things to like about church

I like Donald Miller's list of things he likes about his church in "Blue Like Jazz". The list is not intended to be comprehensive or "Biblical" but I like the ideas...

1. It is spiritual - they don't just do programs. They do praying and fasting and then do what He leads them to.
2. Art - I like this one. Francis Schaeffer wrote a lot about how spirituality is reflected in the arts and that a redeemed people ought to be a creative people. I love that God has redeemed my mind in the sense that I can now reason from a Christ-like perspective but I also love that He allows me to see and to express beauty in a new and refreshing way.
3. Community - living life together. We must work toward proper doctrine but without community, it is for naught.
4. Authenticity - that's the bottom line. People matter to God and therefore they matter to us. Preferring others honors God. We don't relate to others to manipulate them. We don't relate to others to benefit from them. We relate to others in an open and honest way because we genuinely care about them.

One day I should write my list of things I like in a church. John Wimber would always say he wanted to build a church that he would want to go to. Of course John also had an amazing way of loving the larger body of Christ and valuing all expressions of love toward Jesus. I'd like that too.

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