Is there such thing as "the perfect church"? Believe it or not, I believe the answer is "YES." But before you click away, let me explain my view. The Bible teaches us that God has a good and perfect will for us. What is amazing is that His perfect will for us sometimes--well actually always--comes along with difficulties. You see, we grow through adversity. A diamond becomes a diamond through testing, time and pressure. The NFL star abuses his body through countless hours of practice, enduring pulled muscles, bloody knuckles, dislocated bones and more. Often times, the difficult moments in life bring forth strength, resolve, or as the Bible puts it, "because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴perseverance, character; and character, hope.: Rom 5:3-4

So, the perfect church doesn't mean one with no difficulties nor hardships, but a perfect church is the church where you can grow in Christ. Our life on this earth is a journey, and on this journey the goal is to know Jesus more, and to be conformed into His image more and more. It is a step-wise process.

I often pray that people will find the church that helps them grow in their faith, grow in the knowledge of the Word of God, receive ministry that brings healing to themselves and their families,

So, I know that many people have googled "Churches Near Me" and "Best Church In Big Bear" and they have found more than 20 churches in Big Bear. How do you know which one to attend? Well, before even walking through the door, make sure that the church preaches the truth directly from the Bible. Cultures change, but the Word of God never does. Because Jesus thought it was important to tell the believers to wait until the Holy Spirit came upon them at Pentecost, find a church that believes in the gifts and present working of the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches in Isaiah that the anointing breaks the yoke of bondage. A good speaker is wonderful to find, good music is a joy to listen to, but an anointed Sermon and anointed worship is powerful. Find a church where the Pastor and leaders have an anointing from God.

Is The Journey Church perfect? In human standards...hardly :-) But we are the perfect place for the people that God wants to use to help us grow, and for God to allow us to help His people grow. We love God, love each other, teach from the Bible, and try to help people enter into a vibrant relationship with Jesus through anointed worship, relational discipleship, and encouraging personal growth.

The "Perfect Church" may be synonymous with "The Best Church" in that God has something for you to learn, something for you to offer, a family for you to belong to. You do not want to miss God's best for you. Remember, God's best doesn't always look like our favorite. :) So, my encouragement to you: find a church, plant yourself, let God use you and let God use the "church" to help you grow too.