From the book, “What People Ask About The Church,” by Dale A. Robbins — 8 — It goes without saying that every believer should have a church home
where he or she attends regularly. If you are not a part of such a fellowship, the
following advice will be invaluable to your search. (1) Look for a church prayerfully. As is the case
with all other aspects of a Christian's decisions, you should begin your search for a
church by seeking the Lord's direction. The Bible promises, "In all your ways
acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Prov. 3:6). (2) Look for good prospects. You might search for
listings in the newspaper or in the yellow pages. Always seek the congregation which is
evangelical and Bible-based. A referral from a trusted Christian friend is the most
frequent way people are introduced to a church. A visit or two is helpful, but there is no
way to really evaluate a church without attending most services for a month or so. (3) Look for a fellowship of believers. A church is
not a building, nor is it merely a ministry, it is the body of Christ. So seek people who
love the Lord and who love each other — people that will love you and people to whom
you can give your love. (4) Look for the church that preaches the Bible. Seek
the fellowship that has sound doctrine, proclaims the whole counsel of God's Word, and
sincerely lifts up the Lord Jesus Christ in worship and in all they do. Much of this can
be discovered by observation, but most fellowships have a printed statement of their
doctrines they will provide to you upon request. For clarity, you can speak with the
pastor or leadership about their beliefs or practices. (5) Look for a church that has good character. Seek
a loving, peaceful, stable church which has a pastor devoted to godliness, prayer and the
word, which are more important than his eloquence, education or charisma. (6) Look for a church that will help draw you closer to
Christ. It might be nice to find a church where the music is flawless, where the
seats are padded and the minister dismisses promptly at noon. But more importantly, you
need a church that cares about you and will help meet your spiritual needs — that
will inspire you to grow, and will motivate you toward the aspirations of God. You need a
church whose preaching and teaching will not merely appease or entertain you, but will
boldly challenge you to advance beyond your comfort zones to live toward God's high
ideals. (7) Look for a church where you can become committed.
In many ways, your relationship with the church is similar to a marriage — what you
get out of it depends on what you put into it. The only church in which you will ever grow
and mature spiritually is the fellowship where you will commit yourself and get involved
— where you will care about more than your own self-centered needs and reach out to
minister to the needs of others — where the people submit themselves to God and to
each other, and where they will both encourage you and hold you accountable. (8) Seek that fellowship that is attempting to reach lost
souls. Find the fellowship that is seeking to bring lives to Christ, both in
their community and on foreign mission fields. Such a church understands its purpose on
the earth and will provide a healthy environment in which to grow. (9) Look for a church where you can contribute.
I've often heard the comparison made between a church and a restaurant — a place
where you get served a meal. But actually, the church is more like a pot luck dinner. What
you bring with you to church is added to the content of the meal. Your contribution to the
gathering helps to make it what it is. Therefore, seek the church where you can roll up
your sleeves and help them to minister to others. Don't look for a church that will only
"serve you," but look for a church in which you can "serve." Always
remember, a church is the combination of what its people are. So if you want your church
to be the best it can be, you must be the best you can be. A church can never rise above
what its individual members are. (10) Be ready to accept the individuality of a church. Frequently
people look for a church like the one in which they got saved, or like one they see on TV.
But this is futile, because even though a church might have the same beliefs or
similarities as another, every church is distinct and different in its personality, just
like people are. Always use the Bible as the standard to measure a church — not other
churches. (11) Look for a church with reasonable expectations.
Don't bother looking for a perfect church, because there aren't any. In every church you
will find people who are wonderful and some who aren't. Jesus taught that it was common
for weeds to be found growing together with the crops (Matt. 13:24-30). Also, in every
church, you'll find some things done well, and others that are not. Don't worry about
finding a perfect pastor, either. Trust me, they're all human and will make mistakes. But
look for a pastor who is sincere, who is trying his best to live a godly moral life, and
who is proclaiming the uncompromised Word of God. In short, be content with the church
that is doing the best they can. There are probably many good churches in your community. Trust the Lord to guide you to the fellowship where he wants you, and become faithful there. Don't be a church hopper — bouncing around to one church after another each week. God wants you to be submitted to the accountability of spiritual leaders who will help you and even correct you when necessary (Heb. 13:17), and this isn't possible unless you are rooted somewhere. Don't have a neglectful attitude, going to church only when you feel like it. Attend faithfully and show up on time. Serve your church at least as diligently as you would your employer. Remember, the Lord views your attitude toward His church as your attitude toward Him (Matt. 25:40), so serve the Lord in a way that if He were your employer, you wouldn't get fired. This article is copyrighted © by Dale A. Robbins, 1995, and is a publication of Victorious Publications, Grass Valley, CA 95949. Unless otherwise stated, all scripture references were taken from The New King James Bible, © Thomas Nelson Inc., 1982.You may download for personal use as long as you retain credit to the author. Obtain permission before reproducing copies for any reason, by filling out our simple permission form. For media reproduction rights, or to obtain published quantities of this title, . |
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