Questions to Help Church Shoppers

(Some Questions that May Help With Looking for a New Church)

INTRODUCTION

This site, our church, and these questions are not for everyone. Many people are looking for the church with a shopping mall variety of programs and activities for themselves and their children, large and attractive facilities, a gymnasium and the like. If you are inclined that way we wish you well, but we're probably not going to be much help.

But if those things are either unwanted or secondary for you, even if Faith Chapel isn't for you, we may still be able to help with your search. We know that looking for a church home is not an easy task. You are hopefully thinking something like this. You are looking for people to whom you can entrust your souls and those of your children. You are looking for not just a place to worship, but a place that will sustain and nourish you in spiritual life, a family, and a home. It can be difficult to find a place that will really suit your needs. These questions were written to help with evaluating churches.

Each of the main questions is followed by a number of particular questions that fall under the heading. To be sure, it would be a rare thing to find a church that scores high in all areas. And to be truthful, the questions may be more detailed than some people are comfortable with. But when you consider that what you are shopping for is far more important than a car or even a house, because it has to do with your eternal welfare, it may appear that the questions are worth considering. In any case, hopefully they will be helpful. If you use the questions, and if you have to settle for lower scores in some areas, at least you will have thought about those things and identified them, which will enable you to take some measures to adjust to them.

THE QUESTIONS

What is the church's doctrinal position?

Does the church have a written creed?
Does the church denigrate the use of creeds? (A creed is simply a summary of beliefs-- every church has one, but creeds can be written or unwritten, biblical or unbiblical, well constructed or poorly, in harmony with the historic orthodoxy of the Church or otherwise.)
Does the church appear to teach historic Christian and Protestant orthodoxy, as you would find summarized in the Apostles Creed and the Nicene Creeds and the basic convictions of the Protestant Reformation?

Some basic doctrinal specifics you might want to check for. Ask whether the church and its leaders believe in:
The Bible as God's Word written?
The Creation as the Bible records i?
The supreme rule, i.e., the sovereignty of God?
The Trinity?
The incarnation and deity of Christ?
The substitutionary death, bodily resurrection, ascension, reign and second coming of Christ?
The Holy Spirit as a distinct Person of the Trinity?
Eternal judgment, heaven and hell?
Justification by faith alone?
What is their view of the relation between (moral) Law and Grace? Does the church teach that the Law has a role to fulfill in the Christian life? (Wesley, following the Reformers and Puritans, did! It is not only the schoolmaster, bringing us to see our need of Christ, but informs us how we may love God and our neighbor!)
Is there an excessive and imbalanced focus on Christian duty (legalism), such that grace somehow falls out of the picture? Is there evidence of expectations that you think are not scriptural, i.e., things that are added to what the Bible requires of us?
Is there evidence of an aversion for mentioning Christian duty and evangelical obedience?

What is the Worship Like?

Is the worship truly God-centered, or is it heavy on making people feel comfortable and entertained?
Does it inspire reverence without stuffiness and excess formality? Does it make you aware of both the love and the holiness of God?
Does it strike a balance between awe for God and joy in the goodness and mercies of God?
Does it seem to help you in your own drawing near to God?
Are you able to sing the hymns or songs from the heart and with understanding?
Do the prayers seem adequate and well thought out?
Does the worship service and atmosphere in the church seem to make you want to be closer to Christ? Do you see evidence of that in others?
Does there seem to be a logical flow to the order of worship?

What is the preaching like?

Is the content of the sermon mostly stories and illustrations and jokes, or does it get serious enough to speak to your life?
Is the preaching faithful to the text, i.e., does it actually teach and apply the text, or does it use the text as a mere springboard for something the speaker has decided to say?
Does the preacher effectively show (a) what the text teaches us to believe, (b) what the text instructs/requires us to do, and (c) what our affective (emotional/volitional) response should be?
Is the sermon truly a sermon or is it a lecture? Is it true preaching, with Christ at the center of it, showing us our need(s) and Christ as God's provision for us?
Does the pastor manage to communicate to both you and your children and hold their attention?

What does the Christian Education Ministry look like?

Is there evidence of planning?
Are there competent and mature teachers who seem to know the Bible and have the gifts for communicating to you and your children?
Does this church's way of doing youth and children's ministry have potential for supporting your parenting, or for undermining it?
Do your children feel welcome, and are they responding to people and teaching?

Does the Church have a Missionary Focus?

Is there evidence that the Church cares about the Great Commission? Do they support missionaries in their budget or otherwise?
Is there evidence of concern for evangelism here in our area, and of this as something in which every Christian should be a part?
What specific ministries is the church involved in locally?
Do you see evidence of concern for the poor and needy?

Is there evidence that this is a Praying Church?

What do you think of the prayers in the public worship service?
Do the people you meet evidence that they are people of faith and prayer?
Is there a prayer meeting, or is prayer somehow built into the life of the church, as, for instance, a part of small group meetings?

How Does the Church Establish and Build Community?

How does the church foster and build community?
Are there small groups?
Is there an emphasis on hospitality?
Do you see evidence of relationships between generations? Is there any emphasis on intergenerational relationships?
Is there any evidence of accountability? Would the leadership look the other way if a member fell into gross sin?
How does the church leadership shepherd the flock? How do they stay up on what's going on with individual households? Will they visit in your home?

How Friendly and Accepting are the People?

Do you see any evidence that the church is like a club, at least for some of its members?
Does it look as though affluence may be too important?
Do you see evidence that people of different sorts, of different income levels and social backgrounds, etc., are welcomed and accepted? Is there evidence that this is a commitment of the church?
Is it a welcoming church in your own experience? Were you welcomed, and was it in something more than a superficial way? Has anyone invited you home for a meal or otherwise reached out in more than just mere friendly words?

How Is the Church Organized and Structured?

What is the form of church government? Do you know of a biblical basis for this form of government?
Is the church part of a denomination? If so, what sort of oversight and accountability does the denomination exercise in relation to this church? Does the denomination in some form audit church records and are there mechanisms for correcting abuses in the local congregation and its leadership? Is there potential for abuse of power by a denominational hierarchy?
If the church is independent, is there any sort of oversight body outside the particular congregation that has power to correct abuses or that can act as an appeals court? If not, how does the leadership intend to maintain accountability and biblical checks and balances?

Are the Temporal Affairs of the Church Managed Well and Above Board?

Does the leadership of the congregation maintain "open books," i.e., does it regularly report income and expenditures?
Are there accountability mechanisms to minimize temptation to and abuses by those in positions of responsibility? Is there any kind of annual audit?
Can you get a look at the church's budget and monthly or annual reports so that you may have some idea of where your tithes and offerings will be spent?