~ Finding the Right Local Church is
Extremely Important ~
Introduction ~ Finding an excellent local church can many
times be very difficult. The goal should
be to find a church where the leaders (not just the senior pastor) are becoming
more and more Christ-like and where
the church is as close as possible to the early New Testament churches. How do we do find that kind of church? By all means the choice should be bathed in
earnest prayer. Here are a few things to
evaluate during church visits.
Leadership That Is Careful With
Doctrine ~
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to
God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”
(2 Timothy 2:15).
Search for a church which is Christ-like in care for correct doctrine.
Leadership That Is Careful With All
The Sheep ~ “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.
For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in
fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and
you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, ‘You sit
here in a good place,’ and say to the poor man, ‘You stand there,’ or, ‘Sit
here at my footstool,’ have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and
become judges with evil thoughts?” (James
2:1-4). Search for a church which
exhibits Christ-like care
for all the sheep.
One way to evaluate this is to watch the pastor (and other
spiritual leaders) before and after the service. Who do they mingle with and who do they seem
to avoid? One result of this type of
leadership is a friendly congregation which welcomes visitors. Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you,
that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one
another. By this all will know that you
are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John
13:34-35).
Leadership That Is Careful With Their
Own Lifestyle ~
As a mentor to Timothy the Apostle Paul wrote, “Let
no one despise your youth, but be an
example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attention to reading, to
exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect
the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on
of the hands of the eldership. Meditate
on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will
save both yourself and those who hear you” (1
Timothy 4:12-16). Paul walked his talk and
could also write, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ” (1
Corinthians 11:1). Search
for a church with leaders who are truly seeking to be Christ-like
in their personal lives.
Additional Thoughts ~
(1) When our family was small my wife
and I deliberately chose our local church based heavily upon where our children
would grow spiritually. This was much
more important to us than the best fit for us as a couple. (2) You may desire to review a previous post
entitled “Church
Choice” (Looking for a New Church?)
which was posted on May 22, 2012.
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
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