were places of worship. These people became strong in their faith and soon the "Religious World" that hated Jesus Christ and thought of him just as some rebel that came to overthrow the government of Rome started to persecute those people, in which drove them underground. They hunted them like dogs and like criminals. They would find them and torture them, kill them or even better bring them to Rome to become entertainment to the wealthy by being thrown to the lions at the Colosseum. 

They actually had a man who was part Jewish and part Roman. He was a soldier and a member of the Sanhedrin Court. He also was at the stoning of Steven to watch the man of God be brutally stoned as he held their coats. He was charged to find the Christians and to arrest them. He was feared thru out Christendom until Jesus came to him and blinded him with a bright light, to ask him if it was hard to kick against the pricks. The man's name was Saul of Tarsus. After surrendering to Jesus, he went to see a man and stayed with him until his sight returned. He soon changed his ways and became known as the Apostle Paul. Paul went thru out the Roman Civilization preaching the Gospel and starting Churches in Rome, Galatia, Ephesus, Phillipi, and other cities. 

The Church spread thru out  Europe, Africa, And the world. We have survived the many attacks such as the Dark Years, the Inquisition, Communism and the attacks of those today who find it convenient to kill Christians under the guise of Jihad.

So if you are looking for a Church how should one look?

When I look for a Church I always look for certain things like:

1. Do they preach and believe the Bible from Cover to Cover, in context?
2. Do they worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth?
3. Does the music that they sing glorify God?
4. Do they believe in preaching and teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ?
5. Do they believe that Salvation is by Grace thru Faith?
6. Do they believe in an All knowing, seeing, omnipresent God that saves to the uttermost?
7. Do they believe in a literal hell and devil?

If they believe those things, I can fellowship with them.

Many times we forget what a true Christian is and what a true Church is. I have gone to several Churches in the past that have forgotten the working of the Church.

I have gone to so called Churches that believe they are a country club and only the best can go there and serve.

Jesus said, "Whosoever will let them come." I love that old hymn, "Just as I am without one plea, oh Lamb of God, I come to thee."

That's the reason that Jesus didn't hang with the Pharisee's and the Saducee's. He hung out with people like Zacheaus who was a tax collector and the people hated him so much that if they accidently bumped into him they would first spit, go home, burn their clothes and take a bath.

Jesus would hang out with a whore like Mary Magdalene. Some Historians and Authors have said that they had an affair but they forgot that he was the God man who was tempted yet Without Sin! Had he partaken of her there would have been no way that he could be the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the whole world. 

He hung out with Fishermen that were rough loud mouths. He hung out with those that had been demon possessed but by his power he cast them out. He didn't take a dime from anyone yet he fed the five thousand with but a few loaves and fishes. He was raised humbly as a carpenter with Joseph raising him and then finding that Jesus was actually his Master.

I currently am looking for a Church. I would love to serve and to be served. I need to be fed as well to feed others. I want to be able to worship and fine true happiness in the fellowship of the Saints. I also would love to find a Church that preaches out of the Old King James Bible. I know some of you think that I'm a little old fashion, well friend that's alright with me for I'm so glad that I have salvation and now that I'm glad to be free!

To me going to Church is like going to a restaurant. If you don't like what they're serving find a different one.