Remember the thrill of flipping through a Where’s Waldo? book as a kid? Those intricately chaotic scenes, packed with countless characters and details, challenged you to find that one elusive figure in a red-and-white striped hat. It was a delightful test of patience and observation, a visual puzzle that could keep you engrossed for hours. Sometimes, lost in the sheer busyness of the page, you’d almost forget what you were even looking for, drawn in by the vibrant distractions.
This childhood pastime came to mind recently as I reflected on a different kind of search – the quest to find a church where Jesus Christ is truly at the center. After decades of dedicated involvement in one church community, a change in leadership and direction led me to seek a new place of worship. What followed was a journey that felt surprisingly similar to those Where’s Waldo? puzzles. I wasn’t looking for a cartoon character, but something far more profound: the authentic presence of Jesus in a modern church setting.
Like many, my wife and I initially sought a comfortable transition. We joined a church where our son and daughter-in-law were attending, envisioning family worship and a gentle easing out of years of ministry service. I decided to take a year-long sabbatical, a break from active ministry roles. However, that year stretched into three, and I found myself drifting. While connecting with new people and a new pastor, my connection with God felt distant. I take responsibility for this spiritual drift, but it served as a critical wake-up call.
Inspired by the desire for deeper, more meaningful worship, we embarked on a search for a new church home. We longed for a fellowship where the Bible was genuinely taught, God was glorified, and Jesus Christ was unequivocally exalted. This journey, however, proved to be more challenging than we anticipated.
The Church Search: Like Finding Waldo in a Crowd
Our initial efforts focused on local churches, but discouragement quickly set in. One Sunday, in a moment of weariness, I suggested returning to our previous church – a place of familiarity, friendships, and past connections. That particular Sunday was Easter Sunday, Resurrection Day, the most pivotal celebration in the Christian faith.
We entered the service with a renewed openness, hoping to re-engage and serve. Instead, a profound disappointment washed over us. The very essence of Easter – the resurrection message, the hope of salvation, the glory of the risen Savior – was conspicuously absent from the service. The apostle Paul’s words echoed in my mind:
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied (1 Cor. 15:17-19 ESV).
If the foundational truth of the Gospel wasn’t proclaimed on the day meant to celebrate it most, we knew definitively it was time to seek elsewhere.
Around the same time, my sister and brother-in-law were also searching for a new church, driven by a similar desire for authentic worship and biblical teaching. Suddenly, there were four of us, united in our quest for a church that truly honored God.
Over the next year and a half, we visited countless churches. Looking back, I regret not keeping a list. Some we attended for weeks, trying to get a genuine feel for the community. Yet, time and again, we would exchange knowing glances and acknowledge, “This isn’t it.”
Our church visits became a real-life version of “Where’s Waldo?”. We were diligently searching for Jesus amidst the often chaotic and distracting landscape of modern churches. He felt remarkably difficult to find. But like determined Where’s Waldo? players, we were resolved not to give up, not to simply “turn the page.” We were committed to finding a church where Jesus was undeniably present.
Drifting and the Need for Authentic Worship
We encountered numerous churches that, in my estimation, mirrored the church of Laodicea described in Revelation – outwardly bearing the name of “Church,” yet inwardly lacking the true presence of Jesus. The words “God” and “Jesus” were sometimes mentioned, but often in passing, as mere references rather than objects of genuine honor and worship.
During this extended search, a theoretical understanding became a stark, lived reality: the Church, in many places, is in disarray. Large congregations are filled with individuals who believe they are right with God based on a superficial belief system. The profound implications of who God is and the sacrificial purpose of Jesus’s death are rarely explored in depth. The essential themes of sin and repentance are often glossed over. “Church” has, for many, morphed into something akin to a trendy social club, a source of entertainment, or a free Sunday concert. Rather than faithfully preaching the Gospel and engaging deeply with Scripture, some pastors prioritize jokes and lighthearted anecdotes that lack substantive biblical truth. Worship services have, in some instances, become elaborate productions filled with fog machines and laser lights, yet devoid of authentic worship and reverence.
One particular church visit vividly illustrated this shift in priorities. The sanctuary boasted beautiful stained-glass windows, designed to allow sunlight to filter through during services. However, the congregation opted to cover these windows during worship to maximize the impact of fog and laser lights. The music grew increasingly loud, forcing older members to resort to earplugs for comfort. Despite awareness of the discomfort among the elderly, no adjustments were made. This disregard for the comfort and needs of fellow believers seemed a stark contrast to the scriptural emphasis on love and mutual consideration within the body of Christ.
Another church presented a communion service unlike any we had ever witnessed. Following the sermon, the pastor announced communion without offering any instructions. As visitors, we were unsure of the procedure and simply followed the lead of others. The congregation rose and approached a table at the front, where a basket of bread and a single cup of grape juice were placed. Each person took a piece of bread, dipped it into the communal cup, and returned to their seat to eat. There was no expression of gratitude, no mention of Jesus’s sacrifice, no reflection on the profound significance of the sacrament. Instead of adhering to Jesus’s clear example at the Last Supper, as recorded in Scripture:
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many. Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God” (Mark 14:22-26 NKJV).
It seemed as though Jesus’s direct instructions were deemed insufficient, replaced by a desire to be “cool” and unconventional.
In yet another instance, we visited a church at the invitation of an acquaintance. Upon entering, we were met with an atmosphere of startling indifference. Despite my deliberate attempts to make eye contact and offer greetings, not a single person acknowledged our presence, save for the individual who had invited us. However, the most unsettling aspect was the sermon itself. It was so convoluted and disjointed that upon leaving, my wife and I exchanged bewildered looks, struggling to decipher the message. Having been a Christian for over 30 years, I found myself completely lost. If a long-time believer could not grasp the sermon’s point, it raised a serious question: was it truly a Christian message at all?
These experiences echoed the Apostle Paul’s warning to Timothy, words that resonate deeply with the challenges facing the church today:
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound[a] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry (2 Timothy 4:1-5 ESV).
I recall asking an acquaintance why he enjoyed his church. His enthusiastic response? “I like that I can bring coffee into the sanctuary!” While seemingly trivial, this answer reflects a broader trend of prioritizing comfort and personal preference over the core purpose of church. Similarly, I’ve heard others cite reasons for church attendance such as “the children’s program,” “the worship style,” “comfortable seating,” “great programs,” or “people my age.” While these aspects may hold some value, are they truly the central reasons to choose a place of worship?
Alt text: A classic Where’s Waldo book cover, illustrating a densely populated and chaotic scene where Waldo is hidden amongst numerous other characters, representing the challenge of finding Jesus in some modern churches.
My intention in sharing these experiences is not to be critical or judgmental, but to shed light on what I perceive as a significant issue within the Church today.
Identifying the Core Issues: Why Jesus Can Be Hard to Find
The fundamental problem I observed is that in many churches, Jesus is not the central, driving force for gathering. While lip service may be paid to His name, and congregants may believe He is central, the sermons, worship styles, and overall atmosphere often reveal a different reality. Jesus’s centrality is simply not apparent.
It would be a cruel joke if the Where’s Waldo? books were published without Waldo actually being hidden in those elaborate scenes. Readers would search endlessly, only to be met with disappointment.
Thankfully, in the real-life search for Jesus in churches, this is not the case. He is still the head of the Church. It is, after all, His Church. We are His bride, His sheep, and He deeply desires fellowship with us. True believers, in turn, long for communion with Him. He promised never to leave nor forsake us.
The encouraging truth is that churches where Jesus is truly honored and glorified still exist. Churches where God’s Word is faithfully taught and God Himself is glorified are out there; we simply have to persevere in our search and refuse to settle for substitutes.
Finding Jesus: The Light at the End of the Tunnel – Redeemer Fellowship
After a year and a half of diligent searching, our journey led us to Redeemer Fellowship in Loma Linda, California. Here, we found what we had been seeking. Jesus Christ is genuinely honored. The Word of God is taught with faithfulness and integrity. God is truly glorified in worship and in community. The people of Redeemer Fellowship demonstrate a sincere desire for fellowship with Him. He is the undeniable center of this fellowship, the very reason they gather each week. The fellowship we experience, centered around the Lord and His Word, mirrors the beautiful description of the early church in Acts 2:
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common (Acts 2:42-44 ESV).
If you find yourself discouraged in your own search for a church where Jesus is undeniably central, please do not give up. Do not settle for a church that leaves you spiritually unfulfilled. Continue to diligently seek.
Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his face continually. (1 Chronicles 16:11).
