“Why should I go to the dinky church that has 20-30 or even 100 people with volunteer musicians and average preachers, when I can save my time and my gas and watch the Big Dogs of the church...”
Because a good church doesn’t exist to ENTERTAIN you! You go to the small church, get to know others, learn about their families, problems - and you offer advice. You pray for them. You introduce them to others who might help.
And when YOU need help - and it really sounds like you do - THEY are there to carry your burdens with you.
The church is the BODY of Christ, not a painting of Him!
You don’t have to prove it to me :-) I’m the unpaid organist and sub preacher at a dinky church, 20 people on a good Sunday, a pastor who pays his bill by teaching second grade, and people who find Christ in worship, in the Eucharist, and in each other.
I remember going to a church outside of Budapest Hungary when My husband and I took an athletic ministry team there back during the soviet rule in 1986. the service was at a big house as church services were forbidden, didn’t stop people from coming and worshipping. 2 hour service went by like that, and though we didn’t understand the words in Hungarian we sang the songs and deeply felt the Holy Spirit at work. Not at all like American churches...we are in severe need of our Saviours revival!
Amen!
My wife and I have been in various churches. Raised our kids in a good family church with lots of community and good Biblical teaching. Got a new pastor and it started going woke.
Went to another church, and the same thing happened after about 8 years (well, same pastor for all 8 years, but then the BLM stuff happened, and when I was in a leadership role I saw how much more woke it was than what we saw in the pews.)
But a great community and one really good conservative teacher that we had a group with every Sunday.
The last two years have been at a smaller church with great conservative Biblical preaching. But is lacking on the community aspect of it.
So - we are beginning our search again to find the right fit. For us the community aspect is huge - with folks that have Biblical wisdom.
Back in the day folks depended on the church in their time of need. Now it is the government. Probably by design (by the government).