How do you know a Church is right for you?

[Quty_Bug]

I’ve never posted in this forum, but I am really going through something right now and am hoping to get a little insight on the situation.

I was saved in 2004 and I gave my life over to God. I was a member of a Church on God in Christ (COGIC) Church and was really thriving there. The Church was small and allowed me to interact with people on a personal level and I learned soooo much.

To make a long story short – I found that I did not agree with the Church’s beliefs completely and I eventually had to leave.

The Church I found was great, but due to me being in the Military I had to move. This was in 2005 and since then I haven’t really gone to Church and I feel as though I have turned my back on God.

Lately I feel as though God is calling me back and I really feel as though he is speaking to me – I’m having dreams and well just “feelings”. I’m just starting back reading my Bible and praying daily, but I feel like I should be doing more. I'm just not sure what erplexed.

I am looking for a Church now, but I really have no idea what to look for. I have learned from my previous experience to learn their vision and beliefs before attending, but what else should I be looking for in a Church?

 

[Renewed1]

I'm going through the samething right now. Now, I'm the the type of person that I cannot go to a church just to say that I "GO TO CHURCH". I have to know and feel that this particular church is right for me. With that said, I foremost prayed and asked God to guide me and my heart and I asked for a church that meet some small requirements of mine (ie multi-cultural, big, etc).

-Ask others where they attend.

-Surf the net, you will find churches in your area. Plus, most churches have either video or audio recordings of their services online. I used this alot to determine which church is right for me.

 

[Ms.Honey]

I’ve never posted in this forum, but I am really going through something right now and am hoping to get a little insight on the situation.

I was saved in 2004 and I gave my life over to God. I was a member of a Church on God in Christ (COGIC) Church and was really thriving there. The Church was small and allowed me to interact with people on a personal level and I learned soooo much.

To make a long story short – I found that I did not agree with the Church’s beliefs completely and I eventually had to leave.

The Church I found was great, but due to me being in the Military I had to move. This was in 2005 and since then I haven’t really gone to Church and I feel as though I have turned my back on God.

Lately I feel as though God is calling me back and I really feel as though he is speaking to me – I’m having dreams and well just “feelings”. I’m just starting back reading my Bible and praying daily, but I feel like I should be doing more. I'm just not sure what erplexed.

I am looking for a Church now, but I really have no idea what to look for. I have learned from my previous experience to learn their vision and beliefs before attending, but what else should I be looking for in a Church?

You're reading your bible and praying so your on the right track.
The Lord assigns us to churches. He puts us in a church were our needs are going to be met and where we are to minister to Him and the saints. That doesn't mean that we are going to like everything about our church or the way things are done but we trust God because He's the one who sent us there in the first place.

We submit to that authority as unto the Lord, meaning according to His Word. As long as they don't conflict with what the Word says then we pray and ask God to show both sides the truth because yes, we could be the ones who are wrong sometimes and K.I.M. If He told us to go there then we stay there unless He tells us to leave. If it's a church that we've picked because we liked such and such about that particular church, then we need to ask Jesus exactly where does He want us to attend. We may already be there.

My church has a church somewhere in Germany I believe. Let me know if you want the info. If it's not where God called you to be then they will help you find your church home.

 

[PaperClip]

Here's an article from www.crosswalk.com that I hope offers some useful information.

http://www.crosswalk.com/pastors/11538267/

How to Spot a Healthy Church - Quickly
Ray Pritchard--Keep Believing Ministries

Here's the core of the article:

I have come to the conclusion that there are two very obvious indicators of church health that the one-time visitor can gauge very quickly.

1. Hearty congregational singing.
2. Obvious affection between the pastor and the congregation.

 

[HeChangedMyName]

Pray for God to send you to a church and listen for the answer. It may come in the form of an invitation to the church by someone who you may not think would even know anything about the Bible, much less a church. Or God may just tell you directly. Once you pray for a church home let the Holy Spirit direct you to where you need to be. . .


That happened to me in 2004. I asked God and he brought to my mind an invitation that I had received a year prior by a person who I had hardly seen or spoken to since that time. I went to the church and that first Sunday it was as though God was just excited to see me step in the place. I kept looking up because spiritually, it felt like there was some excitement going on above my head around about the ceiling. . .He told me then to join but I was chicken. I joined the following Sunday though, and have been there every since. The interesting thing is that the person who invited me wasn't even there and I didn't know a single person there but I felt like I instantly loved all of the members and the pastor "felt" like a father figure to me. I just felt at home.

 

[Duchesse]

Echoing basically what everyone else wrote, pray about it and visit different churches.

I recently joined a church a few weeks ago and I'm currently taking the new member classes. I had been feeling really spiritually disconnected for a while and knew that I needed a church home. The funny thing is, I've visited this church several times in the past, as my mother and other family members are members.

Before I was ready to take the next step and announce my faith in Christ, I always had something bad to say about this particular church...it's too big, too showy, the choir sings too much, too this and too that. I realize now that was the enemy trying to keep me down and away from a congregation that I needed to be in.

But once I made the intentional change in myself, one Sunday, I just felt suddenly, this is it. This is where I'm supposed to be. I sincerely feel that God wants me in this particular church for a reason.

Like you wrote, of course research the churches doctrinal beliefs first and foremost. Look for a place where you can feel at home and that your spirit will be nurtured. You will know it when you find it.

 

[Caramela]

Compare what is being taught in the church to what the bible says. If the church's teachings and actions reflect those of the bible if not then

 

[Quty_Bug]

Thank you ladies for the advice and kind words.

My supervisor is always talking about her church, but she has never offered me an invite. I think i'll ask her about it today.

 

[daydreem2876]

Because God will tell you... plain and simple

 

[Quty_Bug]

Here's an article from www.crosswalk.com that I hope offers some useful information.

http://www.crosswalk.com/pastors/11538267/

How to Spot a Healthy Church - Quickly
Ray Pritchard--Keep Believing Ministries

Here's the core of the article:


I have come to the conclusion that there are two very obvious indicators of church health that the one-time visitor can gauge very quickly.

1. Hearty congregational singing.
2. Obvious affection between the pastor and the congregation.

Great article, thanks for sharing this.

 

[Quty_Bug]

Okay, I talked to my supervisor this morning and her face lit up when I asked if I could come to her Church this Sunday. I’ll continue to pray about it, but I am excited!

Thank you ladies again for the guidance.