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CHOOSING A CHURCH…
Daniel Brown (not Mr DaVinci Code) was the trusted assistant pastor to Jack Hayford in L.A. California. This church is renowned for its stability and long-term membership. When Daniel Brown left to take over his own church in another city he expected that he could repeat what his famous mentor had done. But what he discovered in his first year of pastoring this 600-member church was that 400 people left! But simultaneously, 400 new people were added! The “Times, they are a changin’!”
According to Barna Research, one in seven Christians have left their church and are currently looking for a new church.
This phenomenon is happening all over the world. Reasons for this include: urban sprawl, the demise of denominationalism, the rise of mega-churches, the aggressive planting of new churches, the rapid changes in work arrangements (including job transfers and work hours), the growing incidents of higher education, and adaptation of information technology (the internet and digital communication media such as DVDs, MP3s). These factors may mean that fewer and fewer churches will be able to claim that they have any long-term members at all.
As we seek to build our church we hope that despite these trends we will build a stable church by building long-term members. Along the way, we will also build with people who have just left a church. This means that increasingly people will venture into the harbour of our church having just come from the stormy experience of another church. They may relish the safety of our harbour or set sail for another. Either way, what should people look for when choosing a new church?
People attend churches for several basic reasons.
Firstly, they feel that they can connect with others there. Secondly, the pastor is faithful to God and the ministry of the Word. Thirdly, they feel that they can be of use within the church. Let’s explore these-
- Nobody wants to join an unfriendly church. When looking for a new
church to attend this is always the first test that people use. Visitors
take careful note of who, how and why, people within a church welcome
them. Does the church have an organised opportunity to meet in small
groups? Was the visitor invited to a home or small group? Being
accepted is the most basic need of all people.
- Preaching matters. But it’s not the most important test for
a person looking for a new church. Yet, what is preached is actually
the most important aspect of any church. What is preached determines
direction, development, discipline, and doctrine which affects every
church member.
When looking for a new church questions have to be asked about how the preacher uses the Bible. Does he teach from it or does he use it to support his ideas? There is a big difference. Does the preacher even refer to the Bible? Does the preacher paraphrase the Scripture or quote it? Does the preacher make the Scriptures appear interesting? Is the preaching dry or too long? - Can I help? People want to know that they are able to get involved.
When looking for a new church, people wonder where and how they can
get involved. Serving others is fundamental to life having meaning
let alone to enriching our Christianity. When judging a potential church
ask whether they will allow you to use your gifts or abilities. Do
people ask about your abilities, gifts, or ministry experiences?
Our vision is that everyone will find a way to exercise their ministry, gifts, and abilities within our church.
Finally, to develop a growing church is going to take a pioneer spirit. This means that we are prepared to put up with some things for the moment because we have confidence that things will be different down the track. We want to be a growing and dynamic church for all the family reaching this community and beyond. We hope that in years to come there will be hundreds of people worshipping here and thousands who have been touched by the ministry of this church. If you’ve been a part of this church for a while now, thank you. Let’s stay the course and grow old together. If you are new to this church, welcome! One thing’s for sure, our future is going to be much brighter if you’re a part of it. This means that there might be barriers to break through and hurdles to overcome in our own thinking and lives in order for us to be a vital part of God’s plan for the Tamar Valley. But I’m sure as we work together on these things it will be more than worth it!
Dr. Andrew Corbett, August 24th 2005
Contemporary Issues Facing Christians
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