Ten Things I Have Learned About Churches In The Last Twelve Months (and two bonus observations)

(Warning: Gross generalizations ahead. Read with extreme caution. Disagreement with any or all points only means that I am probably wrong. I can live with that.)

1. Steeples and "The Tower of Babel" have more in common than I ever dreamed.
2. Despite their disclaimers the vast majority of churches are the most competitive "industry" in town. Often the only non-jealous church in town is the largest church in town and that is only because they have no one to be jealous of.
3. Roughly 90% of the people in a typical church will love you to death if you will let them.
4. Roughly 10% of the people in a typical church will put you to death by means other than love.
5. The majority of the people in a typical church have absolutely no idea how a church runs or who does the running.
6. If you want to get loved on at church find a good small group. That is where it all starts.
7. The majority of the people in a typical church do not attend a good small group and thus are missing out on where the love happens.
8. Almost all churches with changeable signs advertise the next sermon title or a cute slogan when the only thing that will truly cause godly transformation in a heart is the Word of God. I do not know of one church that consistently puts scripture on their sign.
9. The most evangelistic ministry in a church is the youth ministry. The most under funded ministry in a church is the youth ministry. The most griped at / complained about ministry in a church is the youth ministry. Do you see a problem here or is it just me?
10. Jesus loves the church anyway and He does it without reservation or hesitation. Therefore I have to love her like that too. Even when she makes it difficult.
11. A church that doesn't burst into celebration every time a person is baptized simply does not understand what they just witnessed.
12. Show me a truly wise and godly man or woman in a church and I will show you a man or a woman who does not realize that they are particularly wise and godly.