Looking for a church?

Was looking through my old posts at the old CFMMU yahoo groups when I remembered I posted this while still finding for a church last year. Hopefully it'll be a help for those of you who are still finding a church. Btw, I re-edited portions of the article to keep it up to date.

Hi there! Are you finding for a church? Fear not, cause I'm finding for a church too, haha. So, what's the point of reading about how to find a church? Well, if you're already a regular at some church, then I guess this article isn't for you. However, if you're still UNDECIDED and not sure of what to do, or which church to attend, the amount of churches to choose from can be terrifying.

And what's the big deal about choosing a church? Can't we just go to any church and just settle down? I guess you can, but finding the right church is just like finding a life partner. Ermm..maybe it's harder, or maybe it's slightly easier. But I guess, if you're finding for a place to grow spiritually for the rest of your MMU study life or even the rest of your life, the correct church is important.

So, what do I need to look for in a church? I guess it boils down to 4 important aspects, which I'll now touch upon:-


1) Are you comfortable in the Church?
Being comfortable in church is not finding a church with the best seats and aircond. Nor does it mean having a church that has the most ~CHUN~ babes or where all your friends are going. However, being comfortable in a church means whether the preaching, praying and worship styles suits you. If you have been going to a church for a couple of months and you find yourself running to the washroom everytime the worship starts, or if you tend to fall asleep everytime the preacher preaches, I guess the church's style might not really suit you. Another aspect of being comfortable, is whether do you like staying in the church? If you find yourself isolated all the time or missing service due to 'sickness' everytime Sunday comes, I guess it may also mean that it is not the right church.


2) Is there an opportunity to serve in the Church?
Being comfortable is one thing. Serving is another. Serving God in the church you belong to, helps build up Christian character in you. When you visit the church, remember to ask the Pastor or the leaders in the church, on what area could you serve in. Be it fetching people, washing washrooms or vacuuming the place after service, just do it. God'll bless you and build you up from there. As Jesus once wash the feet of his disciples, we're all called to be servants. Only through serving, do we begin to learn the principles of Christianity. It doesn't matter if the church is small or big, opportunity to serve always exists. Generally, , it is easier to get a chance to serve in smaller churches. Especially for worship ministry. However, I'm sure bigger churches do need people with a servant heart to serve in certain ministries too.


3) Pray and be sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
Pray, really hard and be as sensitive to where God wants you to be. Sometimes, we do not know where to go, or which church to attend. A lot of churches have great preachers, good worship and also a friendly environment with a lot of opportunity to serve. It's a hard decision no? Pray and ask God to lead you even before you go to the church on Sunday. I'm sure that after a couple of times, or after visiting couple of churches, God'll lead you to the correct church.


4) Finally, don't church hop.
Ha! You've reached my last point! Don't church hop. If you're still looking for a church now, it's still ok. But try to settle down in a church within 2-3 weeks time. Church hopping deprives you of many things. Namely, meaningful friendships with the people of the church, opportunity to serve and also a support group when you're down feeling the blues. ^_~. Haha, that's why it's important to pray before you start looking. If you pray, God'll lead, you just need to go and serve.


Alright then. I pray that you'll be happy in whatever church you're gonna attend and serve in.

Shalom,
Leo Koo