Finding a new church can be an hugely overwhelming and scary task. You may have just moved to the area, be looking into “religion”, or just simply wanting to find a new church in your area. But walking into a new church can be a daunting and lonely undertaking. Here are some ideas for those first few visits to a brand new church.

Idea #1: Ask Someone
Like any other area in life, a good review from a trusted friend is a big plus. Ask family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, or anyone else whom you trust (or can think of) what church in the area they would recommend for someone searching for a new church home. What would be their top recommendations? If a one or two churches in the area are consistently suggested, start there and see how you like it!

Idea #2: Set a Time Limit
Unless the search area you have for a new church is extremely limited, set aside a few weeks and try out a number of churches. Take those few weeks and try a new church every Sunday morning. But a good idea is to set a time limit on how long you will allow your search to take. If you live in an area with as many options as there are weeks in a year, your researching will be counter-productive to your goal, which is to find a new church home.

Idea #3: Try Out the “Extras”
If you have time during the week, maybe you should try attending the church you are looking in to more than just the regular Sunday morning service. Most churches, if not the vast majority of them, usually have Wednesday night activities or even Sunday evening services. These other services are often a bit smaller and therefore it would be an easier way to get to know the people at the church. Finding a new church home is more than just agreeing with the doctrine preached on Sunday mornings, it’s also about becoming a part of a community of people whom are an excellent fit into your personality type, lifestyle type, and general worship type. Birds of a feather flock together!

Idea #4: Don’t Expect Perfection
Just like any other (large) gathering of people, try to always keep in mind as you search that you are not necessarily going to find a group of perfect people. Perfect people just don’t exist! You know you aren’t perfect, so don’t expect perfection of your new church home either. On the other end of that spectrum, don’t settle for becoming a part of a church family that holds beliefs that contradicts with your own convictions. But the idea of not expecting perfection has more to do with not requiring the people in your new family to be perfect, but you should agree with the church as a whole.

Finding a good church family can be quite a challenge. But in the end a community of love, support, and accountability is well-worth the search.

Author Bio: Andrew Hallinan invites you to visit Churches Spring Texas, and offers a special invitation to the House of Prayer Missionary Baptist Church.

Category: Religion
Keywords: find a church, new church, church family, church community, Missionary Baptist Church, Baptist Churc