How to Choose the Right Church For You
The Fall is a time that many people start to think about returning to church. Especially if you have school-aged kids, the rhythms of life, school, and activities are starting to fall back into place, and you’re thinking this could be a good time to add church back to your life. How do you choose the right church for you?
When we had two kids under two, we had a simple checklist: it needed to be close to home, and it needed to have a nursery. I’m certainly not going to discount proximity and childcare, but I now would add three other key areas to consider when choosing a church.
1. Word. Is this church centered on and saturated with God’s Word? God speaks to us through his Word, and so it is in the pages of Scripture that we come to know him and grow to enjoy him more. The Bible is one of the key gifts that God has given us to grow in our faith, and so it needs to be central to our lives as believers. Sunday morning at a healthy church will be saturated with Scripture. Of course, the Bible will be read and taught, but it will also fill the songs, prayers, and words throughout the service. Additionally, you’ll want to look for other opportunities outside of Sunday morning to grow in God’s Word with your fellow believers.
2. Worship. Typically, when we think about evaluating a church on its worship, we think of style or experience. Do I like the music and vibe? Did the service connect with me on an emotional level? Again, these are not unimportant questions, but I’d suggest they shouldn’t be the primary way we evaluate worship. Instead, we should focus on the aim of worship. First and foremost, worship is meant to glorify God. We gather to praise and honor God, and so we should seek out churches where the primary aim is glorifying and enjoying God. Second, biblical worship is transformative. The Bible teaches again and again that we become what we worship (Psalm 115:8). We want worship that is helping us grow to be more like Jesus. In worship, we behold him and become like him (2 Corinthians 3:18). Worship then is about glorifying God, and as we honor God, he works to grow us in faith, in hope, and in love.
3. Welcome. Finally, we want to choose churches where we feel welcome. We want to feel at home at our church. We want to feel loved at our church. Sometimes when we talk about church, it can sound like we’re shopping for religious services. We can approach it like choosing our dentist or our kids’ school. I am incredibly thankful for both our dentists and our schools, but choosing a church is committing to a family of faith. A church is a place where you belong. It should be a place where you are known, cared for, and loved. Look for a church where you feel welcomed, where you feel at home.
Thankfully, we have many good and faithful churches in Hickory where you can find these three elements. My prayer is that God would give you wisdom and grace as you look for a church. If you want to learn more about Christ the King, please reach out to us.
