Finding a church can be a bit daunting but its well worth the effort to find a community of people that you can do life with and grow in your following of Jesus with. It was important enough that Jesus encouraged his disciples (which we are) to continue to gather together even after he left them. He knows that we need each other. To help you find a church that is right for you, you might want to consider:
• the type of congregation you want: younger, older, families (sometimes one church will have these different congregations meeting at different times) • the style of church you want: traditional or contemporary (Vineyard churches usually fall into this category) • whether the church has a children’s programme or youth group • what is really important to you to see if your values connect with those of the church you visit ie. compassion activity, involvement in the community
You can get a taste of what a church is like by:
• checking out a church activity at a time that suits you (many churches run study groups in mid-week and daytime programmes for parents with small children etc) • calling or emailing a church pastor and talking with them • talking to a friend who goes to church • attending a service • checking out the church on the web
If your local church doesn’t seem right for you, don’t give up! Some people travel long distances to go to a particular church because of the type of community they find there.