There is one first thing you need to do as a Christian, and that is read your Bible. Read your Bible, study the Word, and let it guide your life. The Bible is God’s primary means of revelation. The Protestant rallying cry was Sola Scriptura, Scripture alone, for a reason. Everything you need to know in order to live out your faith in Jesus Christ is found there, as well as everything you need to protect yourself from bad teachers, bad teaching, and bad doctrine (2 Tim. 3:16).
The very next thing you need to do is find a church.
I’ll try and keep this short and simple, because I think it’s short and simple. The idea of a Christian going at it alone, like some sort of lone wolf, is foreign to Scripture. It just doesn’t exist. The one reference we seem to have on it is a command to not do that (Heb. 10:25). Consider this. Those who are saved are often referred to as those who are in Christ (2 Tim. 2:10, 2 Cor. 5:17, Rom. 8:1, 1 John 2:24, 1 John 5:20). The Bible says that there is one baptism and one body (Eph. 4:4-5) for those who are in Christ. One body made up of believers who are all members (1 Cor. 12:27). This Body of Christ is also called the Church (Col. 1:18), of which Christ is the head.
You may have heard that church is not a building but a gathering, an assembly, a fellowship. An ekklesia. This is true. It’s also true that this assembly is called to gather and do certain things together. A prime example can be found in Acts 2:42: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Much of the New Testament is an instruction manual on how we are to interact with one another. How a particular group chooses to do those things is matter of ecclesiology, which is just a fancy word for what the church is and how we do it.
Don’t get too wrapped up in all that for now. Just know that there are many wonderful churches and denominations out there trying to serve the Lord faithfully. The more you learn about their particular methods or beliefs, the more you might find yourself drawn to one of them. So long as the Gospel they preach is a Gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Christ crucified, so long as they don’t budge on the deity of Christ or the Trinity, you’ll probably be fine.
My own church is what you would call non-denominational, which just means we are not affiliated with any larger organization. We try to worship Christ in the most biblically faithful way that we can. If I had to move to a new place, the first place I would check would be the non-denominational and/or Baptist churches, because I see a lot of biblical justification for the Baptist distinctives. Still, if I had to check out some other denominations to find a faithful church, I would do so. Biblical, Gospel-centered worship is far more important than my own personal preferences.
Finding a good church is not only important because it will be the fellowship – the family – that you start to build your life around. It is important because we are called to contribute to that fellowship. That means time, talent, and resources. Biblically, we are called to submit ourselves to our congregation and its leaders. Now, there is a good chance that you twitched at reading all that. We’re (probably) American. Get off my lawn, and all that. I get it. Eventually, you have to get over that.
We are called to submit to our elders (pastors, shepherds, etc.) as those who will give an account for our souls (Heb. 13:17). That is some heavy business! We are to submit (1 Pet. 5:5), respecting them and caring for them (1 Thes. 5:12), and offering – yes, paying – those that labor in teaching and preaching double honor (1 Tim. 5:17). And the church, should we stray far enough with no sign of repentance, is actually commanded to remove us (Mat. 18:17, 1 Cor. 5:2, 5, 12-13) if we do not respond to their correction.
Do you see why finding a good, faithful church is so important? If you are doing your part, they will have a tremendous influence in your life. This is why James says that not many should be teachers (3:1), because they will be strictly judged. This is why Peter exhorts church leaders to lead not in a domineering way, but as examples to the flock (1 Pet. 5:3), and why the criteria for such a position is almost entirely a matter of character (1 Tim. 3, Titus 1). You find a church with faithful leaders, and I promise you that this will be easy and rewarding.
Searching for a church can be hard, and intimidating. Even scary. I just want to encourage you. Aside from coming to Christ, no other decision will have a greater impact on your family’s future. Visit a few, find a faithful one, and plant yourself. Throw yourself all in. And listen to me, you will not fully connect with that fellowship until you go beyond Sunday mornings. Volunteer for something. Go to an event. Rub elbows with people, and you will find a family.
Here are some things I would be looking for on a visit:
Do they preach from the text of the Bible? There is nothing wrong with an occasional topical sermon, but the heartbeat of worship is the ministry of the word (Acts 6:2, 1 Tim. 4:13), and that word should come from the text. This is called expository preaching, and it is the way.
Is Christ exalted in their worship? This is easy, really. When you leave a service, was it very clear to you that they were there to worship and magnify Jesus Christ? Was He the center, or was the church? Or, even worse, a man?
When you ask questions, are you led immediately to Scripture? The Bible gave the Bereans as an example of nobility, who went to the Bible to verify the words of the apostle (Acts 17:11). A competent pastor will be able to give you many answers off the cuff, but he should always tie it to Scripture.
Does their statement of faith contain extrabiblical doctrine, or issues of secondary importance? Typically, though not always, a church’s statement of faith contains those issues they are willing to break fellowship over. That is a bigger deal than we treat it, so I would encourage you to read, research, and pray. You can do this before you visit, if their statement of faith is on their website.
Do they have meaningful membership? If they have meaningful membership, chances are they care about the church and how it reflects Christ. They are serious about discipleship, biblical accountability, and the holiness that Christ commands. Strong membership isn’t a requirement, but it is a really good sign.
How do they treat strangers? Not just you, either. Pay attention to how they treat everybody. Are those with a few rough edges looked at sideways? Are those who are missing noticed? Is there a genuine feeling of love and family? Ask them what kinds of things people do outside of Sundays. Are they gathering for fellowship, for fun, for study?
Make it a family decision. Does your spouse feel comfortable there? Are there children for your children to grow up with? Are there children at all? In our area, it’s fair to ask if there is anyone under 50. Not that there is anything wrong with elder saints, but that will tell you a lot about the life of the church and, unfortunately, how willing they are to change.
Keep your head straight, view things objectively, and let the Spirit guide you. Church is a family, and like any family there will be issues. We have to have some grace. People are people, almost every time. Except when they’re angels, but you probably won’t know that (Heb. 13:2). Good luck!
Remember this: We gather on Sundays to worship the Lord, not to receive a product. That worship, whether singing or praying or preaching or learning, goes from us to Him. If you find yourself drawn by the music or the coffee, or the fifty different ministries, just be sure you’re keeping your priorities straight. Don’t get me wrong, a great church can have any or all of those things. So can a bad one. Keep Christ first, hold Scripture high, and press on for the Lord. You’ll figure it out.
I pray that God gives you wisdom and discernment!
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