One of the most exciting aspects of moving to Louisville was the opportunity to choose a church. Picking a congregation to be a part of is not something I've given much thought to in my life. I went to my family's church as I grew up, the church of my mentor as a teen, went to the church on campus in undergrad and have attended the churches I was employed by since then. Right or wrong, external circumstances have always determined what congregation I attended.
In going through the process myself and chatting about it with a good friend who is doing the same thing, I've had to not only think about what is important in a church, but I've also had to articulate it. This is good for me and it is good for you too.
I am trying to keep these points as general as possible. Choosing a church is a very personal decision and there are some considerations that you and your family will have to make that are unique to you. That said, there are some basics that everyone must consider and should be make or break in the decision making process. Here they are:
1. What is the church's view of scripture?
As Aaron Tippen once sang, "you've got to stand for something, or you'll fall for anything." A church that doesn't hold to a strong, inerrant and inspired view of scripture is a church that is dying. In the words of James R. White: "Almost every single collapse involving denominations and churches in regard to historic Christian beliefs can be traced back to a degradation in that group's view of the Bible as the inspired and inerrant revelation of God's truth." Churches that compromise on Scripture will inevitably compromise on other major issues like the Gospel and salvation. This pattern of compromise eventually leads to an erosion of the foundation on which the Church was founded. We all know what happens when the foundation crumbles. In addition, a church who doesn't believe in the inerrancy and inspiration of Scripture will not have any real convictions to share with you. If the church doesn't really know what it believes, what good is it to you or anyone else that may attend? If the church in question doesn't hold to a high view of scripture, go ahead and get out.
2. Is the church making disciples?
This is the primary calling of the church. Jesus told the apostles to "go therefore and make disciples." If they're not accomplishing this, then they're not doing the very thing they exist to do. But what does it mean to make disciples? I would define disciple-making as reaching people with the Gospel and growing people in the Gospel. Oftentimes churches are good at one or the other, but both are Biblical mandates (2 Tim 3:14-17, 4:5). A church that is committed to sound doctrine but doesn't care about reaching people needs to reevaluate the "soundness" of their doctrine. Likewise, a church who cares more about getting people in the building than what comes from the pulpit will not last and will not make disciples. How this is played out may vary, but your church needs to be place the highest priority on reaching lost people and growing found people.
3. Are you on board with their theology?
Only recently have I become aware of just how much a church's theology drives their practice. I've had so many conversations about how churches do church, but rarely do these exchanges get down to the heart of why churches do things the way they do. Why does one church do really dramatic altar calls while the other barely gives an invitation for salvation? Chances are those differences are rooted in what the church believes about salvation. When evaluating a church, actually read their statement of faith. Do you believe the same things about the major issues they've outlined? Just like in a marriage, disagreements you have with a church that seem minor at first will become bigger the longer you are together. Be sure at the onset that you can sign off on their major theological issues. By the way, if you can't find a statement of faith at a church or on their website, run away as fast as you can!
Some important reminders:
-There is no such thing as a perfect church. Furthermore, perfect pastors, leaders, elders, deacons, door-holders, etc. do not exist either. So stop looking for the perfect church. Even if there was such a thing, your joining of that church would render it imperfect.
-If a church has a high view of scripture, is making disciples and you're on board theologically, then jump in and don't look back. Attend that church, serve that church, give to that church and pray for that church and it's leaders. Don't gossip about your new church, don't divide that body and don't look around for the next cool church to come along.
-Church shouldn't be boring, but it isn't primarily for entertainment either. If all you can say for a church is "the music is really good" or "the pastor is so funny," then you've got a problem. On the other had, church is definitely for enjoyable when the band is good and the pastor makes you laugh from time to time.
Taylor and I are already reaping the benefits of finding and joining a great church. Our community group is our lifeline, we're growing through hearing the Gospel every Sunday and we are using our gifts and talents to make disciples through our church. I encourage you to do the same within your body. If you aren't a part of one, I hope our experience will help you find one that you can be a part of.
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