Church shopping

So the dreaded task of finding a new spiritual home has begun. My sister, Amy, and I did this when we moved to Los Angeles many moons ago. It wasn't the most fun I have had ever. It was kind of horrifying.  One church we tried, I actually whispered to her when it was over, "Run, don't walk to the car. Don't talk to anyone! Do not give them your visitor card." We attended a different church for a couple of months where we liked the worship and knew some people there. But the messages always left us feeling a bit scolded. Perhaps we were used to being treated very gingerly, but I think we just don't like preachers who yell. We stopped attending when Football started up and our Sunday morning service became a corner tv and breakfast at Burbank Bar and Grill. That was awesome. We saw every Titans game that year. It was after the season ended that we took up the search again and found Bel Air Pres. And the rest is history.

Well, as the song says, here I go again on my own. In the Bible Belt where there are literally thousands of churches to try. I have started with one close to my house. Here's how we divulge up the points.
2 points for the building and auditorium.
2 points for having good coffee and nutrigrain bars (instead of obligatory donuts).
2 points for worship. Really loved the songs and passion of the band.
-1 point for the lack of passion in the congregation. It's hard when I am moved to really worship but feel it might be inappropriate. Is it ok to raise my hands or not?
-1 point for being way to much like a spoof video on post modern church (concert lighting, cool hip nerd guy doing announcements)
Undecided on lack of apparent singles or singles ministry. I am at the 9am service.
Undecided on senior pastor's interview video with Titans' quarterback on "family, football, and faith" instead of a sermon. They said it was different. Should check out some sermon podcasts.
-1 point for pastor's late nineties bed head hairstyle that makes him look like he wishes he was in DC Talk.
1 point for it feeling small even though its not and I am at one of 5 campuses. I am staying for 11am worship and we'll see the difference in congregations.
-1 point for not making me open my bible all morning.

I know that no church is perfect because they all have people in them. And on this side of eternity as a collective, people are pretty not great. And I am sure wherever I do land will make no sense. It won't line up on a point scale. It will just feel like home. Right? Ugh.

UPDATE: 11am worship.
5 points for every song being about God and how awesome he is and NOT being about how God makes me feel better about myself.
10 points for the worship leader stopping mid-song and calling out the congregation for looking like they were "at a concert you don't want to be at". We are the church, he said. And worship is not something we watch. So that would be a yes on raising my hands. Also, earned a second date.


It was nowhere near this bad! Just somewhat reminiscent.