How does one go about choosing a church? The pat answer most would give is, "I chose this church because I felt this was the one God called me to." Well, great. I can't argue with that. But actually, most church members made their choice on a practical level as well.
Most people actually choose their church based on factors such as:
Traditional upbringing- Your family has been in this church/denomination for 6 generations.
Worship asthetic preference- You like this type of Music, architecture/decor, litergy, lighting, length...etc.
Programming- They have specific ministries for kids, Teens, or mission emphasis, arts
Preaching style- You prefer the pastor to be Teaching topically, expositorially, "Hell, Fire, & Brimstone"...Etc.
Leadership style- You desire your pastor to be available to me and my needs as opposed to other staff care-givers.
Proximity to home- You need to be in your neighborhood, I don't mind driving a ways...
Size- You like a church to be big, small, in-between, multi-campus
Peers- You like a church to be similar to me in ethnicity, socio-economically, age, or education level
Feel- You like a welcoming friendly church, or You like a casual come as you are feel, Maybe you like a formal style
All these are extremely valid as far as comfort level goes. They should be factored in for sure! But they are, in my opinion, secondary to more foundational concerns. Here are some real big issues to examine when looking for a church that will feed you, challenge you, and help fulfill your calling:
1. Look at the doctrine- Is it Biblical? Carefully go through the doctrinal statement most churches post on their website. Are there small groups for all ages that meet to study the word of God and live in community? This goes beyond the label and brand.
2. Is the worship vertical?- Whatever the worship style, the focus should be on addressing God personally. It should lean away from performance/observation and toward engagement of the congregation in authentic expressions that glorify God.
3. Is it growing? How?- All things that are healthy grow. A church that is stagnated or declining is a bad sign. Is the congregation and is the leadership commited to remaining culturally relevant or are they refusing to change? Do they welcome new folks? Are the believers that go there changing to be more and more like Jesus everyday? Life change is constant in a healthy church. Are they reaching new people? Is the numerical growth due to winning new believers or just swapping sheep that got mad at the church down the road?
4. What is the Baptism to Budget ratio?- How many souls were won compared to membership and dollars is a good indicator of health. I recently saw a report on a church with 1000 members and a 9 million dollar budget that only baptized 7 people in one year! That is not a Biblical model.
5. Is there a well defined mission?- The whole body should be able to enunciate the vision of the church. All programming should revolve around this central purpose. Are the people being equipped to serve? Why do they exist? What are they doing with the edification they receive there? If the church disappeared tomorrow would the community even miss it?
Choosing a church is a highly personal decision and should not be taken lightly. Once you do find one, though, you need to go ahead and join. Get plugged in with a small group. Find a place of service. Support it with your resources. Build the kingdom there. Don't just consume, contribute. There is nothing more fulfilling and edifying that joining ranks with others who have found grace.
How did you know your church was "the one"? Are there other factors to consider that I did not cover? What do you think? I'd love to hear from you in the comments of this blog. Feel free to share this artical with others, especially ones still looking for a place to call home.
We definitely took/take into consideration where we are in life. Like when we were in college we did a lot with churches that had made outreach to the college as their focus. Now that we have kids we're glad to be at BBC Franklin with other parents that we can learn from. I think your numbered points are where to start and then one can look at things pertaining directly to family needs, etc.
Posted by: ADamnGoodRead | 10/15/2013 at 02:08 PM