We now return to…

Wow, it’s been some time (the February 24th post to be exact) since I’ve continued the ongoing saga of my church searches. But now is a good time (as you’ll see) to return to [swelling cheesy soap opera music] Church Searches of Mark’s Life.

When we last left Mark, he, um, I was searching for a new church after leaving a church for the first time for reasons other than moving. My negative experiences at the previous church put these concerns at the forefront as I searched:

1. I wanted a church where I would have the freedom to follow God’s leading in ministry.

2. I did not want the staff of the church to have too much power. I especially did not want there to be an attitude that a staffer had to have their thumb on every ministry.

3. I required that singles not be treated with “a differing measure.�

The first church I decided to check out was Denton Bible Church. My first visit was positive, even if the service was jarringly austere. But I had not even begun to investigate.

It turned out, however, that the answers to my concerns were rather easy to find. My next visit, I attended the Visitor’s Welcome, in which an elder gave a brief overview of what Denton Bible is about.

Two things about that time still stand out in my mind. First, a video summary emphasized every member ministry. One segment of that video had Pastor Tommy Nelson encouraging people to get involved in ministry then saying, “If we don’t have a ministry that fits your gift [of ministry], we’ll create one.� A couple tears welled up my eyes at that, I kid you not. That was the opposite of some past negative experiences.

Afterwards, I asked the elder, Warren N., if there were any ministries that they discourage singles from participating in. And I immediately gave him an out to give him some comfort room. I said something like, “For example, you probably wouldn’t have singles lead young couples ministries.�

He immediately answered that singles have led young married groups there. That literally knocked me backwards and gave me a good laugh. Singles were indeed encouraged to follow God’s leading in ministry, if anything, even more so than others.

On another occasion, I was asking a staffer about their philosophy and policies concerning members getting involved in ministry. Without my asking, he volunteered that the staff often prefers to keep their hands off of ministries, that things go better that way. I loved that! After my previous church, that sounded radical!

My main concerns and criteria for a new church were not only quickly answered, they were blown away! I soon joined the new members class, and it confirmed that Denton Bible was even more radical on members’ freedom to minister than I was!

So I joined Denton Bible. And it has been a great place for me where even this square peg fits in, is supported, and gets to minister as God leads.

By the way, the reason I post this today: it is the 10th anniversary of my first Sunday morning at Denton Bible Church -- a day to celebrate indeed.

But now I’m in the process of moving. So I must find a new church in [swelling music] Church Searches of Mark’s Life.