This past Sunday, I was having a discussion with a former member about looking for a good church to attend. In our discussion, it simply dawned on me that every member who has ever moved away from our church has NEVER gone to a church I have recommended. In fact, most have attended churches with these priorities in mind, what I would call the Three C’s:

Church Programs
Especially Children’s programs – not on the basis of what is taught, but on the basis of its organization and/or entertainment

Convenience
People have chosen the church down the street, regardless of its doctrine, depth, etc.

Camaraderie
I am intentionally not using the word “Fellowship” to describe this aspect simply because I think biblical fellowship is founded not on any common lifestage, feeling, or activity, but on Scripture and its application in one’s life.

Sadly, not too many I know have chosen a church based on:

a. Statement of Faith

In our first week of Christianity Treasured, we explored how many evangelical churches are moving away from the word “inerrancy” regarding Scripture to phrases such as “authoritative for life and practice,” “inspired Word of God,” or “infallible.” Sadly, such words used to mean inerrant but today, when one uses such words, they essentially mean, “We believe the Bible is very important, but it has some errors.” And a church which leaves even a crack open for error in Scripture, eventually does away with Scripture and its relevance (see the mainline denominations for evidence of this). Paul tells Timothy: “If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing.” (1 Timothy 6:3-4) As we can see from this statement, doctrine matters because it affects one’s godliness (a desire to obey God). So we should start here when selecting a church.

Also, if a church does not have a statement of faith, that should really leave one to question why not. Usually, churches without statements will contend that such statements only lead to division and they wish to be inclusive to all. But to have no statement is to have a statement of faith. All churches are acting out their theologies. If a child dies in a car crash, a pastor will not simply speak about the car that was crushed or the weather on that day, he will try to comfort those parents. He will probably use either the Bible or some life experience of some words from a book he has read. Such words will speak much about his view of God, evil, suffering, grace, mercy, etc. He is doing theology and whatever a church wants to believe about doctrine or lack thereof, ALL churches have doctrine. Some want to let you know what theirs is up front and some want you to guess what theirs is.

b. Biblical Preaching and Exposition

Without a strong biblical exposition of the WHOLE counsel of God, a family risks a life loosed from the solid moorings of Scripture. The Bereans were able to believe because they could match up with what Paul was saying to Scripture: “they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. 12 Many of them therefore believed.” (Acts 17:11-12) But if the pastor is not preaching from Scripture, is not expositing God’s Word faithfully and saying what the author means rather than what he wants to read into what the author means, then there simply is no way to ascertain whether something is of the Lord or something is of one’s own pysche. In fact, Paul warns Timothy: “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.” (2 Timothy 4:3) In other words, apart from Scripture, we will simply want to listen to what we WANT to hear rather than what we NEED to hear because our ears will not endure sound teaching. We will become so used to having our ears itched that we won’t even care for God’s Word. It will sound burdensome to us.

At this point, how can we ever know if what the pastor is saying is true unless it is founded in rooted in the only Truth, God’s Word? Seek a church where the pastor preaches not merely the how-to’s but the statements that magnify God, glorify His Son, and implore for the work of Spirit. The how-to’s you can get from books. The exposition of God’s Word melts your heart of stone. Thabiti Anyabwile has a great article called “Expositional Listening” that shows how important preaching is to a church member’s health. This article called, “The Devastating Consequences of a Watered-Down Message” by John MacArthur shows how destructive preaching without a desire to preach Scripture can be to the soul.

c. Gospel

Does the church preach the full breadth of the Gospel? Does the church believe in all of the implications of the substitutionary work of Christ, which includes the depravity of man, the necessity of Christ’s work to bear God’s wrath in our place (propitiation) and to remove sin (expiation), justification by faith alone by grace alone, the imputed righteousness of Christ to our account, our adoption as sons and daughters into the household of God? A full-orbed preaching of the Gospel of Christ which is of first importance (1 Cor 15:1-3) is essential to one’s growth in Christ. Mark Dever does a great job in outlining why the Gospel is an essentially mark of a healthy church. Also, please see The Gospel Coalition or Together for the Gospel‘s statements on the necessity for the centrality of the Gospel in choosing a church.

d. Membership

If a church does not have a membership, you need to ask why not? How does a person eventually become a leader? Who teaches and ministers? How is the church run, by natural gifts, or by a commitment to serve Christ’s Body in love? Again, please read Mark Dever’s arguments for the necessity of biblical membership.

e. Books and Authors

Ask the pastor what are his favorite books and authors and why? Much of what the pastor believes can be ascertained from who and what he reads.

f. Humility

Do the church leadership and members, because of its view on the Gospel, convey an atmosphere of humility that leads to love, warmth, congeniality, and service? You can read John Piper or C. J. Mahaney’s book Humility.

g. Evangelism and Missions

Because of their doctrine, do you see the natural outflow of evangelism and missions in the life of the church? Does the church have a love for the lost and the lost people of the world?

No church will have perfected all of these. We are all being sanctified. But if we are watching our doctrine (1 Tim 4:6), then we should see hints of all of these qualities. We should see a desire for such things and steps toward that end. Donald Whitney, in his article, “Looking for a Church Home?” has some great questions when you are considering a church that you should ask the pastor.

So I am working on a list of churches that I think at some level, though not perfectly and not comprehensively, much like us, are striving to see their right doctrine lead them to right practice. Beware of any church that says that doctrine is secondary or unimportant. Such thinking is a slippery slope to a Gospel stripped of its power (again see the many challenges in mainline denominations today).