Where God's Word Meets Our Mess
A couple years ago, I noticed a trend in the Christian book market. All of a sudden, it felt like there were lots of books about church hurt. I’m thankful I haven’t had any traumatizing experiences at church, but I did begin to wonder if church hurt is more common than I thought. Church hurt definitely is a real thing, and that's why I wrote this post.
I attended a small Christian college in Tennessee, and my experience there was positive overall. The college’s aim of preparing students to make a difference in the world was admirable. I realize not every Christian goes to a Christian college though—and that’s okay! No matter where you choose to attend college, there’s one thing you need to know that will shape your college experience—and the rest of your life.
My friend Emma* serves in several different ways at my church. She helps in the youth group, she sings during worship services, and she’s on a planning committee—among many other things! When she talks about her involvement in various ministries, I sometimes wonder: Should I serve more at church?
As I recently wrote in an open letter to single girls regarding the "church search," there are factors that do matter and factors that don’t matter. Things like worship style, preaching style, sermon topics, seating or décor arrangements, and service times can fluctuate significantly in a short period of time. But the three things that shouldn’t fluctuate—and should be the key factors in your search for a new church—are included below.
I know that being single can make you feel like you’re living on an island sometimes—like there’s no one who really “gets” you except for your cat and your Spotify playlist. You have to push yourself to do any social activities because all you really want to do is stay at home. But constantly staying at home is a really lonely existence—especially for a single girl. That’s why it’s so important to find a church that fits you and to get involved in it.
We’re several weeks into 2023, and you’ve probably been completely bombarded with content about making (and keeping) your goals for this year. I know it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all of the things you have to do to supposedly make this the best year ever. Friends, I’m not promising that these three things will make 2023 the best year ever. But it’s very possible that they'll positively impact your life, especially your relationship with God.
Perhaps I’m not very fond of surface-level conversations because, as an introvert, I appreciate connecting with friends on a deep level—like one-on-one meetings at cute coffee shops and after-church conversations that last until the pastor turns out the lights in the sanctuary. Although big gatherings can be intimidating to me, small gatherings are my happy place. I enjoy getting to know people better by asking good questions and by giving good answers to their questions. Here are a few characteristics that I believe are essential for having meaningful conversations.
For this post, you're going to learn a lot from professor, author, and worship leader Dr. Zeb Balentine. I met him a few years ago and had the privilege of serving on a church worship team under his leadership. If you have any interest in worship, teaching, writing, or publishing, then keep reading!
Loneliness is rampant in our culture, and the COVID-19 pandemic only made it worse. I've personally experienced loneliness at different times in my life, and it's really rough. However, thankfully, we aren't helpless regarding loneliness. If you're experiencing loneliness, ask yourself the following questions to see what you can do to lessen it.
Tizzie's Tidbits of Truth 