What Church Should I Go To?: A Complete Guide for Choosing a Church

Just began your journey as a new believer?

Praise the Lord!

But, you’re probably asking yourself, “What church should I go to?”

As a new Christian, it’s crucial to find a good church where you can fellowship with other Christians and deepen your faith.

However, choosing a church can be draining given that you can only visit one church a week. As such, your search for a good church can be spread over several months.

While there’s no perfect church, you can be sure to find a suitable one by following the tips below:

1. Clarify Your Convictions

Before investing years of your life in a church, you need to ascertain whether its theological convictions align with yours. This entails investigating a church’s stance on the problem of sin, the Holy Spirit, among other doctrinal beliefs.

Although the understanding of these convictions is a continuous process, you’ll want to define your non-negotiable doctrines and what you can tolerate. This ensures that you’ll be comfortable with the church’s way of doing things without feeling irked.

2. Qualified Leadership

Church leadership is the fabric that holds the community of believers together. Therefore, if a church’s leadership is in wrangles, it’s likely that it lacks order. This can be detrimental in the way church resources are handled and how services are conducted.

You must also investigate the leaders’ integrity, strength, and weaknesses. This helps reveal their competence in leading the congregation and teaching of sound doctrine.

Ideal leaders should be committed to lead believers in worship as well as promote spiritual maturity.

3. Style of Worship

Different churches have different styles of worshipping in terms of the way services are conducted. For instance, if you grew up in a contemporary-styled church, you may feel a little bit restricted when you attend the formal liturgical church such as a Roman Catholic Church.

Also, some churches prefer traditional hymns and choruses as worship music, while others have full bands that lead in contemporary worship music. Therefore, you need to ensure the style of worship in a church allows you to express your adoration to God without feeling constrained.

4. Unity and Fellowship

A good church is one that welcomes all people regardless of whether they’re saved or not.

If you feel unwelcomed in a church because of one reason or another, then that may not be the place for you.

It’s also possible to be welcomed in a church, but still, feel disconnected with the rest of the congregation. For instance, a church may have a huge percentage of married couples which makes it challenging for singles and widowed members to connect with the rest.

Thus, look for a church that has different people in different stages of life including your own.

5. View of Holiness

As a Christian, you’re required to maintain sanctity and live up to the moral standards of the church. However, as the secular activities become normalized in society, it becomes difficult for Christians as well as churches to set a defining line between secularism and sanctity.

It’s the role of the church to help the congregation discern a religious life from the cultures of the world. A church should also challenge its people to live up to the moral standards set up in the scriptures.

6. Size of the Church

Some Christians prefer small congregations because of the close-knit environment it provides.

On the other hand, others may prefer large churches so that they can worship without being easily noticed. Moreover, if you wish to engage in community work and outreach programs, a church with a large congregation may be the right one for you.

Choose a congregation size that you’re most comfortable with.

7. Programs Offered

Church programs go a long way into ensuring all members actively contribute to the growth of the church.

For instance, Parkway Fellowship has a range of kids’ and youth programs that encourage their contribution to the church community as well as model them into God-fearing adults.

So, if you have a teenager or kid, ensure your choice of church has programs that cater to their spirituality.

8. Church Mission

There’s more to a church than just Sunday morning worship services. And just as St. Paul puts it, a church needs “to run in such a way, as not without aim” (1 Cor. 9:26).

A faithful church will adhere to these teaching and establish plans for future progression. It can be anything from setting up more subsidiaries to help spread the Gospel to organizing charities to help the less fortunate.

9. Ask for Recommendations From Friends and Family

If your friends conform to the same doctrinal beliefs as you, you’ll probably find comfort in the church they attend.

Even if they’ve different convictions from yours, they may still be able to refer you to a good church since they know what you prefer.

10. Pray About It

In your search for an ideal church, it’s possible to feel frustrated and tired, especially if it takes a long time.

However, through prayers, you welcome divine rejuvenation that strengthens you. Even better, God gives you the wisdom to help you with your journey of seeking a church.

So, What Church Should I Go To?

There’s no straightforward answer to the question “what church should I go to”, since there isn’t a perfect church. All church members are flawed in one way or another and that’s why Christians seek spiritual nourishment and the hope of salvation through fellowshipping with other believers in a church.

To help you find a solid church that honors the word of God, be sure to consider the above tips.

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