Church Pickin

“One of the objectives of the church is to make their commitment to holiness so crystal clear that people don’t join on their own initiative. But today that notion has been turned on its head in our society, and in our brand of evangelicalism.” – John MacArthur

The past couple of weeks I have been reading a book that talked about the church and now our Pastor is talking about the church. While listening to the sermon I started thinking about what we should look for and what not to look for when you are trying to figure out what church to make your home. Or, maybe you are first time church goers and are looking for a church and wonder what to look for, and this is my list. I built this list from many different areas of Scripture, but specifically the Pastoral Epistles and the areas in Matthew and Acts that talk about the church. The part of Matthew that I looked at was Chapter 18 and discipline of brothers and sisters in Christ.

One of the first things that hit me was there is never mention of picking a church based on the style of music played. Where we can choose different types of worship, it should not be the end all to the church that we choose. Singing regularly prior to a message, or as some call it “worship” was not even a regular part of the church service until after the 13th Century. Music should not be the reason you choose or leave a church, because it is not the important aspect of the service. Singing hymns will not hurt you, and enjoying a contemporary song will not cause you to lose your faith.

A good story teller also is not a reason to pick a church. The pastor being known to make the congregation laugh and tell stories with a dynamic quality is also not a reason to pick a church. That just makes them a good story teller and not necessarily a good leader of the church. It is not a bad thing, but should not be in your first consideration of why you choose or leave a church. That is just entertainment you are looking for then and not the delivery of God’s Word.

Size and type of population are not reasons either. Where you might feel better in a large or small church, it does not make it the best reason to choose a church. It is not necessarily a better church because it is bigger, and it actually may be worse based on that simple matter. The health and wealth preachers are proof of that, as they get a lot of people, but preach a different gospel then the true Word of God. Going to a church because that is where the “wealthy or poor” go is not a reason to go either, as that is just trying to make yourself feel one way or another. Trying to be part of a group based on the economic status or reputation of people is a terrible reason to pick a church. People will always disappoint you.

The denomination unfortunately today gives little reason to pick a church, as sin is running rampant within the leadership of just about every type of denomination. Some are allowing perfectly clear sin within the walls of their denomination and you should look at what is going on within those walls before choosing the church. If they are allowing apparent sin, just read the Pastoral Epistles, Romans or just about any other book, and not dealing with it and instead allowing it or rationalizing it away then you do not want to be part of it.

Then why should we choose a church? What makes a healthy church that one would want to be part of and held accountable within? First and foremost in my opinion, and I think based on 2 Timothy 3:16 and others, that they should believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God and not just the infallible Word. If a church does not believe the Word of God is inerrant then all else collapses, because how can you trust the Bible. It is just based on the human leader’s opinion and not on God’s. Infallible can only be if inerrant. If you do not see it stated, then ask if the leadership/church believes in inerrancy.

The essentials of their doctrine should line up with what Scripture says in context. Meaning that they are not just pulling verses out of the Bible and using them to rationalize what they want to believe instead of using them to truly believe what the Bible says. Though eschatology is not an “essential” in the doctrine of salvation, they should explain what they believe as it does move into how they will interpret certain aspects of the Scripture. Ask to review the doctrine of the church.

The pastor teaches Scripture and does not just lace verses within topics or stories that are of interest to them. This is nice once in a great while, but church is where we go to learn the Word of God and be fed by it. To come together as the body of believers and listen to the pastor teach us about the truth of the Bible, and not just to be entertained by stories. The pastors, elders and deacons are living what is being taught from the pulpit and held accountable to the truths within the Word. If one is not following then they are disciplined and removed if necessary. If Word and accountability by the leadership is not being done at the church, then you will want to find another church.

The entire Bible is preached from the pulpit and not just the easy parts. The parts regarding sin and the hard lessons are also preached. The pastor is not afraid to convict the congregation, nor afraid to make unbelievers uncomfortable because they are in the house of God and hearing the Word of God that is convicting. The church is for believers and not unbelievers and what they hear from the pulpit should make them uncomfortable, as they are not saved.

The Church should honor the things of God no matter how hard it is. If it is between hurting a congregant or God, then you choose the congregant. The Church realizes it is not the elders or the pastors or members, but God’s and then live in that fashion.

These are just some of my personal thoughts on the subject and we should all reflect on why we go to the church we do. Loyalty to God or something else? If it is something else then you are at the wrong church, no matter what that something else is.

“One of the objectives of the church is to be so committed to holiness, so committed to purity, so committed to virtue, so committed to righteousness, and that the commitment to these things is so clear and so obvious, that people who are not interested in those things won’t show up.” – John MacArthur