What kind of Church would Jesus approve of

As important as it is, don't attend a church that pigeonholes evangelism. The church does not exist for the sole purpose of evangelizing the lost. They will make you think it does, but it does not.

Unless you want to invite a beating and make the church look more worldly and unattractive than it already does, do not do this.

Churches either change or they disappear. And churches don't change.

I agree with your estimation.

Expensive coffee machine? What's the pastor's take on donuts? There was a time when the best part of going to church was the coffee and donut fellowship afterward. My favorite was powdered. Nowadays, there are probably some politically and nutritionally correct churches that would only serve decaf and gluten-free donuts. Not my type of place for sure.

The constant overbearing focus on witnessing and getting everyone saved is a distraction to keep Christians from having to face the hard reality of living holy lives, and to ensure a steady source of tithe income.

D....,
It is truly a challenge today. Worse...yet...to come.
We attend a different church almost every Sunday. We find a church reasonably teaching scripture, not long until pasture is changed and back to hunting.

H...,
Lordy...isn't that what a church is also for? Don't they go together?

The name of the Church is not important to me, it's just a label that identifies that particular congregation.

The most important thing to me is that it preaches and teaches the things that Jesus taught. He did warn us that many false prophets would come in His name, He said we shall know them by their fruits.

The fruits of a true Christian Church should evident, it should treat everyone the same just as Jesus did. He was found in the company of all kinds of people, who the religious people looked down on as unworthy sinners yet Christ accepted them and healed them and forgave them.

The Church should be in the business of reaching out to a lost world and sharing the Gospel with them and feeding them if thy're hungry, but most Churches stay within their four walls and entertain themselves.

Jesus approved of the nt church

It had no denomination, and it was local in nature, it does not represent prety much any denominational church you may go to.

That said, find a church that teaches truth, and is not swayed by men, if your looking for perfect church, you wont find it.

Yes, the NT Church was local and independent so it wasn't controlled by some hierarchical organisation like the Pope controls from the Vatican. A Church should be autonomous and free to teach the Scriptures without outside pressure to do it their way.

I know that I will have to settle down in a less than perfect Church but that's OK, I'm not perfect so I can't expect perfection. Every human institution is bound to make mistakes, the main thing is that it seeks to serve the Lord faithfully.

If you are really looking to find Jesus, you won't find him in a church. That's why you keep finding problems in the church. Pray to him and seek him with all of your heart. Thirst for him like a drink of water. You will find him. It's not a bed of roses. It's hard. Because he will break you from a lot of things. It's like a child reaching into a fire. He will pop your hand every time, and you will think that your having a hard time. If you want him he has to change you and bring you out of the world , taking you from glory to glory. Being a believer in Christ is not prospering in this world.

The Bible tells us to "expel the immoral brother". I sincerely hope that your church hasn't extended membership to a proud homosexual couple. And, I also wonder why they fell comfortable attending.

Most churches don't approve of homosexual couples. Most Catholics do, but the domination doesn't. Most Protestant churches don't. The vast majority of churches, though, are very soft, or ignore, the issue, though.

Sodomite leaders insist homosexuals can't change. But, they can change.

He has already told all who are being called of Him, EXACTLY what is 'required of us'...

I am a believer in Christ, so I have no doubt about my salvation. I would just like to settle down in a Church where I can worship the Lord in a way that's pleasing in His sight.

The Lord has revealed His word to me and every believer through the Holy Scriptures, so we are obliged to join a body of believers where we can grow and serve Him in Spirit and in truth. The more I study the Bible, the more it exposes the Churches which fail to preach the whole counsel of God. So it's not that they preach false doctrine, it's the fact that they fail to preach about sin and judgement. Their whole focus is on Gods love and mercy and long suffering, that's only half of the Gospel.

Jesus said that we would suffer persecution for His name sake. If a Church makes everyone who walks in, comfortable and doesn't challenge them to strive against the sin in their life, then it's not living up to it's responsibility. I think most Church leaders are too afraid to confront people, with the difficult issues like sin and judgement.

The gay couple have been attending for around 6 weeks, they haven't heard anything about sin or judgement so they feel comfortable there. We also have a guy who has recently come out of prison after serving a long sentence, he swears a lot, the pastor hasn't said anything about his swearing.
I had to remind him that there are children around, he apologized and said he would try not to swear. He said everyone swears in prison and it becomes a second nature.

If the pastor preached that every professing Christian must fully submit their lives to the will of God and their lives are no longer theirs and that everything they do and say must conform to His will. These people would quickly realize that they need to repent and change the way they live. They would either leave or change, but they wouldn't continue to willfully sin.

I believe if you are really seeking God in the churches. You will feel a void. I did. Something was missing. It was because the churches put a covering over your head that is not Jesus. It's a religious spirit. It's counterfeit. That's what it means in the bible when it tells the husbands not to cover their heads. It's not talking about a hat. And for the women to wear a covering on her head, which is her husband. When they cover their heads with these churches, they can't be taken into all truth. You can only go so far. And when you die an give up that old man. Then you have to give up everything that's yours. So you have to give up your religion too. Then live by faith. And let the spirit of God lead you. It won't be easy.

Well maybe you will find one you like. Everyone has a right to worship God however they want too. I haven't been to church in about 20 years. I'll never attend church again. Church is not an option. That's like lighting a candle then putting it under a glass.

But the Bible tells us not to forsake the asembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some. As a Christian I must obey the Bible's teaching, it would be easy to ignore it but that's not an option for the true Christian.

Jesus said, if you love Me you will obey Me. He said you will know false professors by their fruits, a true Christian is actively involved in building Gods Kingdom. We can't be involved if we isolate ourselves like the useless Catholic Monks.

If the Church teaches the death, burial, and resurrection, of Christ, and He is Lord, and God manifest in the flesh, and believe they can receive the Spirit and have the power to abstain from sin if they hate sin, and do not want sin, that would be a good Church, and most everything else should fall in to place, for with teaching that the Spirit should be working in that Church.

And if there are hypocrites, it will be low in number, and their sins very minor, and majority would be sincere to do what is right, and be Christlike, for if not they would not attend such a Church, for the pastor is not watering down the word to please the congregation, so obviously the people attending like what they hear.

Maybe hearing the word with no water added might be more popular among small groups that gather but do not attend any denomination, and sometimes some people of the world understand some things of the Bible, and a Christlike attitude, better than some that confess Christ, for the world does not have to misinterpret the word of God to suit them, for they do not abide by it anyway, where it may not suit some that confess Christ for they like some things of the flesh, and do not want to give them up, so that is the way they like to hear the Bible.

The world does not care that the Bible proclaims a strict lifestyle of abstaining from sin, for it does not take any toll on their life, for they do not abide by it and are going to sin believing in no repercussion, so what do they care about the strict morality of it, so many people of the world can see the truth of God's word better than many that claim Christ who want to enjoy sin, so that is how they want to hear it, and misinterpret the Bible that way.

And we know the world does understand the strict morality of the Bible, and what Jesus represented, for they call many Christians hypocrites testifying that the world does understand.

And then you wonder why can't many people that claim Christ understand the Bible like the world when it comes to morality, and it is strange that the world believes the Christians can abstain from sin if they want for if they believed they could not abstain from sin they would not call them hypocrites, which testifies the world knows they can abstain from sin, but they do not because they enjoy sin being of the flesh.

Things that make you go hmmmm.

2Ti 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
2Ti 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.

If a Church and pastor do preach the truth, and there is some hypocrites do not let that deter you from abiding in that Church, for God said there would be hypocrites, but it is still a great house for the foundation, pastor, is of the truth according to the Bible.

The big thing of a good Church is to believe if they hate sin, and do not want sin, by the Spirit they can abstain from sin, for if they believe that everything else should be on point, for then they are not afraid of hearing anything of the Bible to do with a strict moral lifestyle, like some Churches, and a strict moral lifestyle is what is pleasing to God.