How to Find a Great Church

Over the course of my life, I’ve had to find a new church a few times. I’ve also gone to church while on vacation. I love attending church and would hate to miss it if it’s not necessary. There’s something about going to church, worshipping with other believers, and serving God together that helps me to feel grounded in my faith. 

If you’re a new believer, you may be wondering how you can find a great church that will help you grow as a Christian. When finding a great church, you need to make church a priority, ask for recommendations, pray for wisdom,  observe the pastoral staff, and look for discipleship opportunities. If you would like to learn more about finding a church, keep reading for some tips on how to find a church that works for you. 

Tip #1: Understand that Church is a Priority

According to the Bible, believers are called to attend church (Hebrews 10:24-25). In fact, the idea of the church is not a man made idea, but Jesus’s idea. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus declares that He will build His church on the truth that He is the Son of God. This passage reveals that Jesus created the church, and it is a part of His plan for believers to attend church. Through the church, we share our testimony and the gospel, we have access to sound Bible teaching, we encourage each other and build each other up in faith, we receive discipleship and disciple others, and we play an important role in serving one another through our spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-7). 

It is important to understand that church is not an optional part of being a Christian. When we understand this, we make finding a great church a priority. 

Tip #2: Ask Other Christians for Recommendations

One of the easiest ways you can find a great church is to ask a Christian who’s already going to church. I’ve gotten some good recommendations in the past of churches that I could visit just by talking to other Christians. If you are moving to a new place and currently attend a church, you could even ask your pastor for a recommendation. If you are a new Christian and have never been to church, maybe you have a Christian neighbor, work colleague, or friend who’d be glad to give you a recommendation.

Tip #3: When Finding a Great Church, Pray for Wisdom

Make sure to include God in the process of finding a new church. You can pray for God to lead you to a church when looking for one online, you can pray for God to help you feel comfortable in a new church before visiting one, and you can pray while attending a church that God would reveal if it’s the one for you. 

I once prayed for God to help me find a church that could provide someone to disciple me and help me grow in my faith. God answered my prayers when I visited a new church by providing a woman who would become not only my mentor but a friend. In fact, I met her on my very first visit while she was greeting newcomers at the door! God can and will answer your prayers to find a great church, especially if you pray earnestly and intentionally for what you need in a church. 

Tip #4: Pay Attention to What the Lead Staff Believe

It’s important to understand what doctrines the church believes and make sure that you’re comfortable with what the pastor or pastors will be teaching. For example:

• What does the church believe about Jesus? 
• What do they believe about sin and salvation? 
• Does this church emphasize the work of the Holy Spirit? 
• What about baptism and its role in the life of a believer? 
• Are they committed to following the teachings of the Bible? 

These are just some of the questions you may ask to see what the lead staff believe. It’s really important to find a church that is preaching and teaching the truth. Make sure you understand the basics of your faith through scripture so that you can discern whether or not a church is right for you. 

If you’re totally new to attending church, then it might be helpful to know that there are different Christian denominations. To put it simply, denominations are groups of churches. For example, you have the Presbyterian Church, Baptist Church, Assemblies of God Church, and Methodist Church. Each denomination has slightly different ways of running the church, differing beliefs about some aspects of Christianity, and different religious rituals. When finding a church, it may be helpful to learn about the different denominations. 

Tip #5: When Finding a Great Church, Make Sure it is Welcoming

Finding a church that feels comfortable is important. This doesn’t mean, however, finding a church that condones sin, but a Bible believing church where newcomers can eventually find discipleship, opportunities to serve, and community. You’re church family should be there when things get tough in life to encourage you and pray for you. If you don’t think you’ll eventually feel comfortable allowing members of the church you are visiting into your life, or being a part of their lives, then it might not be the right church for you.

On a side note, I personally feel like a church should be striving to share the gospel with the world. This is called The Great Commission, and it is a command from Jesus to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:16-20). A great church should be a space that all people feel comfortable visiting no matter their race, socioeconomic status, education level, or life history. When visiting a church, I try to find churches that are diverse because they are often the ones that take the words of Jesus seriously when it comes to sharing the gospel. The church is not meant to be an exclusive country club and shouldn’t feel like it. Once again, this is my personal opinion, and there may be a good reason why a church is not very diverse. 

Ultimately, I would suggest being prayerful and optimistic when visiting a church while trying to  decide if it is right for you. It’s important to be open to giving a new church a chance. If you’ve visited a few times and it still doesn’t feel right, then keep looking.

Tip #6: Look for Discipleship Opportunities

It’s important for a church to provide opportunities for members to grow in their faith. You should look for a church that provides the following opportunities:

• Bible studies
• Fun fellowship opportunities 
• Mission trips 
• Community service days
• Sunday ministry opportunities
• One-on-one meetings with a pastor or another mature believer  

A church should provide a healthy mix of these resources. This doesn’t mean that if a church is lacking one of these opportunities that it’s not a good church. However, I do think it’s important for a church to encourage members to actively grow in their faith through discipleship, opportunities to share the gospel, and a sense of community through social events.

Now that you’ve read these tips, are you ready to find a great church? Have you gone church hunting recently? If so, please share below!