Who Would I Pick?
I sit here thinking about how to become a “good Christian.” You know the kind—someone who says they believe in God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, has been baptized, and oh, goes to church. But then it hit me: if I were to try and “pick a church,” how would I actually go about it?
Now, don’t you start with that “you don’t have to go to church to be a Christian” line. We both know you don’t honestly believe that. And it’s okay. I used to think being a good Christian meant going to a church building too. So it’s okay—let’s just be honest, shall we?
Okay, so let’s go through my thoughts together, shall we? We’re going to pick a church to go to!
There are 100+ churches in our small county. It shouldn’t be too hard to pick one, right?
Well, let’s start with family. I do have some family that belongs to a Baptist church.
But we also have some really good friends who go to a Mennonite church.
We also have some amazing friends who go to a non-denominational church.
I also have some good friends who go to a Methodist church.
But hey, we also have a church on our property, basically (5 acres were sold to a tiny church from the farm years ago).
And there’s another church down the road, not even 2 miles from us, where the preacher hunts.
We also have a lot of friends out of town who’ve invited us to join them at all sorts of different denominations.
But you know, some churches have contemporary music, some have traditional, and some have no music at all. There’s that too.
Oh, and dress codes! I mean, some let you wear anything you want, and some have a strict dress code.
Now, some have an amazing choir!
But we also have to consider what type of Bible translation they use. Personally, I like the ESV, but I know many churches that would, let’s say, frown upon that.
Oh my word, I almost forgot about baptism! How could I forget that? I mean, some of these churches believe it’s what saves you.
But you also have to consider: Do you sprinkle? Do you submerge? Do you cannonball?
There’s also communion! Boy, that’s a big one we definitely can’t forget. It’s one of the 15 commandments, right?
But do you take it every week? Every month? Twice a year? Once a year?
Do you use grape juice, wine, or water?
Do you have little individual cups, or do you all drink from the same cup? Do you have little thin cardboard wafers, homemade fresh-baked bread, or maybe even unleavened bread?
Now we can’t forget about membership!
Do you need to sign a piece of paper? Or get baptized again?
Maybe you’re going to another church and need your letter of transfer from your old pastor to let you go.
Now here’s a fun topic: punishing the bad men and women. Maybe they’re out on probation. Maybe they’re shunned. Maybe they’re kicked out of the church. Maybe they’re asked to step down or leave. Maybe they’re just ignored until they decide to leave.
And lunch! We cannot forget to consider who gets out first for lunch. Time is a huge thing for us churchgoing people. We have to make sure we’re in and out in a timely manner so no one is bored, and we can be first in line to grab lunch. It is the most important meal of the day, don’t forget.
Those are all good things to consider when trying to pick a church, right?
You’d be lying if you said that not a single one of those things influences your decision to go to one church or another.
And what happens if one of these important things changes and you’re not okay with the change? I’m guessing you’re going to start “trying churches” until you find one you “mostly agree with”—until that one does something you don’t like.
Do you think we’ll be divided like this in heaven?
Now, would you like to know what church I ended up picking? It is the most amazing church in this whole world! I ended up picking YOU! The real church Jesus came and actually set up:
“And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.” (Colossians 1:18, 2:19, Ephesians 1:22-23, 4:15-16, 5:23)
Yes, YOU! If you are saved by Jesus, believe you are created by God, and are filled with the Holy Spirit, then we are in the same church!
And guess what? We can love each other, praise and worship God together, serve and love others, and spread the gospel—without all the religious politics of Christianity!
That’s why I can’t “pick a church”—because we the Born Again, Bible believing, God fearing, Jesus confessing, sin forgiven people ARE the body of Christ, his bride! (The Church)
So how can I get along with other brothers and sisters who have different “biblical politics” (as I call it)? Because, one, I love them. And two, it’s just that—biblical politics. If you’re honest with yourself and actually pick up your Bible and read it without an agenda that you’ve already been taught, you’d agree the political things that “churches” are divided over are absolutely ridiculous! It saddens me to see Satan have his claws in people who call themselves Jesus followers, keeping them so divided.
Don’t you think in the year 2025, it’s time for us Christ-followers to stop with the sin of conventional religion and the division it has created? I’m pretty sure if we all just came together and agreed that God is our Creator, Jesus is our Savior, and the Holy Spirit guides us, everything else could be put aside and worked out in heaven.
So what would an average week look like for a person who only belongs to the one and only church?
Well, on Mondays, we eat over-easy eggs with steak and sourdough bread…
No, it’s everyday life living for the Jesus. Loving God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Loving your neighbor as yourself. Who cares if you go to a church building every time the door is open? It makes no difference in your everyday life if your heart is not doing what it’s supposed to do every single day.
Why do you need a building to praise God?
Why do you need a building to make your rules?
Why do you need a building to be baptized?
Why do you need a building to get together to fellowship with other believers?
You know what’s the saddest thing? If I invited any of my churchgoing friends to a Sunday brunch to fellowship together or a Wednesday night dinner, the answer would be, “No, we have church.” So, as a member of your church through Christ, I’m not good enough to fellowship with because you have another “church” you belong to?
Here’s the thing: if you’ve made it this far and you really, honestly want to know the truth about who the church is, how it should be set up, and about religion—it’s so easy.
Go to your room or library or wherever it is you keep your Bible.
Pick up your Bible.
Make a nice cup of coffee.
Sit down in your comfy chair or on your couch.
Open your Bible to Genesis.
Put on your glasses if you need them.
If you’re cold, grab a blanket.
Comfortable? Good.
NOW WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP MESSING AROUND AND ACTUALLY READ GOD’S WORD FOR WHAT IT IS? PUT AWAY EVERYTHING YOU HAVE EVER BEEN TAUGHT ABOUT GOD, CHURCH, OR RELIGION, AND ACTUALLY JUST READ THE BIBLE FOR WHAT IT IS FOR PETE’S SAKE?
I beg you, just try it once! I promise it will change your life—and for the good.
You don’t know how freeing it actually is to not be bound by religion! But do you also know how much more serious it is to answer only to God, not to any other man or leader?
I sure hope, if you’ve made it this far, you consider choosing the one and only church.
And if you’re not a believer and happen to read this article, I pray that you do not get sucked into religion. Stay pure and innocent in Christ, just like a child. Only focus on Him, and don’t let anyone else get in the way of that relationship or tell you how it should be.
I also hope you pick up God’s Word and let it tell you the truth.
I know this has been long, but time is slipping away. If you’re willing to listen to Paul’s letters and even go so far as to make rules in your religion about them, then I hope you take this letter from your sister, Ann, not to make any rules or religion out of it but as encouragement to go read the real truth and live a real life for Christ.
So who do you pick? And how did you honestly decide?
~ Ann Lester ~