Church For You

A Basic Guide for the Beginning Church-Hunter

Why Should I Join a Church?

No one’s perfect, and churches are no exception. In fact, churches are as flawed and human as the people who are in them. That can be a scary thought when you’re looking for a place to grow and be cared for spiritually. Yet, church life is an essential part of the Christian life.

God created us to be in relationship with one another. We were not made to be alone, but to belong to families and communities. That’s why the 2nd ‘Great Commandment,’ according to Jesus, is to, “Love your neighbor as yourself (see Matthew 22:36-40).” As Christians, the spiritual family and community we’re called to be a part of is the church.

Jesus told His disciples that He was building His church and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. He appointed leaders for the early church, who taught the Bible and established the early form of the church. In Hebrews, the early church was urged, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another (Heb. 10:25).”

So, you need to find a church community in order to be a good follower of Jesus and to be obedient to God’s word. You need the teaching, support and encouragement that the church provides. Yet we know that not all churches are alike. Some churches are big and others are small. Some churches play very contemporary music and others prefer traditional hymns. And, unfortunately, some churches teach God’s word faithfully and others do not.

We've worked to provide you with a list of some local churches to check out that we believe are faithful in teaching God’s Word and that agree with our Statement of Faith. Yet even these churches vary greatly in size, style, practice and organization. How can you know which church to attend?

The Church That’s Right For You

Big or Small?

Some people really like attending a big church. Big churches often offer a greater variety of programs/services/ministries that smaller churches often cannot afford or choose not to. The music and songs in bigger churches may have a more “professional” feel and the church may even offer multiple service times to suit the tastes of different parts of the church. Other people prefer attending a smaller church, often because they feel lost in a bigger church. Small churches can often offer a better opportunity to get to know more people and to feel more like a family. Small churches may not always have as many programs or services, but they can feel more friendly and comfortable for many people. How do you know if a big church or a small one is right for you? There’s really no way to know for sure until you've experienced both. But recognize that each church is a living thing, made up of its members, so may be in the process of growth and change over time too!

Contemporary or Traditional?

Churches also vary in their worship style, particularly when it comes to music but also other service elements. Some prefer to sing modern worship songs in a contemporary and relaxed style with dim lighting, while others like the older hymns or follow more formal patterns and attire. Still other churches blend the old and new in a “blended worship” style. If you have strong feelings about worship style, you may want to call the church and ask some questions or visit their website/socials to learn more— or discuss it with a friend or someone you know who attends there.

Who Gets Baptized?

Baptism is one of the biggest differences in teaching and practice among the churches who meet our doctrinal standard of being a qualified, Biblical church. Some church "denominations" or types (Baptist, Bible, etc.) believe that a person should only be baptized once they are old enough to demonstrate a fuller understand of salvation and make an independent, public profession of faith. Other denominations (Presbyterians, Methodists, etc.) believe in also baptizing the infant or young children of believers as "children of the covenant"— that is, to be treated as part of the church even from a young age and therefore raised in the faith of their parents/families.

What it Comes Down To!

As you navigate and discover all your preferences on the above, or other topics, keep in mind some very practical tips too:

1. Proximity Matters! — Generally speaking if you're able to pick a church closer to you rather than far away, it'll be easier to get there more regularly and be involved more in the lives of those believers beyond just Sunday mornings.
2. Relationships Matter! — If you have close friend or trusted spiritual figure in your life already, consider attending church with them for at least a season...whether or not you end up staying there long term or moving on to try a different church, you'll already know someone there and be able to discuss your experience with them.
3. Stay in the Word! — If you follow Jesus then you are in fact, right now, part of his Universal or "invisible" church, regardless of where you attend or join as a member of a local "visible" church. We all go through seasons of varying growth, and that's true of church bodies as well as individual believers. You will glean so much more from your time with other believers, and be able to share more with them, if you are reading and learning God's word regularly yourself and holding each other accountable to what it says.
4. Don't be a Lone Ranger! — We were never meant to live the Christian life alone. God calls us and adopts us into his eternal family, and you can be surrounded by, encouraged by, and start getting to know your brothers and sisters in Christ now.

You will probably go through some ups and downs as you dive into church life, but that's okay! Plugging into a new community may come easy to you or maybe it takes more effort, but God is at work in the lives of His people and He WILL bless and grow you through belonging to a local family of believers :)