How Do I Know What Church to Attend?

Since there are so many churches in most communities, choosing one to attend can be confusing. Here are a few things to consider:

The Church’s Doctrine: Does the church subscribe to the doctrines of historic biblical Christianity? These doctrines include the inspiration, inerrancy and final authority of Scripture, the triune Godhead, the virgin birth and deity of Christ, the substitutionary death of Christ, his bodily resurrection, the necessity of the new birth by faith, the universal Body of Christ and the imminent return of Christ.

The Church’s Reputation: Does the church have a good reputation within the community? Do people from outside of the congregation respect it? You can find this out by asking various people what they think of the church.

The Church’s Ministry: Does the church appear to have a well-rounded ministry with all of the different age groups? Does it seem to have sufficient staff to provide good leadership for its ministries? Read the church’s annual report to gain some insight into its overall ministry. Is there a clear structure in place to facilitate discipleship of new believers and outreach to the lost? Does the church appear to have an interest in serving the surrounding community as well as reaching out through its evangelism and missions emphases? Do the people of the church appear to enjoy being together? Does the church seem friendly toward outsiders and does it facilitate making newcomers feel welcome? Do the church facilities seem attractive, well-maintained and adequate for the various ministries? Is the music in church services uplifting, worshipful and inspiring?

The Church’s Vision: Does the church have a clear vision of what God wants it to be and how to get there? Do they appear to have a clear strategic plan for the future?

The Church’s Pastor(s): Does the senior pastor teach from the Bible on a regular basis? Are his messages clear and do they appear to be timely? Could you grow spiritually under his teaching/preaching ministry? Do the pastors exhibit the qualities that the Bible requires of pastors (1 Timothy 3)? Do the pastors appear to lead by example?

The Church’s Management: Is the church leadership accountable to the congregation for the management of church resources? Does the church publish its financial reports? Is the church’s leadership selected by the congregation or by members of the church hierarchy?

The answers to some of these questions may not be obtained until you have attended the church for a period of time. If you are interested in attending a particular church on a regular basis or becoming a member, it would be wise to make an appointment with one of the pastors and ask these questions.