How To Find The Right Church For You And Your Family

Here are some vital things to look for in a church where you and your family will be well suited to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.

Sound Doctrine

No church, no matter what activities they provide for you and your family is well fitted if they do not preach sound doctrine. What Paul wrote to Timothy he writes to ever pastor at every church and that is to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Tim 4:2). Why is this so important? It’s because “the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2nd Tim 4:3-4) and I am afraid that time has come. Today you might have to search long and hard to find a church that teaches sound biblical doctrine; doctrine that rebukes the sinner, reproves the wayward, exhort the believer and having the Word taught season in and season out. There is no shortage of teachers who “devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work–which is by faith” (1st Tim 1:4). I urge you to reject “those who reject the truth” (Titus 1:4) and this means rejecting any church that doesn’t teach the truth.

Teachings for Youth

If the church you attend or hope to attend has no youth ministry or at least Sunday school classes for your children, then I would keep on looking because we are commanded teach our children about God and what He has done and this is found within the pages of the Bible under the direction of solid Sunday school teachers and lessons. Deuteronomy 11:19 says “You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” This of course is directed to parents but this can also be done in the local church by qualified Sunday school teachers using biblically based Bible lessons. Caregivers and by extension, churches, are to “be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them” (Duet 4:9). This is in order that “they may learn to revere me as long as they live in the land and may teach them to their children” (Duet 4:10c). If you have children, quality Sunday school classes and a biblically centered youth ministry are musts if you want to teach your children about God so that they might place their trust in Him someday, if they haven’t already done so.

Christ-Centered Worship

I have spoken at a few churches and one in particular disturbed me a bit. They were so focused on the Holy Spirit that Jesus’ name was not even mentioned in the services but didn’t Jesus teach that the Holy Spirit would point people to Christ? Jesus Himself taught “the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26) and “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father–the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father–he will testify about me” (John 15:26) and not about Himself or the gifts of the Spirit. Too often I have seen the Holy Spirit be the central focus of worship and the gifts almost worshiped over the Giver of the Gifts so why do churches focus on the gifts of the Spirit and not focus on Christ Himself? When you read the Bible verses in the Book of Revelation and even in the gospels, they all worshiped and focused on Christ and never on the Holy Spirit. It becomes a “me-ology” instead of a “He-ology” of which the “He” is Jesus Christ.

Discipleship

Rarely do you find a discipleship program or process being embraced by the local churches even though Jesus said in the Great Commission that we are to go and make disciples of other nations (Matt 28:19-20). That part is often overlooked. This could include a mentoring program where young men and women are being mentored or discipled by older men and women in order that they might become more and more like Christ. The word “disciple” comes from the root word for “discipline” and college courses are often referred to as disciplines so a disciple is more than a student or learner, he or she is being mentored and disciplined in the faith of Jesus Christ. We are to strive to become more like Christ in our daily walk with God and the Christian faith is a lifelong process of sanctification.

Conclusion

These are only a few things but there are also other important things to consider for you and your family when joining a church. These include sitting under and hearing expository Bible preaching which is a verse by verse expositing of the Bible where we hear the Word of God in its proper context. Topical Bible preaching can be useful but the Bible is written in the order in which it is given so that we can hear the whole counsel of God by hearing the whole Word and not just picking and choosing verses to fit a particular theme or subject. I pray that you and your family can find a good, solid Bible-teaching church where worship is all about Jesus and He is the focus because that is why we were created; to glorify God, to worship Jesus, and to enjoy Him for all time.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Blind Chance or Intelligent Design available on Amazon.