by Pastor Patrick Cho

Throughout life, you’re going to be making lots of significant decisions. A couple years ago, Christine and I decided to buy a car. We needed to carefully evaluate not only our ability to afford the car, but also the cost of maintaining it, the cost of insurance, the condition of the car, etc. A lot of thought went into making that purchase because we didn’t want to end up with a lemon or with a car we couldn’t afford. As important as that decision was for us, it pales in comparison to the decision we all have to make in what church we want to attend. Unfortunately for many, though, much less thought and consideration is put into that decision.

It’s the beginning of another school year, and as expected, we have had an influx of collegians and new visitors. ‘Tis the season for “church hopping” and “church shopping” when people who are new to the area decide where they will commit themselves. Since this is the case, I thought it would be helpful to offer some general principles to help make this very important decision.

I suppose it would be good to start with how NOT to choose your church. I’m only listing these because they are actual reasons that actual people I know have made in the past. Some of them sound obvious, but as I said, these are reasons people have told me.

1. Food. Please do not choose to attend a church simply because they serve good food. This is a sad reason for committing to a church, but I suppose a popular enough one that a local magazine critiques the food that churches serve.
2. Girls. Of course this one works the other way around, too, but I haven’t heard it from gals. But I have heard of guys who have committed to a church because there were pretty girls there. Don’t let this be the reason you choose a church. I suppose it goes without saying that this could be a heart desire that you never admit, but dude, God is not fooled.
3. Welcoming. A lot of churches go out of their way to welcome new collegians and visitors. They will plan all sorts of different events to woo the masses. There is nothing wrong with doing this, but it should not be the sole reason why a person commits to a church.
4. Entertainment. Many choose to commit to a church because the pastor is entertaining or the music is really good. The church’s job is not to entertain you. Its job is to help you know the Lord Jesus Christ and grow in Him.
5. Friends. Some people will only commit to a church because their friends go there. There is absolutely nothing wrong with having friends at church. In fact, I’ve never understood the reason some have given me that they would not attend a particular church because all their friends are there. Still, just because your friends are there doesn’t mean they carefully considered why they are attending that church.
6. Convenience. Church is not about you. Often, however, the attitude expressed in picking a church is, “What’s in it for me?” or “Will it make things easier for me?” Finding the closest church should not be your greatest priority. Finding the one with the best service time also should not weigh much into the decision. I remember back in the early days of Lighthouse and we were meeting in the afternoons on Sunday. Many students came because of the late start time so they could sleep in. Honestly, this was and is a lousy excuse for choosing a church. It’s not about the church that has the best children’s program, or the church that doesn’t require you to do too much. You need to attend a church that will challenge you and help you understand that ministry is often inconvenient and requires a bit of self-sacrifice.

I’m sure there are plenty of other bad reasons for choosing a church, but let’s focus a bit on the good reasons. The following ARE some things that you should consider carefully before committing to a particular church.

1. Biblical, Expository Preaching. The preaching of God’s Word is the central part of the worship service. As a result of listening to a sermon, you should walk away understanding a passage more than before you listened to it. The pastor should help bring out the meaning of the text instead of going on and on about his own opinions and anecdotes. Not only that, but you should be challenged to change – to repent of sins, to think more biblically, to walk more excellently, etc.
2. Sound Theology. Sometimes people will tell me they are deciding between Lighthouse and some other church in the area. This is fine except that many times that other church adheres to a completely different theological system. It’s like choosing between apples and oranges. A church should be committed to sound biblical theology. Find out where they stand on important biblical issues like creation, the gospel, baptism, etc. If you don’t necessarily know what theology you adhere to, you should study the Bible more, but in the meantime, you can lean more on the quality of the preaching to decide.
3. Opportunities for Fellowship and Service. A church is a family, and good families get together and serve each other in order to stay healthy (Heb. 10:23-25). There should be ample opportunities to minister to others in a church because the church is the primary place where the “one another” commands of Scripture should be exercised.
4. Commitment to the Gospel. God sent His Son Jesus to pay the penalty for sin by dying on the cross and rising again on the third day. This is the hope of all sinners and is what defines Christians and sets them apart from the world. A church should be committed to teaching the whole gospel. This shows itself in application as a church remains gospel-centered in ministry, evangelism, and missions. Every church should have as its goal to glorify God and to make disciples to the ends of the earth (1 Cor. 10:31; Matt. 28:18-20; Acts 1:8).
5. Church Membership and Discipline. Most people tell me that they want to commit to Lighthouse because of the accountability they receive here. Biblically, the accountability a church provides comes mostly through the practice of church membership and discipline (Matt. 15:18-20). By having membership and discipline in place, a church can clearly define who is in and who is out, who they are committed to and who is committed to them.
6. Biblical Leadership. The Bible calls the church to be led by godly men and women (1 Tim. 3:1-13). The emphasis is on spiritual character and not on giftedness or ability. A church should have leaders who are exemplary in life. It is as if you could drop yourself next to them at any point of the day, and in whatever they are doing, they are an example worth following. Since the Bible calls believers to submit to their church leaders, you should consider carefully who is leading the church (Heb. 13:17).

Yes, the reasons given probably deserve several books written about each of them, but this was only meant to provide a short overview. When it comes to choosing the church to attend, we need to consider biblical criteria and prayerfully think through the decision. Keep in mind that even the best churches may have an off week, so try not to come to a decision based on only one visit. Also, some helpful books you might want to read are: Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, by Mark Dever; and The Master’s Plan for the Church, by John MacArthur.