If you are like billions of other people around the world on a spiritual path or with a religious faith, you understand what a powerful impact it has on improving your mental and physical well-being. A devotional or faith-based life gives you a moral compass to navigate the complexities of this world.
However, besides the rewards of pursuing an inner life enriched with meditation, contemplation, or prayer, there is also tremendous satisfaction in belonging to a community of like-minded souls. This can be particularly comforting when the world feels a little too overwhelming, especially when things are not working out well for you in your personal life. A communal place of worship is a place where you can meet and share your thoughts and feelings with other people who understand where you are coming from.
If you belong to the Christian faith, then you understand how important it is to find a church family. Although the idea of finding a “good” church is highly subjective, there are a few guidelines that you can use to find a sacred venue where you feel right at home, a place where you can quickly make new friends and joyfully participate in community events.
How To Find A Good Church
When you move to a new place, one of the first things you should consider to nurture your inner world is to find a warm and welcoming church. For instance, if you happen to have moved to the Springfield, MO area, then you will find the James River Church a perfect spiritual home to experience inspiring and uplifting church services and meet new people who can help you get settled into your new environment.
Besides relocation, other reasons why you might decide to find a new church is because you feel your current church is not reflecting biblical principles as you would prefer or because you are new to the faith and looking for a sense of fellowship with kindred souls.
With that in mind, here are three questions to ask yourself to help you find the right church for you:
- “Is this where I am supposed to be?”
In an imperfect world, it is hard to find the perfect church home. You may find a local church in excellent condition, but intuitively feel that the sense of fellowship does not meet your family’s needs. Conversely, you may find a fixer-upper, where many of the people you meet after service are folks you feel you have known your whole life, although you have just met them. So, rather than focus on the outward appearance of things or rely too heavily on weighing the pros and cons, allow yourself to be led by the divine will, letting it direct you to where you need to be for your spiritual growth.
- “Is it built on a solid spiritual foundation?”
Jesus spoke about how a wise person builds his home upon a rock, while a foolish one will build it on the sand. The foundations of a powerful church are based on how accurately it reflects the views of scripture, how closely it focuses on Biblical teachings, and how faithfully it practices what it preaches. After only a few sermons and meeting others during the coffee break after services, you will get an intuitive impression about whether or not the church aligns with your values and beliefs.
- “Does it offer opportunities to serve?”
Assuming you have found a church that you like, one that is right for you, the final thing you have to consider is if you are right for the church? Is it a place that you feel you can serve according to your spiritual gifts? If you have the gift of perfect pitch, is there an opportunities to join the chorus? If you have a gift for clearly articulating the meaning of scriptural passages, is this a place where others can hear you out? If you have the gift of leadership, are there opportunities for you to participate in charitable projects? In short, is this a place where you can express yourself.
When seeking a church that is right for you, be willing to be patient. It may take time to get the answers to these three questions. When you are ready, you will have an epiphany about where you need to be and what you need to do.
