Not enough...

I guess I am shopping for a church family.  (How easy is it to fall back into Church-y tech speak?  I'm trying to avoid it because tech speak is so exclusionary, even if it's not meant to be - because it's pre-determined definitions do not sufficiently explain to the uninitiated.)

I am looking for a church to go to on a regular basis.  I've been attending a friend's church.  He's told me that he attends there because it's the only church in the area that recognizes his ordination.  He's not a pastor there, but does some traveling ministry.  Anyway, the people there are lovely, though quite a bit older than I for the most part.  There are a few women who are my age, and their spouses, but not a lot of singles.  That's not a bad thing, but it's a factor.  Worse to my taste, the pastor seems to be a teacher.  His sermons are nice, sound, but so simple.  I've sat under him for two Sundays now and I guess I'm not inspired so much.  I want more meat.  I want to be pushed.  I want more than a simple faith.  I want to be challenged.  Worse?  Everyone else seems bored.

The churches I grew up in were very dynamic.  I think maybe they went in the 'other' direction of playing to/catering to emotion over substance too.  It was entirely too easy for me to get wrapped up into the emotional aspect of the religious experience.

So, what is it that I am looking for?  Challenge.  Balance.  Strong worship.  Evangelism.  Pulling gifts out of people... out of me.  Perhaps I need to be patient.  Perhaps I need to pray that the depth and dynamism that I am seeking is gifted to this body.  Maybe that's where I am.  Maybe that's what my job is now... Someone, some pastor I used to work with used to say: "If you see a need, you should fill it.  God has given YOU the vision of how it should improve."  So, yeah.  Ok.  I'll get there.  I can pray now.  Figuring out the HOW isn't really my job is it?  Being the one who prays... that's my job right now.

Post Script:
I was just listening to my Mom and Sister's church's series on Psalm 23 (you know, "the Lord is my shepherd") and was impressed by the thought that one of the pastors presented: if you aren't getting enough at church, is it because you aren't seeking on your own time.  While it's perhaps a factor for me that I'm only yet 3 weeks into reclaiming my faith and am not yet filled up, it's something to think about.