Searching For The "In-Between" Church | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Searching For The "In-Between" Church

It is hard to find the right church.

21
Searching For The "In-Between" Church

Disclaimer: These are my thoughts and ideas of churches, not a particular church.

The church in-between the "black church" and the "white church".

Predominantly white churches make me just as uncomfortable as predominantly black churches, and it should make you just as uncomfortable, as well. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, America is a country fortunate enough to be considered a melting pot. I believe all churches should reflect this unique and privileged aspect of America within their congregation. I am honestly heartbroken that the stereotypes and bad spotlight cast on both the "black church" and the "white church" are still prevalent conversation pieces in 2016. Even if you choose not to engage in the conversation, you know what I am talking about. The stereotypes are everywhere from reality television shows, movies, short videos on social media platforms, to iTunes' rather distinct genre title: Christian and Gospel. I appreciate my roots in the "black church" from learning my very first worship song: "We Fall Down" by Donnie McClurkin. In the same manner, I appreciate the "white church" for showing me contemporary worship music. Because of both of the churches, I can take pleasure in Christian music and gospel music in my time of worship. If you comfortable with idea of the Church being separate because a congregation "suits your kind" in regards to the color of your skin, then you are frankly a part of the problem. Your church deserves to be and is meant to be multi-ethnical and multi-cultural. After all, Jesus did not talk to the Pharisees, eunuchs, prostitutes, and the unclean for nothing.

The church in-between the small church and the megachurch.

One of the few things I look for in a church is the size of the congregation and how members of the congregation interacts with one another. I want my church to feel like a home--comfortable, loving, and have a sense of community. I wholeheartedly believe the foundation of the Church is fellowship. I oftentimes compare the sizes of churches and my comfort level to a bell curve The bottom left of the bell curve lies the small churches, and the bottom right lies the megachurches. The middle lies my desired comfort level and the church that is bigger than a small church, but too small to be considered a megachurch. Small churches do not make me nearly uneasy as megachurches. With small churches, fellowship can be self-evident and getting to know the congregation can be an easy task to tackle. On the other hand, getting to know the majority (or even a quarter) of a megachurch's congregation can be very challenging. Granted, everyone does not have the same opinion or experience with small churches and megachurches, personally, I look for churches right down the middle with numbers. I like to feel like I "fit right in" with the size of the congregation. I do not want to feel like the obvious new visitor and I do not want to feel like I am just a number. I want to feel like I am part of the family.

The church in-between serving and working.

This is a big one for me. I love and look forward to Sunday every single week. For me, Sunday is all about being obedient and worshipping Him, and it is all about resting. Many Sundays I would be at church for first service, and right after church you would find me asleep on the couch enjoying my God-ordained after-church nap (for those of you who understand how marvelous naps after church are, feel free to give me an amen or a church wave, at this point). Sadly, at a certain point in my life, I began to not look forward to going to church because it felt like a job when I was serving in multiple areas of ministry. Yes, it is my job to serve others, however, serving others should be a joy. When the y in joy becomes unclear or altogether transforms into a b, then that should be a clear indicator that you should pull out of that area of ministry or have a heart-to-heart with God and try to find that joy you once had.


Though the "in-between" church is not limited to these three ideas, I do believe it rings true for many people today. Yes, I know that there is no perfect church (not on Earth, that is), but finding the right church is essential. It is a long, tedious process, but it is well worth it once you find the church where you feel right at home.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

15 Times Michael Scott's Life Was Worse Than Your Life

Because have you ever had to endure grilling your foot on a George Foreman?

1279
Michael Scott
NBC

Most of the time, the world's (self-proclaimed) greatest boss is just that, the greatest. I mean, come on, he's Michael Freakin' Scott after all! But every once in a while, his life hits a bit of a speed bump. (or he actually hits Meredith...) So if you personally are struggling through a hard time, you know what they say: misery loves company! Here are 15 times Michael Scott's life was worse than your life:

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

12 Midnight NYE: Fun Ideas!

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

16166
Friends celebrating the New Years!
StableDiffusion

When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.

Keep Reading...Show less
piano
Digital Trends

I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.

Keep Reading...Show less
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

3381
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments