Dealing with a little spiritual battle this weekend. A family member has criticized many of the family because we have made the decision to attend a church that has a different name over the door than that which he is used to. So we are now dealing with a comparison as to what God wants, what is available, and what is best. The battle stems from what this particular franchise has been known to say, and what this particular branch says. The funny thing is that the things for which this franchise is accused for believing are mostly the things for which the old church believes.

Old Church New Church
1. Once Saved Mostly Few
2. Solid preaching Downloaded Fresh
3. Evangelistic What's that? Weekly
4. Baptism Biblical Biblical
5. Worship style Blended Blended (too much southern!)

There are a lot of subjective things that have to be considered as well. The church body is often represented by the lifestyle of the preacher. It is NOT true that this is indicitive of that church's positions, but their lifestyle says a lot about the direction that they would take that church. For that reason I have really had to take a close hard look at these two leaders.

New church preacher. This man home schools, has a son who has followed him into the ministry, has a wife who believes that it is her place to be at home to support her husband. Republican.

Old church preacher. Not really fair to make a comparison. Let's just say that he has made other decisions for his family which he probably feels are better.

There are things that will prohibit me from ever attending the former again, mostly centering around the integrity of the preacher. However, we have an abiding love for the family fo Christ there and miss them incredibly. Some of those have left, we hear others are about to go. So sad.