As a young adult who has moved to a new city and is newly married, I needed to find a new church to call home. I have only ever been a part of one church community since I was a little kid, so when I moved away it was important to me to find another church that I could become a member of. It’s not always easy to find somewhere that fits your spiritual needs. I am happy that my husband and I have found a church community that we love and can see ourselves in for life. So, here is a guide on what to look for when searching for a new church to join.
Firstly, we need to address why belonging to a church and having a community is so important. In the bible, it tells us that when we are believers in Christ, we need to surround ourselves with other believers. We are not meant to be alone, Genesis 2:18 says, “The Lord God said, It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
When we find a strong church community, we are with the other believers that God made suitable for us. Other reasons why it’s important is because church members hold us accountable for our actions and it is a place for discipleship. Your church family should be filled with people that you can connect with and count on.
When looking for the right church to join you need to look for these certain things:
- The church needs to be doctrinally sound. What does this mean? This means that the church teaches from the bible and believes in one God. The pastor teaches and is inspired by the Word of God and helps the members understand what the bible says. The church should also teach you salvation through Jesus. Also, the church should walk the walk, not talk the talk.
- Look for a church that has a strong youth program. When there is a strong youth program it shows that they are committed to bringing up children in the light of God. To teach them the Gospel.
- You want to be welcomed by the members of the family. You want to be able to have a relationship with the members and not just someone you talk to on Sundays. The members should be people you can depend on through good and bad seasons.
- Look for a church that encourages you to have a strong, committed relationship with God and where you can be yourself. It’s important to find a church community that will not only hold you accountable but also be loving and graceful to help guide you back to the Gospel.
For me, leaving my home church was scary and sad. I didn’t want to have to find a new church and create new relationships with people. But I needed to have an open mind and listen to God as he guided me through the process.
For now, my husband and I enjoy the church community we have and feel like it is our home. It’s a place that we see ourselves raising a family in. The foundation of the church is strong and the people in the church are welcoming and dependable.
