Are You Looking For A Church Home?
As Christians, it is very
important for us to find a good church. However, there are so many
churches around today that it can be hard to make a decision. So, how do
you go about finding a good church for you and your family? Here are
some things that you should do whenever you are looking for church to
join.
Before you do anything else you should take some time to pray. Take time
to seek the Lord's directions. After all, the Bible does teach us: "In
all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."
(Proverbs 3:6)
Find a church that is in a good location according to where you live.
Looking through your local newspaper or phone book will help you locate
nearby churches. Another option is to ask a good Christian friend. Find
out where they worship and what they like and dislike about it. Ask if
they've worshiped anywhere else in the area and, if so, why they moved.
Recommendations are usually the best way to get a list of good potential
churches.
Spend some time visiting the churches that you have selected. Go and
worship with them to find out more about the congregation and their
beliefs. While you're there keep an eye out for things you're looking
for in a church and things you know you want to avoid. Make sure to
stick around after the service to talk with members of the congregation.
See if you get along with them and whether you share the same beliefs.
Learn about the church's history. You should ask how and where the
church began. This will help you understand any affiliations that they
may have. After all, you want to make sure that the church is
accountable to someone.
Be certain that you know and understand the church's government and
discipline. Whatever the discipline it should be based on a firm Biblical
foundation.
Take some time to meet with the minister. Since the minister is the
leader of the church, you should ask him about the congregation's
beliefs. While you can discover this simply by reading the church's
statement of faith, it is much better if you and the church's pastor can
sit down and talk for a while before you join the church. This way you
will get to know the pastor outside of the church setting. While this is
not the first thing that you should do, if you're seriously considering
joining a church it is a must. You do not want to blindly follow
someone.
Do not rush into joining a church. Instead, spend some time in
fellowship with church members. Remember, a church is not a building; it
is a body of people who make up the body of Christ. These are people
that are going to need to love and accept you and, of course, you are
going to have to love and accept them too. So you will want to make sure
that this is the right place for you and your family before joining the
church.
Once you have found what you believe will make a great church home for
you and your family, it is time for you to pursue joining that church.
Of course, we pray that you will find a home here with us at Broadway
United Methodist Church. However we reiterate that this should be a
decision that you make only after going through each and every one of
the above steps and should we not be your choice, we pray that you will
be successful in your search because we believe that everyone should
have a church home. Certainly, if there is anything that we can do to
assist you, we will be more than happy to do so. Good luck and God
bless!
