How To Find A Good Church?
Posted: Sunday, February 08, 2009
by Asher Ricard
Churches are made up of people so I am no way implying that they are honest or perfect. Over the last decade, church attendance continues to dwindle. Pastors have sat scratching their heads in confusion as to why people are not going to church.
It really is simple, however. To those who are Christians and who are not Christians, one thing seems to matter. Is the church I am going to attend an honest church that models Jesus Christ.
What is important? I have found that if a church loves Jesus and models his principles, it is a growing church that loves people.
Recently, my eyes were open to my own church and how little it was modeling the love of Christ. Don't get me wrong, there are great Christians in every church, but here are a list of items we have found necessary for us to consider it a good church and what we find essential in churches we attend.
Does it preach from the Bible?
Believe it or not, but some churches shy away from quoting scripture during sermons or worse they take scripture out of context and shape it so that it proves their own point. If your church isn't teaching from the word of God, chances are you aren't learning to be more like Christ, which is a major determining factor for finding churches.
Are You Growing Spiritually?
Does the church teach you to be more like Christ or equip you to Christ like living? I think most Christians have become frustrated trying to find a church that brings them closer to Christ. Most churches today have become glorified country clubs. It is sad actually. No, one sermon a week is not going to make you have a personal relationship with Christ, but it should equip you. The great thing about the church my family attends is that Sunday service equips its people. It provides daily devotionals, programs to meet and relate with other Christians as well as opportunities to serve the community and beyond. Sermons are convicting and Bible-based.
Does your church model what it preaches?
Honestly, I have just came out of a bad church situation so this topic may come off bitterly. It is important to my family that if a sermon on Sunday tells me to live my life a certain way, then the church must also live that way. For example, if a pastor gets on stage and tells the congregation they should be giving a tenth of their income to tithe each week, month, etc. Then I expect the church to give a tenth of its income. The church we just left was not and worse they were including their dues to its convention as part of that giving area. Another example is showing Christ's love to the community. If they never give back to the surrounding community in times of crisis, then they are missing the mark. When moving to a new area, watch the news to see what churches help out. Ask people in the community what they know about the church you are trying out. You will be able to tell its involvement by their responses.
Do you feel welcome?
You do not want your family to feel unwanted. That is not what church is about. If a church you attend seems unwelcoming or cliquish then you might consider going somewhere else. You want your kids to feel at home at church so that later on they feel at home with God.
These obviously are just the criteria that my family finds important. Belonging at a church should be something that the whole family can agree on and it will be different for each family. Take your time and pray. Going to church should never be something that is dreaded on Sunday morning. When it becomes that way, it might be time to move on to another place to worship. After all, if you are unable to worship, then what is the point in going to church.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)You have made so many good points here, and I agree wholeheartedly with each and every one of them. I hope others, both Christian or not, will read and listen.Thanks for a great article.
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