The hunt for a new church home is no easy task, yet it’s an increasingly common one for young adults today. If you find yourself wanting to make a switch, you’re not alone.
Maybe you recently moved away to college or landed in a new city for a new job. Perhaps you haven’t attended church in a while and know it’s time to go back. Or maybe you just need a change and want to see what’s out there.
Whatever your reasons, two primary questions must be answered when searching for a new church:
What does a healthy, biblically faithful church look like?
How do I find one that’s a good fit for me?
“When deciding to change churches, you need to use discernment,” advises Josh Zeichik, director of church engagement and leader of The Focused Pastor at Focus on the Family. “Finding a congregation and a pastor committed to biblical truth and practices is crucial.”
Fortunately, there are principles outlined in Scripture that help us identify and answer the above questions. Here are a few to help you in your quest.
Marks of a healthy, biblically faithful church
1. Has biblically sound doctrine.
What does the church believe, practice and teach? Heed the warning found in 2 Timothy 4:3 and ensure that doctrine is preached from the pulpit and follows the example of the Bereans who evaluated Paul’s words as to whether they agreed with Scripture.
Doctrine must also be modeled in the ministries and small groups of the church. While Sundays are set aside primarily to receive the Word of God, midweek groups, classes and outreaches are intended to prioritize the application of the Word of God. If becoming more like Jesus through the study of and obedience to the Scriptures is not happening, that’s a red flag.
2. Is rooted in truth and love.
A healthy church teaches and displays both. In Ephesians 4:15-16, Paul calls the church to speak the truth in love so that the church grows up and works well together.
Ask yourself what you hear in the church’s tone in everything from the pulpit to the small groups to the after-church lunch gatherings. When you struggle with doubt, sin and confusion, how are you shepherded? Is it with uncompromised truth? Is it in patient displays of love? This takes time to uncover but is vital to your evaluation.
3. Practices the “one another” commandments found in Scripture.
The New Testament tells the church how to function. It gives us instructions for how to relate to each other. These instructions are called the “one another” statements, and there are over 50 of them. Instructions such as confessing sin to one another, forgiving one another, praying for one another, serving one another, loving one another and comforting one another are included among others.
With so many clear instructions for how the church should function, you would be foolish to overlook whether they are taking place in the church you are considering joining. Familiarize yourself with the “one another” verses and treat them like a checklist to determine if they are being displayed in the churches you visit.
How to find a good church fit
Once you’ve established and sought out your non-negotiables for a church in the areas of Christian doctrine and practices, you can explore what might uniquely make a good church fit for you. After all, your church should be a family — a place where you are loved, challenged, fed, and can give and serve. Some things to try:
1. Identify what you’re looking for.
What’s important to you? An active young adult ministry? An opportunity to serve in a particular capacity? A smaller congregation size — or a larger one? These are preferences, not must-haves, but are worth considering.
2. Give it ample time.
Visit for a month or more, not just a week. Don’t be too hasty to write off a church for non-essential reasons. Take in multiple sermons, events and seasons if it will help you get a feeling for the church’s vision and mission.
3. Ask godly friends, family members and others for recommendations.
Other local churchgoers whom you trust can help you narrow down the pros and cons of churches with which they are familiar. Use their expertise where you can.
4. Talk to people in the congregation.
Get to know a few people in each church. Ask them why they decided on this church as their church home. How have they grown? Where do they serve? Where could they see you fitting in?
5. Seek out opportunities to get plugged in.
Try a small group, prayer meeting, or young adults Bible study. Attend a midweek service and go out with people afterward. What would it look like for you to call this church your own?
When you consider all these things and evaluate the options before you, the freedom you have in Christ to choose a biblically faithful church becomes clear. Pray over your choice. Listen closely to the Holy Spirit’s voice as you make your decision. He won’t lead you astray. Embrace the discernment we inherit as believers in pursuit of righteousness.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
While God’s path in a decision isn’t always obvious or easy, He has promised to bless those who live according to His will. Purehearted efforts in picking a new church are part of that blessing.
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