How do you know that you have found the right church?

Mandahuff

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I recently just started getting back on track with God the last four months or so. I started attending church for the last couple of months, but I feel so confused about this whole situation. This church is pretty awesome with a great worship service. The one thing I'm concerned about though is that most seem not to regularly attend, but once a month or so. I have desired so strongly to make a connection with other christians. I don't. feel like this is the place to do so. I feel so completely discontent with the whole situation. I have this strong desire to make a connection that I really wish I didn't have. I guess I will try to visit some more churches. What ways do you know that you are in the right one without attending for months. I'm so unsure.
 

Gregory Thompson

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Something about the weekend meeting plus sermon inspires people to bring their game face, take what they need, and then go.

if you want to connect with other Christians, you may consider serving with them. If there's a neighborhood event or clean up event, make a point to participate.

If there are any group meetings for the church in terms of prayer, bible study, or just something that's community related ... that's the place to make meaningful connections.

the people who show up to the group events are usually pretty committed to the church community .. so it might be a good place to start.

However, if you attend a church and there aren't a few people in the crowd looking for newcomers to welcome them and talk about fellowship opportunities ... then you might want to look around a bit more.
 
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Presbyterian Continuist

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A good church will be one that will welcome and love you and allow you the freedom to contribute your gifts, instead of making you sit like a wooden indian in services under the ministry of a "one-man-band".
 
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Presbyterian Continuist

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Furthermore, many churches know more of the Bible than what they actually practice. This is because most sermons are academic-style Bible knowledge type sermons with no guidelines for actual application and practice. Other churches know a lot less of Biblical doctrine, but what they do know, they practice it fully. Those are more healthy churches than the former.
 
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HoneyBee

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Speaking from experience, you know you've found the right church (denomination) when the theology and moral teachings check out. If you are referring to a physical church, though, I guess you'd just know if you were being welcomed and if the church members overall follow what the Lord teaches.
 
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Messerve

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I recently just started getting back on track with God the last four months or so. I started attending church for the last couple of months, but I feel so confused about this whole situation. This church is pretty awesome with a great worship service. The one thing I'm concerned about though is that most seem not to regularly attend, but once a month or so. I have desired so strongly to make a connection with other christians. I don't. feel like this is the place to do so. I feel so completely discontent with the whole situation. I have this strong desire to make a connection that I really wish I didn't have. I guess I will try to visit some more churches. What ways do you know that you are in the right one without attending for months. I'm so unsure.
A place that challenges your thinking and reveals the areas in your spiritual life that need work. Great music is all good, but if everything makes you feel good then you're missing something important. Church is about worshiping God and worshiping God should make us uncomfortable sometimes.

A place where Believers are truly seeking God and wanting to learn more about His Truth, not settling for simply "My Lighthouse, my lighthouse... You will carry me safe to shore" (no offense to fans of that song!). A place that understand life is sometimes "Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers. It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished..." is the kind of place you should attend.
 
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Romans 8

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I will only attend a church led by the Holy Spirit. I joined a church recently which I thought was going to be my home church, but like you've described, it's a revolving crowd. They only meet once a week and I wanted more than that. I found a small Pentecostal church and I have never felt more welcomed in my life anyplace. The Pastor is humble, about half the church introduced themselves before services started, and the other half afterwards. This church meets minimum 2 or 3 times a week. Last week we met four times. Just awesome! Almost the whole church shows up every time. There are only about 60 members or so but they LOVE God! I was baptized there yesterday and the Holy Spirit was raining down on me like never before. I'm really excited about this place I feel like awesome things are going to happen there.
Sorry, to go on a rant. If you are not happy with your church, definitely visit another. I have visited 5 churches in the past 3 months and called a few as well. Spent hours online searching as well before narrowing it down. I went to one down the street from my house, it "Pentecostal" too but night and day difference from my new home church.
Just to add, I did not think I was going to find a great church, I almost settled for the other one and then just started looking online and this one popped up which I had somehow missed before. So glad I kept looking.
Just keep looking and God Bless you!
 
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Ruien

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I attended five different churches in town before settling on my current church, where I've been almost a year. What made me stay was the depth of the teaching and the sermons. The pastor prepares very well. There's Sunday school for kids and for adults. At adult Sunday school the pastor uses a whiteboard. There's a lot of teaching and learning going on.

That's the main thing that keeps me at church. It isn't the music or the community; it's the teaching. Actually I don't agree with everything the church teaches but I've come to accept that I don't know everything and I should try to learn from people who have different perspectives.

Anyway, if you know what you're looking for (community, in your case), then keep trying different churches and you'll probably find a place that feels right.
 
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GodLovesCats

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I was saved after a service, so it was only natural to join that church. But it is a wonderful church in a lot of ways. Their motto is, "Come as you are, you'll be loved." Pastors welcome new visitors after each of its services while members of the congregation pray in front of the stage and worship music plays again. I'm going to miss that church forever.

My advice to a church seeker is this: Let the Holy Spirit guide you. Pray over it. God led me to mine and I am sure He leads other people to their churches too.
 
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