A Church Worth Joining
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Corinthians 3:17)
Finding a new church home can be challenging. You may be looking for certain qualities in a church. It can be challenging to find a church with a convenient location, a particular belief system, and an active ministry for everyone in your family...all at a place where you feel comfortable and welcome.
While we want Ironbridge to be the church for you, it is the Holy Spirit's job to tell you that Ironbridge (or any church) is where you should be.
How will I know where the Holy Spirit is Guiding Me?
While you are seeking a new church home, ask yourself two questions...
1. Is the Spirit of the Living God Present in this Church?
When the Spirit of God is present in the Church, there will be a Vision for the church, there will be a Boldness or enthusiasm in the life of the church, and there will be a Passion in those that want to grow with God to touch other lives.
Vision
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)
When our eyes are on Jesus our heartbeat will be with God's heartbeat, and our desires will be the desires of God.
Boldness
"For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard...Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness...After they prayed, the place where they were meeting whas shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly." (Acts 4:20, 29, 31)
As followers of Christ we must boldly proclaim that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior and that he died on the cross so that we may live in eternal life.
"Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold." (2 Corinthians 3:12)
Passion
"Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, 'Friend, your sins are forgiven." (Luke 5:18-20)
Whatever it takes we must have passion for souls.
2. Is the Spirit of God at work in my life and leading me to this particular church?
"But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come." (John 16:13)
Do you feel drawn by the Holy Spirit to a particular church? Does this particular church have Vision, Boldness, and Passion for God?