Does It Really Matter Where I Go To Church As Long As I Go???

Choosing the right church is as important as choosing the right doctor...but even more so. I would dare say that choosing the right church is one of the most important decisions we'll ever make. While choosing the wrong doctor could easily cost us our health and significantly affect the quality of our life, choosing the wrong church will more than likely affect our spiritual well being and could very well cost us our souls for eternity. Just as the training and perhaps motives of a medical doctor will greatly affect his diagnosis and his treatment of our particular symptoms, so the motives of a pastor will greatly determine how he addresses the issues in our lives. Jesus made a clear distinction between the "hireling" and the "shepherd". He was very concerned about this issue because He witnessed the masses following those whom He clearly defined as hirelings. The question is..."how do we discern the difference"? The Bible clearly states that we are all sinners and it's our sin that separates us from God. Although we may be quick to classify sin as illicit sex, drug use, alcoholism, rape, murder, etc, etc,...when God looks at sin He looks much deeper or rather at the heart conditions such as pride, greed, hatred, jealousy, envy, bitterness deceit, lust and the seeds in our heart that lead to the actual sin. Only the Blood of Jesus can cleanse us of sin but only the preaching of the unadulterated Word of God can keep us free from the bondage of sin. Sin is like weeds. It grows and multiplies with no nurturing whatsoever. When a preacher stands before his congregation and only preaches on how God loves us, how God wants to bless us and how God wants to take us to heaven, it's like watering your grass regularly without ever pulling up the weeds. Eventually your lawn will be overgrown with what??? What else but weeds!!! No matter how much you claim to love God, your heart will lie to you and draw you toward sin (Jer 17:9) which will inevitably separate you from God. When a pastor is a true shepherd he recognizes this fact and allies himself with the Spirit of God by using the Word of God to help the people of God not only get free but continually confront and eradicate the sin in our lives. He realizes that although God loves us...He hates our sin. He wants to bless us but He will judge our sin. He wants to take us to heaven but He will send us to hell if we insist on living in sin. At our church we love God because we believe in God's unconditional, radical and unwavering love for us. We believe that JESUS IS GOD. We also affirm that you may or may not believe that Jesus is God. We're not asking you to change your belief system before you attend our church. We're simply inviting you on a journey toward Jesus. For years churches have placed a high priority on Jesus as a "get-out-of-hell-free-card". At our church we place the highest priority on Jesus as a live-life-to-the-fullest invitation. We believe every person has a dream deep inside their hearts and that God put that dream there, not for our glory, but for His. We're not concerned where you've been, but where you're going. We believe that THE BIBLE IS GOD'S WORD...It's REAL...It's ALIVE...and It's ACTIVE!!! We believe that people that don't go to church anywhere are not the enemy. They are real people that need the PERFECT LOVE that only God can give. We believe that God gives this love through...of all people..."us". At our church we do not and will not display a holier-than-thou attitude toward anyone. We are all broken people but He is putting us back together. And finally and most importantly...we believe that Jesus Really Lived and He Really Died On The Cross and that He Really Rose On The Third Day and we cannot and we will not candy coat or water down that message...EVER!!! We hope that you're brave enough to come and sit through a potentially dangerous message that can truly...Radically Revolutionize Your Life...and rest assured...you're always welcome at our church!!!