What should I look for when choosing a new church?
We’ve all heard that the choice and purchase of a home is one of the most significant decisions a person will ever make. In this temporal world, that may be true. However, choosing where you and your children will learn the things of God and serve the Lord Jesus Christ has eternal ramifications.
Investigating its foundation
There are four main components that make up the foundation of a strong local church:
The Proper View of Scripture – When investigating a potential church home, pay particular attention to how it views the Bible. Does it hold to the inspiration and inerrancy of the Scriptures? Does it believe the Bible is the only rule for faith and practice (2 Tim.3:16; 2 Pet.1:20-21)?
An Emphasis on Bible Teaching and Preaching – Observe what kind of preaching is done. Is it primarily expository, topical, or evangelistic in nature? Is the main diet repetitive salvation messages each week, or are believers being fed from the Word (Acts 20:27; 1 Tim.4:13-16; 2 Tim.4:1-5)?
Doctrinal Soundness – Where do they stand on such crucial issues of the Christian faith as the virgin birth and deity of Jesus Christ; the depravity of mankind; the work of Christ on the cross; His death, burial, and bodily resurrection; salvation by grace through faith alone; the second coming of Christ; and the ordinances of baptism and communion?
Doctrinal Practice – Observe whether the church practices the doctrines it claims to believe and teach. As James said to the church at large,
“Prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves” (James 1:22; cf. Luke 6:46; John 13:17).
Examining its structure
The structural components of a local church provide not only its strength, but also dictate the character and direction of its ministry. Those components include:
Church Government - Find out if the church's leaders function according to New Testament principles (1 Tim. 3:1-13, 5:17-20; Titus 1:4-9; Heb. 13:7, 17). Do they understand the centrality of Christ as Head of the church and His desire to rule His church through a plurality of godly men (Eph. 1:22, 4:15; 5:23; Col.1:18; 1 Cor. 11:3)?
Evidence of Order - The church's ministry, including its services, teaching, and administration, should have an obvious sense of order. Some church services exhibit as much lack of planning as do homes with poorly thought-out floor plans. Some churches handle the Lord's resources and work in such a haphazard way that they bring shame to the name of Christ. As Paul said in speaking of the church, "Let all things be done properly and in an orderly manner" (1 Cor. 14:40).
Seeing how it functions
When satisfied that the foundation and structure are what they should be, the wise home buyer will then look at how functional the house is. Does it fulfill the purpose for which it was designed? Does it meet the needs of the family?
As you observe how a church functions, look for an emphasis on worshiping God. See if the leadership stresses the importance of honoring and glorifying God in all things (1 Cor. 10:31; Col.3:17). Also, observe the involvement of the individual members. Do they exercise their spiritual gifts among the Body of Christ (Rom. 12:3-8; Eph. 4:11-13; 1 Pet. 4:10-11), or do they seem to expect the pastor to do everything?
Does the church emphasize evangelism as one of its primary functions? Are home and foreign missions an important part of its ministry (Matt. 28:19-20; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8)? What about discipleship? Do you see church members and leaders seeking to make disciples and reproduce themselves in the lives of others (2 Tim. 2:2; Titus 2:3-7; Matt. 28:19-20)?
A strong local church is marked by love. Do the members seem to genuinely care for one another? Do they minister to each other's needs? As you become acquainted with the church, do you sense that the members are loving one another as Christ commanded (John 13:34-35)?
Am I right for this church?
We have looked at the foundational, structural, functional, and environmental components of a vital, healthy, local church. Now look at yourself and ask, Are there opportunities here for me to serve and exercise my spiritual gifts? Does this local body have a need that, by God's enabling, I can meet? Am I willing to get what the church can do for me, but also what I can do for the Lord as I serve Him in this church? Am I willing to give of my time, money, energy, and prayers to contribute to the success of this church (Mark 12:30; Rom. 12:1)?
The decision you make about what church to attend will greatly affect your spiritual life and the lives of your children. In fact, the decisions you make now will affect your descendants and the generations to come. That's a sobering reality. Remember that no church will ever perfectly fulfill all these criteria. There is no perfect church. Also, remember that every church is going to have its own special blend of the characteristics we have examined. The key is to find a church that has them in proper balance, not overemphasizing some or de-emphasizing others. A balanced ministry is a Spirit-controlled ministry. (Adapted from an article written by Mike Fitzhugh appearing in the July/August 1990 issue of Masterpiece Magazine)
Legitimate Reasons for Leaving a Church
You may be a part of another church and even have your membership there. You may be contemplating making a change. Too many people leave churches for petty reasons. Disagreements over simple matters are never legitimate reasons to leave a solid, Bible-teaching, Bible-living church. To help you in this important decision, we want to provide you with some things to consider that are biblical reasons to leave a church and move to another one.
- Heresy on some fundamental truth is being taught from the pulpit (Gal. 1:7-9).
- The leaders allow seriously errant doctrine to be taught in any area (Rom. 16:17).
- The church is characterized by a wanton disregard for the Scripture (1 Cor. 5:1-5).
- Unholy living is tolerated in the church (1 Cor. 5:9-11).
- The church is seriously out of step with the biblical pattern for the church (2 Thess. 3:6, 14).
Leaving a church ought to require a careful decision, and much care is to be given not to sow discord or division in the church that is being left.
Church Membership
Why Is Membership Important?
- God has appointed pastors to watch over your soul (Heb.13:17).
- Our relationship with God is a corporate relationship with His body (Rom. 12:4).
- Spiritual growth is connected to body life (Eph. 4:11-16).
- Encouragement is needed because of a hostile world and the deceitfulness of sin (Heb. 3:12, 10:23-25).
Membership Process at CASM
The process to become a member at CASM is:
- Attend a Membership Class
- Give a clear testimony of saving faith in Jesus Christ
- Baptism
- Commit to the authority of Christ and service to His people