Tips for Finding the Right Church

Examine theology. Many church Web sites offer an abbreviated version of their theology or beliefs, but they almost all have a longer version that includes their stand on specific issues, such as abortion and women in ministry. Examine both. Decide what theological points are essential to you to be agreed upon and which you don't mind disagreeing on. Get a feel for how important certain points are to the denomination and the individual church. For instance, does the pastor preach nearly every Sunday about predestination? How do you feel about that?

Ask about the history. Meet with the pastor or denominational leader. Ask how long the current pastor has been at the church and at other churches. Find out what the history of pastors at the church has been; for instance, if the last few ministers have been around only a year or so, probe a little deeper to find out why. Ask about the history of conflict. Find out how often the church members argue, how often the decision making body is divided, if the church has ever split. None of these are immediate signs to run, but they are telling of the church's health. If you see a lot of warning flags, ask the minister what church leadership has done to correct such conflicts; it should be a measure to deal with underlying issues, not just something to temporarily end the conflict.

Learn about the board. Ask how the decision-making body is chosen; maybe they're elected, maybe they're appointed. Find out how often they rotate or switch out. Find out what qualifications board members must have and what discipline is enforced if board policies are not carried out appropriately. The minister is a strong influence in a church, but the board is often at least as strong.

Explore the denomination. Find out how closely tied to the denomination the individual church is. In some denominations, such as Southern Baptist, each church is basically autonomous; they are advised a certain way by denominational policy, but individual churches can make whatever decisions they want. Other denominations, such as the United Methodist, maintain churches that are very closely tied to the denomination, so much so that churches do not even directly select their own pastors, nor pastors their churches.

Look deeper inside the numbers. Find out not only what church membership is but also what the average attendance is, what attendance has been the last few Sundays, and what involvement is. Lots of people join churches but stop attending or contributing. Lots of other people join and attend Sunday morning services but don't add to Sunday school or Bible study numbers. A church of 250 can actually host quite sparse small groups. Similarly, a church of 100 may have a thriving Sunday school program.

Take care of the kids. If you have children, ask not only what children's activities are but how many kids are involved, how groups of kids are divided (age groups? genders?), and how workers for kids' programs are chosen. Some churches actually have quite rigorous background checks before volunteers can begin teaching children. Others are just happy to have any willing soul. Neither is necessarily wrong, but depending on the people and the situation, sometimes the background checks are a good precaution.

Take care of yourself. Too often, adults see Sunday school as a kids' activity, while they drive down to the convenience store to get breakfast. Actually, a lot of churches have great Sunday morning Bible studies for adults. Others have groups that meet during the week. To discern from those groups that basically read a Bible verse, drink coffee, and gossip for an hour, and those that really dig into deep issues and encourage each other as a group, find out what they've studied recently. Ask how many people have come each week during the last month. Find out how groups are divided up and how many people continue to participate in studies year after year.

Find support. Churches are more and more offering a myriad of support groups for members and non-members. From classes on becoming a Christian to support groups for women in abusive relationships, from Alcoholics Anonymous to Weight Watchers, church buildings are often busy all week long with groups meeting for various reasons. If you have a particular need, you may want to find a church that's trying to help. If you aren't in a situation where you might want to attend a group, maybe you have a friend who is. Or maybe you're a counselor and would like to help lead a group. Maybe you know of a need that's not represented by the current programming. Or maybe you just generally support such an effort. Such groups display the attitude of the church regarding outreach and regarding the particular needs represented. A church with lots of support groups often suggests a church that understands that anyone can be in a bad situation and that Christians need to help each other succeed.

Consider the atmosphere. Are you comfortable here? Are you comfortable bringing a friend? Church activities, particularly socials or other casual events, are great ways to involve a friend in church who might not normally want to attend. That opportunity is lost if church isn't a place you feel comfortable bringing friends who aren't used to church.

Consider convenience. Think about how close the church is to your house and work, what time worship services and activities are held, and how accommodating the church programs are to your family's lifestyle. For instance, many churches host dinners before Wednesday night activities to attract families who might not otherwise have time to attend.