For a long time I have hated peanut butter. I like peanuts for some reason, but not peanut butter; I simply will not go near it. Even the smell bothers me. If I were invited to someone’s house for lunch, and the only meal they served as peanut butter and jelly, I’d be in a pretty bad situation. It would not be that I did not like the people I was eating lunch with, but that their tastes would make me very uncomfortable. As a result, the entire experience would be sort of strained.

This is the same problem I have when it comes with attending denominations I disagree with. It is not that I dislike the people and have disrespect for their opinions, but that the whole situation makes me feel very uncomfortable. Attending a church with an atmosphere I disagree with or do not prefer, for me, is like the uncomfortable feeling of attending a lunch with only one meal to choose from, where even if you choose not to eat, the smell still enters your nostrils; where even if you bring your own meal, you are still exposed to the rest of what is on the table.

The problem is, using my previous analogy, it is hard to separate the meal from the fellowship of the table. I have my particular way of worshipping, and certain denominations have their way of worshipping, so if I attend a denomination that conflicts with my own views, the relationship and experience becomes strained. When looked at from this perspective, at least for me, it is hard to find a solution. How can we feel comfortable worshipping together when we each have our worship (style or theologically motivated) preference? For example, how can a Baptist learn to enjoy attending a Pentecostal church service and vice versa.

Maybe I’m just picky with church like I am with food and need to grow up!