2nd Timothy 3:15-17, Matthew 16:17-18, Matthew 18:17
How do we choose a local church? What is the litmus test for what should qualify as a local church?
1. To reveal that there’s a universal and a local church
2. To guide you on choosing a good local church and being committed to it
3. To show the importance of a local church
Not only did Jesus speak about the universal and local church, Apostle Paul also did.
1st Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:1-2, Colossians 4:17
1. A universal church is the general assembly of God’s people while the local church is a collection of individual members of God’s people within the same locality.
2. You are an automatic member of the universal church, but you’re expected to choose a local church to be committed to.
How to choose a local church to be committed to.
Ephesians 5:8, 11-13
5 Things to look out for before looking for a local church
1. A proper understanding of the Gospel
This is the epicenter of the Christian faith. Galatians 1:6-8, Galatians 2:21
2. Their theology about money
Money is good as a vehicle for accomplishing Gods purpose but evil when it becomes man’s motivation for doing things. There are 2 levels to this-
- [ ] God is not a respecter of persons. When Jesus looks at a man, he does not see what the man has but what He (Jesus) gave him.
- [ ] Matthew 6:33, 1st Timothy 6:5
3. Their Charismatic Ministry
1st Corinthians 12:31). The church was established in Acts 2.
4. Be mission minded (Matthew 28:19-20, 2nd Corinthians 5:18-20)
5. Love
What do they believe about community?
Why Should You attend a Bible Believing Church?
In the early days of Christianity, believers met in homes. The Greek word used to describe these meetings is ekklesia, which, when used of the church, simply means to assemble, meet, gather together or congregate (from which we get the word congregation).
Today the landscape of Christian churches has changed dramatically. For Christians in the United States, for instance, there are literally hundreds of Christian denominations to choose from, with some cities home to numerous Christian churches.
While the Hebrews passage above reminds Christians to make sure they gather together regularly, new Christians and even longtime believers may find themselves confused about finding the “right” church. This article will offer some helpful suggestions for choosing a Christian church.
What is the Church?
Here are five helpful tips to help you know what church to attend.
1. Pray to God
There is so much that prayer means to us as believers and even for a simple task as finding a church, you definitely need to pray to God.
2. Identify your Learning Stage in Christ
You must know the stage of your walk in Christ and have a clear idea of the kind of teaching you want. Christianity consists of numerous denominations and some primary traditions or doctrines. Knowing what you are looking for is important. While it is true that Christians are united on many basic matters such as the deity of Christ and His bodily resurrection, there is a lot of room for diversity on secondary issues, meaning differing approaches and interpretations of Bible prophecy, varying means of baptism, differences regarding the details of the observation of communion, etc. There are also varying forms of church government such as episcopal, presbyterian and congregational.there are issues on Eternal salvation, tithing, giving, prosperity, deliverance, holiness and morality amongst others.
2. Make your afjndings
It is essential for you to make enquirers about religious affiliations. Your inquiry will help you identify Is the church you are considering part of a denomination? Is it independent and self-governing? Is it associated with any particular organizations? Asking these kinds of questions may help you learn more about the church you are considering.
3. Ask for a doctrinal statement. This may also be called a statement of faith. In short, a doctrinal statement should list essentials that the church believes.
4. Find out who founded the church or denomination, and who its leaders are today. Again, learning this information may help you better understand where the church you are considering is coming from, as well as where they are.
5. Consult standard reference works. If you are considering a particular denomination, you should check out their Web site, both for the denomination and, if they have one, the specific church you have in mind. You can also try books such as Handbook of Denominations in the United States by Frank Mead (Abingdon) and Pocket Dictionary of North American Denominations (InterVarsity Press). In our website, we are building a database of Church and Ministry websites which would help you in your search. On the Church/Ministry Website directory, you can check each church website and see details about them. If you are a pastor or ministry head and would love to include your church or ministry website in our directory, kindly send us a message here.
The Perfect Church?
Haven’t you found the perfect church? You won’t. Every visible and local church consists of a mixture of members, all of whom are flawed to one extent or another. Even though you will not find a perfect church, do your best to find a solid church that honors the Bible and the essential beliefs of Christianity. As you search for a church, remember to pray for God’s guidance, too.
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