Why Denominations Matter

If you don’t have a great answer to the question, “Why do you go to that church?” then you also don’t have a great answer to the question, “Why do you go to church?” If you go to that church for shallow reasons, you go to church for shallow reasons. If that church and the church aren’t the same thing, it isn’t necessary to go to that church.

The less importance we attach to denominations, the less importance we attach to church altogether. The less our church means to us, the less likely we are to go to any church at all. The declining importance of denominations rather neatly coincides with the decline in church attendance.

Embracing Your Imperfections

Tom: I think it’s important for people to embrace their imperfections.

Harry: Even racists?

Tom: Racism isn’t an imperfection. It’s evil.

Harry: What sort of imperfections did you have in mind?

Tom: I don’t know. Ordering too much from the Pottery Barn website.

Harry: You think it’s important that people embrace the fact they order too much from Pottery Barn?

Tom: Yes.

Harry: How important?

Tom: I mean, pretty important.

Harry: What will happen if you don’t embrace the fact you order too much from Pottery Barn?

Tom: I mean, you might not order enough from Pottery Barn.

Harry: Would you say that repeating moronic secularist slogans is an imperfection?

Tom: …Hey.

How To Pick A Church When You Go Off To College

“Given the profound importance most Christians now place on community, Christian high school seniors cannot be blamed for thinking Christian friends will help them keep the faith when they go to college . ‘Building community’ and ‘being in community’ are nearly the whole point of the modern church, whose chief purpose is to facilitate small groups, and is itself nothing more than ‘the big small group’ that meets on Sunday morning. Accordingly, when Christian seniors consider the temptations of college, their first impulse is to rely on friends—the small groups they will form the following year.

However, the first step to remaining faithful to God in college is to give up on the idea that friends are going to be of any help. The easy, standard plan for remaining faithful is a sham. Friends are capable of normalizing certain behaviors, which means the right friends can normalize church attendance, but that’s very different than holding you accountable for acting and speaking like a Christian. The second step to remaining faithful to God in college is to choose the right church.

Here are five ways to pick the right church in college…”

-Read the rest of How To Pick A Church When You Go Off To College

If Your Son Quits Going To Church In College, You Owe Me $5000

“Gibbs: I’ve seen a lot of kids lose their faith at colleges like the one he’s trying to get into.

Parent: What is it about Allister that makes you think that will happen to him?

Gibbs: Honestly, it’s not him. It’s you. Anyone as certain as you are that things will be just fine simply doesn’t take the threat very seriously.

Parent: That’s rather curt of you, Mr. Gibbs.

Gibbs: I suppose so, but I’ve been waiving my hands around frantically for years trying to get parents to take the threat of apostasy seriously, and almost no one does.  

Parent: So you’re not going to write him a letter of recommendation?

Gibbs: No, I will. I have one condition, though.  

Parent: What’s that?

Gibbs: If Allister quits attending church in his first year of college, you have to pay me five thousand dollars.

Parent: Ha ha! Wait, you’re serious, aren’t you?”

-from So You Want A Letter Of Recommendation To A Big State School?