My church is definitely NOT the best!

For some reason, during the summer months (or around holidays or special functions) I have noticed in some Facebook posts that there is a kind of pride or hype in many Christians’ posts that say, “my church was better than yours” or “Pastor ____ is the best!” or “no one can do ___ like our church!”

Here’s the thing: Is your church really “better” than mine or is your pastor really “the best” or can no other church do ___ like your church?

I want to make clear is that I LOVE (let me say it again), I LOVE Missio Dei Church! I love our readiness to welcome visitors. I love that despite our limited resources, we can be creative but yet potent. I love our simple worship that instructs are our minds and affects our hearts. I love how God is deeply at work in our people’s lives. I love our people’s love for the gospel.

But Missio Dei Church is definitely NOT the best church out there.

Don’t get me wrong here. There is no other place I’d rather be on Sunday morning than with my church family at Missio Dei Church. The musical worship, the expository teaching, the huge hearted people! I love every little facet of it. The reality is that I hope the same is true for you! I sincerely hope you really love your church as much as I really love Missio Dei Church.

There are many reasons I love my church. But as soon as I start feeling proud about how much “better” Missio Dei Church is than other churches, I’ve taken a very good and necessary thing that God has given to us and made it idolatrous. I have suddenly made the church about me and my perferences and feelings and not about  God and his glory. I have forgotten what the chief and highest end of man is,

"Man’s chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever."

Not only do I lift Missio Dei Church up on to an idolatrous man-made pedestal, but I also (intentionally or unintentionally) throw a lot of other churches and faithful Christians under the bus, implying they are really, really lacking at doing church "right".

God has been dealing with my crazy competitive or comparative spirit lately. In 2 Corinthians 10:17 Paul said, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.” Did you catch that? He didn’t say, “boast in your church,” he said, “boast in the Lord.” Since when did churches start to boast, “we’re the best”? Since when did our churches begin to compete? It’s not Scriptural. It’s not even smart. Instead, it’s a common, man-made, dumb assertion.

As a matter of fact, believing that my church is the “best” is beyond dumb. It can be dangerous.

My church is definitely not better than your church. My church is not out to "beat" your church in any kind of ministry peeing match. That’s not what the Kingdom of God is about, is it? Our churches aren’t to be competitors for the souls of people, after all according to 1 Corinthians 3:5-9, it is ultimately God who gives the growth! We are to be gospel-partners. We are fellow faithful soldiers and proclaimers of this amazing Good News! We are to be in this things together.

I really do want your church to succeed. We all need your church to succeed whether or not it be a rural church in the middle of Iowa, a small suburban church of less than 75, or a mega church with all the bells and whistles. Because here is the deal, when you "win", we all "win". When you make a difference in your designated corner of the world, we make all make difference and all of heaven rejoices!

So, yes, the church that I am called to pastor is really great. It really is and I am totally convinced of it. The people are amazing.The worship we sing together is passionate. The slow, steady growth that we are experiencing is exciting. The mission and vision is contagious. It is a great group of people to be with each Sunday and throughout the week. I am thankful to God that Missio Dei Church desires to be a church made up of normal people who live spectacular lives because of Jesus. But it’s not better than your church. God has planted your right where you are with the right mixture of people and resources to reach a certain niche of people.

Here me say this:  Your church is great, too.

Leave a Comment

Comments for this post have been disabled.