Just not cool

When we were looking for a church 3 1/2 years ago, we ran across some things that were frustrating. There were the usual things like people not being very welcoming, the message or sermon being less than biblical, the lack of Holy Spirit. But there was one thing that we ran across more than once that really just grinds my gears. AND this Sunday we ran across it again.

We decided to go to a church that is the same denomination as our previous church. I looked up online when it started and we left in time to get there about 5 minutes early. When we pulled up to the church, it was clear that we missed something because there were no cars around. Obviously church was not starting in 5 minutes. There was a sign on the door that said that there was going to be a group church at one time at the Ramada which is conveniently about 5 minutes from our house and not so conveniently 20 minutes from the church. I say "group church" because they now have two locations with 3 services, and this was going to be for all of the different services.

So we had planned on going at 9:40, and all of the other churches that we have been interested in attending either start at 9:00 or don't start till 10:45 or 11:00. What are we supposed to do for the next hour??

This is the most frustrating thing to me! I checked their website. It said right on the homepage what time church starts. I made sure that I was looking at the right location. I double checked the night before. I would never have thought to look at the bulletin PDF that was the last tab on the page. Why would I? So my conclusion is that this church must not be very "new people" friendly. Putting a sign on the door is informative, but it will not get the people that missed the memo to the church service on time. Not when it is a 20 minute drive away. I should also point out that it isn't like they don't update their website frequently. It is a highly detailed website with an answer to practically an question just a click away.

I know that it happens where someone just misses the boat and it accidentally wasn't updated online. But here's the thing. I don't think it was an accident. I really feel in my heart that this is a huge sign from God that their values and emphases  are not the same as ours. We both feel that we want a church that is welcoming and inviting with open arms to new people. That is a huge thing that God shows us in the bible. We are supposed to spread His love and share Him with everyone.

This was definitely not inviting. I don't have any desire to go back. Frustrating? Yes. But the good news is that now we know. We'll probably still check the church out just to see if it is different than the vibe I'm getting, but all in all I think listening to God's gentle guidance is the best route to go.

Thank you, God, for making things so crystal clear!