Choosing A Church

Americans love to shop. We love all the choices that are available to us. We are constantly in search of what is newer and more in tune with the culture we live in. That mentality governs all of life, and even informs how we choose a church home. We choose a church because of a certain set of criteria we think are important – an active youth group, up-beat worship that is “authentic” and “meaningful”, a family-oriented atmosphere. Yet people change churches at an amazing rate. It would appear that many Christians are dissatisfied customers who can never seem to find what they are looking for. Perhaps they are searching for the wrong things.

The Reformed tradition invites Christians to look for a church by raising a different question, “What is a true church?” According to the Westminster Confession of Faith, churches “are more or less pure, according as the doctrine of the gospel is taught and embraced, ordinances administered, and public worship performed more or less purely in them” (WCF 15:4). Three features characterize a true church:

1. The gospel is faithfully taught and embraced.

2. The ordinances (preaching, sacraments and prayer) are faithfully administered.

3. The purity of public worship is practiced.

The Gospel

Nothing is more important to a church than its stance on the gospel. As one forefather in the faith put it, “It is the article by which the church stands or falls.” The Bible teaches that “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them” (2 Cor. 5:20). We are alienated from God because of our sin. Our only hope lies in the Person and work of Christ – His substitutionary death and resurrection. Our salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone.

The Means of Grace

God has graciously provided resources for us to grow in our faith.

Preaching: There are many philosophies on what preaching is. The Apostle Paul crystallizes our thinking when he says to Timothy, “Preach the Word” (2 Tim. 4:2). Biblically, preaching that feeds and strengthens God’s people is preaching that opens up the truth of God’s word, the Bible, in all of its richness, and applies it to our lives. At the center of all God-honoring preaching is Christ, both for the Christian and the non-Christian. Faithful, biblical preaching is the primary means by which Christians grow spiritually.

Sacraments: The sacraments are pictures of the gospel. They are signs pointing to a greater reality – they represent Christ and His benefits to us. We live in a day in which many discount the importance of the sacraments, but as they are commanded by God (Mt. 28:19, 1 Cor. 11:23-26), they serve to point us to the One who strengthens and nourishes our faith.

Prayer: A faithful church should be a praying church. Prayer is the expression of our utter dependence upon God for all things. Without prayer, a church may appear to be outwardly thriving, but unless we draw near to God in humble, dependent prayer, our kingdom work will not have God’s blessing on it.

Worship

Ironically, the one thing that all Christians will be doing together in heaven is the one thing that so divides us on earth. This happens because we let our preferences dictate our expectations of worship instead of letting God direct us by His word. Worship discussions rarely take place with Bibles open, and for this reason much of what is intended to please God, in the end only pleases us. A church’s worship should be measured by Scripture, not our cultural preferences. Scripture determines what is pleasing to God. Such a view echoes the heart of the Reformation, sola scriptura or “the Bible alone”. Worship that is most God-honoring will also be most soul-satisfying.

Perhaps then, as you conduct your search of a church you might ask questions about these issues. Why does this pastor preach in this way? Why does this church administer the sacraments the way it does? Why do they pray that way? Why do they worship in this way? Of course, the goal of your search is spiritual maturity, servanthood, and fellowship. It is our prayer and hope that as your life is rooted in these God-honoring means of grace, you will abound in the fruit of Christ-likeness as you serve Him for His glory in this world.

Choosing a church is a difficult and sensitive issue; it should be. Once the decision is made, we take vows of faithfulness that reflect the serious nature of our commitment to the church and the church to us. To the extent that you understand the beauty of the Reformed faith, you will be able to appreciate some of the distinctive features of Reformed churches. There is a good reason why some of our practices may seem a bit different from those of other churches that you have experienced. We invite you to talk with us about our church as you prayerfully decide where you and your family will worship and serve. May God bless you and lead you according to His Word and Spirit.