FINDING THE
A Guide for Those Searching for a Church Home
Pastor Larry Wilson
“One of the most difficult challenges in our day is
to find a solid church — where the Gospel is powerfully and clearly proclaimed
every week, where the worship is reverent and substantive, and where the people
have a genuine love for each other” (Dr. Michael Horton, co-host of the White Horse Inn
radio broadcast, author of Putting
Amazing Back Into Grace).
Are you facing this
challenge? What should you do?
Resolve to find it
First
of all, realize that the Lord intends for you to be actively involved in a
local church. This is not an option for
Christians. (See http://www.indyopc.org/whyjoin.htm
). Bible studies and other informal affairs are very valuable, but they
can never substitute for the church with its corporate worship, ministry of the
Word and sacraments, and shepherding care.
If the Lord has guided you to live in a certain
place, then you can expect that he has a church that is right for you in that area. It may not be all that you’d wish for in a
church. It may not be exactly like the
churches you have enjoyed in the past.
But it will be the right one for you at this time.
Focus your search
Determine to go with the right motives. The value of your participation in any church
is found not so much in what you get out of it as in what you give of yourself
to the Lord and his people in that place.
If your main concern is to find a church in order to meet your needs,
you will inevitably be disappointed. But
if you go to the church in order to give to the Lord your grateful worship and
to share his love with the people there, then you’re on the right track.
Identify the most likely congregations. These may come from websites, personal
recommendations, newspaper ads, or the yellow pages. If possible, “let your fingers do the
walking.” Contact churches by phone,
talk to someone (e.g. the pastor) who has a good feel for the church and its
ministries, and ask direct questions about the issues that are of concern to
you — view of Scripture, view of worship, commitment to evangelism and
missions, opportunities for children, etc.
Once you identify the most likely candidates, visit
them. Don’t
make snap judgments. Keep in mind that one visit is hardly sufficient to gain a
fair impression of a church. Three or four times will be necessary in most
cases.
Approach each congregation with a spirit of open
expectation.
Don’t be a “nit picker.” Try to look at each church’s particular strengths. Seek
to identify with that congregation’s style of responding to God. “Accentuate
the positive.”
Look for marks of a healthy church
Look for “marks” or indications of a healthy church,
such as:
Is it Christ-centered? Does it focus on Jesus as God incarnate, as
Savior and Lord, the only Mediator between God and man, as Prophet, Priest, and
King, and as the Head of the church?
Does it do so not in the context of a “Jesus only” theology, but in the
context of a balanced emphasis on the Triune God — God the Father working by
God the Son through God the Holy Spirit?
Is it devoted to God’s Word? Is there faithful teaching and preaching of
the Word of God? Is there a commitment not only to knowledge of the Bible but
obedient submission to its authority in the lives of individuals and in the
life of the congregation as a whole?
Does it give priority to God-centered worship? Be wary of churches that seek to
entertain. Look for a balanced exercise
of the biblical elements of worship and an atmosphere of both reverence and
rejoicing. Is the worship service just
an empty form? Or is the “liturgy” an instrument
for the active working of Jesus Christ by his Holy Spirit through his
Word? Is it a genuine meeting and
engaging of the Triune God with his people?
Is it nurturing?
Devotion to God produces a loving, caring fellowship where people
support, encourage, and edify one another through personal relationships and
educational ministries.
Does it show commitment to evangelism and missions? The proclamation of the gospel message in the
world is a major interest of a healthy church.
It is not chiefly concerned with its own maintenance and survival.
Major in the majors
Remember that no church will perfectly exhibit all
of these characteristics. Every
congregation is at best a “jar
of clay” made up of sinful human beings (see 2 Corinthians 4:7). Don’t flatter yourself by thinking that a
church with shortcomings is beneath you.
In God’s sight, maybe your shortcomings are worse than theirs.
Beware of churches whose
primary commitment to Christ is overshadowed by disproportionate stress on a
secondary identity
such as Presbyterian, or Baptist, or Bible-believing, or orthodox, or
evangelistic, or charismatic, or liturgical, or whatever. These distinctives are often important, but they are not all-important.
(See http://www.opc.org/nh.html?article_id=349
)
Seek to differentiate between the “marks” of a true
church and your own personal tastes and preferences. Such matters as style of
worship, leadership personalities, organizational procedures, outreach
programs, methods of nurture, types of music, and emphasis on certain doctrines
— although they are important considerations — are not as important as the
matters mentioned above. Don’t be guilty
of a common mistake — “majoring in the minors and minoring
in the majors” — insisting most upon what’s less important and insisting least upon
what’s most important.
Remember that your choice of a church will always involve trade-offs. You
will choose to tolerate certain undesirable features in order to be a part of
what seems more crucial. It’s completely
unrealistic to expect to find a church where you agree with everything.
I once heard Dr. Billy Graham give this wise
counsel, “If you ever find a perfect church, by all means join it. Just
remember that, the moment you do, it will cease to be perfect.”
Involve yourself
When you do find a church to join, commit yourself
wholeheartedly. Don’t be tentative,
thinking that if things don’t turn out according to your expectations you will
leave. Church membership is somewhat
like marriage — disagreements and disappointments are normal and are to be
worked through in the context of the Lord’s love.
Seek to build strong relationships with the people in general
and the church leadership in particular.
Don’t be passive. Take the
initiative if necessary. Don’t be impatient. This takes time.
Give honest encouragement to church leaders whenever
possible. Pray regularly for them and
let them know you’re doing so. When you
observe something that needs improvement, offer your help to those responsible
for that area of church life.
Christ Covenant Church is a mission work of the
Orthodox Presbyterian Church, an attempt to plant a solid, faithful, healthy
church in