How to find/join a good christian church?

Question

I used to go to church back when i was in grade school, but havent since...id like to start going again, and involve my son in it..but ive since moved away from that church..how do you find a good church? just show up and try it out? can you like meet with the priest/pastor first? and how do you become a member? Do you just go, and are considered one, or do you have to be interviewed or something first? thanks!

Answer 1

Unfortunately you have to visit them.
Here's what I reccomend: Begin by visiting the same type of church that you used to attend when you were young, listen to the sermons while reading along with your Bible.
See if the people of that church are active or if they are spiritually dead.
Look and see what the church offers, such as childrens church/childrens Sunday School (which is important for your kids), missionary work, adult and youth programs, etc...
After the service most smaller churches have a time when you can meet with the pastor, if you go to a smaller church take the time to visit with the pastor after the service, and explain to him your situation and see how he responds. If you go to a mega-church, chances are you won't get to meet with the minister, but possibly someone who is involved in some way with the ministry.
I also reccommend that you study the essentials of the Christian doctrine of the Christian faith (they can be found here: http://www.apologeticsindex.org/159-chart-of-essential-doctrines-of-christianity) and if the preacher rejects these doctrines then chances are you are talking to a member of a cult, don't go back to that church.
Don't commit until you are sure that you are attending the church you really want to go to.
Good luck and God bless.

Answer 2

I visited maybe 20 churches before I finally settled down. One day, I visited a church, and I have been attending there ever since, for the past 12 years or so. I am now the webmaster for www.stratfordopc.org , which is my church. I asked my pastor many questions, and he gave all the right answers for me.

I would recommend that you vistit www.stratfordopc.org , and follow the links there to find a good O.P. Church in your local area.You can get plenty of information on this Christian denomination, by visiting the web sites I recommend. For example, information on beliefs and practices, multimedia content including audio sermons, Christian links, and so on. God bless you and your son in your search for a good Christian Church.

Answer 3

You first have to take the first move because they can't know you if you are still at home and still wanting a church how can they know that okay there is person who is in need of a church you first have to go and then you see the pastor or the church leaders for more discussion and also to help you in prayer that is how to start in going to churches you should'nt be at home and still asking for how to go about it. I think you feel shy to go alone to a church without inviting you or something of that source be not afraid for that is how we all started going to church go and god will richly bless you.

Answer 4

All you have to do is go to any Church, and sit through a Sermon / Mass whichever is the case. If you're not sure which branch of Church to go to, it's really interesting to look up the different branches (Anglican, baptist, Pentecostal, Catholic etc..) Read up on them and find one that fits your Beliefs, then do a search for that branch of Church in your Area. You can just go to different Churches to experience them 1st hand. You don't have to sign anything, and if they ask you to, be suspicious, they do census' but you shouldn't have to APPLY to become a member of any Church. I'm trying to find the right Church for myself right now too. I was raised Catholic, but havn't gone to Church in years. Good Luck and God Bless You & Your Son

Answer 5

Hi dear, it's good that you are considering going back to church. First you must really pray about it, ask the Lord where to lead you. Next step is go to a "bible-believing" church. The Bible is the truth and if a church believes in the Bible then that's a true church. Find a church that encourages you to spend balanced time with God, family and work. God bless you and may He lead you to the perfect church suitable for you and your son.

Answer 6

properly is there such an corporation as a real church. remember god tried to end such goings on. God did no longer order us to construct church homes,they're merely a manmade corporation and as such are liable to circulate off track. remember the parrabol of the 7 church homes of Philidelphia? The bible has been rewritten and revised and clraned up lots that generations at present have not any thought what replaced into relatively in the previous testomony to no longer mentiuon the hot testomony. each little thing is approximately money at present to the element that some church homes anticipate a member to offer a minimum of 15% of their earnings to the church. in any different case they're deemed a member no longer in stable status and must be dropped from the member roll. to respond to your question approximately genuine church homes in case you come across one that relatively preaches from the previous testomony (Gods' be conscious) then it relatively is a church properly worth jointly as attending. I remember one time at christnas service after it replaced into over an older gentleman approached the pastor and stated I even have been coming here for some years and each 3 hundred and sixty 5 days it relatively is an identical sermon, the pastor replied that as long as he replaced into pastor at that church he will proceed to communicate from the previous testomony and not something. there is extra that i ought to narrate yet i will spare you all as you in all probability get the tone of what I even have stated.

Answer 7

Stay away from all but the true Church.

In the Catholic Church is all you need - the LORD and all the ingredients of HIS Covenant. One just has to apply Faith actively, and not be passive. But sow your heart in the right place, and all will sprout up around you a Paradise.

GOD never gave the option of alternative "churches". Your place is at Home where the Apostles were first ordained.

GOD didn't make different Churches for different indiviuals, but a Universal Church, whose Universal (Catholic) quality is very specific. HE warned that in the True Church, where HE planted HIS True Wheat, satan would also sow in among the true Members tares which look alike with the wheat before the season of harvest, when all would be judged by their fruit.

HE also spoke of some of the True Religion, in having the right heart combined with that Religion, being as sheep, and of others of that same True Religion, having bad hearts, being as goats by comparison.

HE established one Church only, upon Peter, against which the gates of Hades shall never prevail, and gave the Hierarchy the SPIRIT in a way that was different from the Pentecostal giving weeks later, after HIS Resurrection. For what? To transfer the Authorization to forgive sins from the Aaronic Priesthood to the Apostolate of the New and Everlasting Covenant. In what Church can this same Sacrament of Confession still be found, along with the Apostolate, both needed no less today, so long after the Ascension of JESUS, than right after HE rose from the dead?

HE also said that there would always be one man at a time, though more than one in all, that would be set over HIS whole House, and should be HIS faithful and wise Steward, who feeds the household with the right dishes in season. Peter even had the sense he was being singled out, and asked if this was being said to everyone, before hearing that whoever had this responsibility would either be rewarded with greater things, if found faithful, or else, as HE listed different sorts of men to follow, would be punished more or less, if they did wrong, depending on whether they knew it or not. But this didn't stop JESUS from beginning the Papacy with Peter after he denied HIM three times: HE extracted three acts of Contrition from him, and each time commanded him to do what HE had said earlier that the faithful and wise Steward must do - feed all of CHRIST's Flock, shepherding them all.

In other words, there are wolves in sheeps clothing trying to wrest the gates of Hades open against the Catholic Church, to be sure, but they will eventually all be punished, and their being spiritually still-born, willfully, does not illegitmize the Catholic Church.
There's more to find here - my group:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/catholicdoctrine/

Answer 8

No need to look around, but check the definition of worship in Jesus' terms. Read Matt.18:19-20 and see that where two or three people gather in my name, there I will be with them.
Two or three people make one church, according to Jesus. Why not obey Him and start your own church?

Answer 9

pray to God about it to tell Him to lead the way. Look for a church where u feel you are really praising God and thanking God. Some church look for the outer appearance and tradition, but church is a place where there is surely God's presence. When you feel you can open ur heart to God, then go and start attending it. God will lead the way.
Love

Answer 10

I would recommend, just going to one you think might be nice, if you think it works for you I'm sure the pastor will grant you audience. There are different requirements,so to speak, in different religions as far as joining a church, but most all I know of welcome any visitor, and if they don't they're probably not worth going to.