Hope that you all had a good Sunday. 
God Bless You. 

 WHY FOLK DO NOT JOIN CHURCH

"I will not join Church because, you know
	(I am sure you will not doubt it)
I can be as good a Christian
	And live my life without it."

Now I wonder how that could be
	Since God commanded you to.
And then if all Christian everywhere
	Were to act just like you

Why there would be no meeting place,
	Not a single place to go
When you need a church like ours.
	But that you already know.

"If I join church", you tell me,
	"It would put me into a bind
I could not do what I want.
	Churches can be so unkind."

But would the rules you mention
	Make you worse or better
If you live in the Spirit's freedom
	And not just keep the letter.

Some say, "The church that you attend
	Is as imperfect as can be!"
Now does that mean that you are one
	Whose perfection all can see.

For if you are truly perfect you should
	Join the only  perfect one.
But you must die in order to join it
	For it exists above the sun!

"Now I would join your little Church
	But there is too much that is wrong
For all of the Christian that I have seen
	None can get along!"

Then you come and live among us
	For you have seen the light
And perhaps your very presence
	Can turn them from wrong to right.

"I would join your church but there 
	Are too many hypocrites there."
If one that is genuine like you should join
	It would be an answer to our prayer.

There would be less space for all the fakes
	And the true ones will find
That they are welcomed here
	When they meet up with your kind.

"Well, I still can't join your church. 
	And this I say with regret
For joining a Christian church today
	Is not Politically Correct."

True, and if you need man's approbation
	To live from day to day
I would leave you with this thought.
	Before Jesus went away

He said that if you were ashamed of Him
	Before the  folk down here
Then He will be ashamed of you
	When you meet His Father dear.

Pastor Van, November 2, 1997