Just as the generation of Jesus was seeking something wrong, so it is today (Matthew 12:38-39). An issue of Focus on the Family Magazine states that the American public expects six items in a church: “good music, social groups, big meeting rooms, a quality kitchen, ample parking, and clean restrooms.”
Did you notice that none of the items are what God requires? What man wants often is different than what God wants (Isaiah 55:7-8). Someone may immediately think that looking for a good parking space is far superior than looking for something wicked, such as an opportunity for immorality. However, this isn’t how God operates. If what someone is looking for isn’t in God’s will, it won’t please Him, no matter how morally good we may decide it to be.
Instead of satisfying fleshly desires, we should look for a church with the right characteristics. We aren’t on a hunt for a church “close” or “just about like” the church of the New Testament; we’re looking for the church itself. Don’t let popular opinion sway you: look for the simple gospel of Christ (Jeremiah 29:13).
Kyle Campbell