The modern world we live in today is often a Consumerists' world. We have been conditioned to be quick to demand, ask and expect things our way as the good saying goes: "The customer is always right."
Inevitably as Christians, we may also bring this exact mindset and go "shopping around" for a church where we expect everything to be favorable to our own needs. What is a Good/Bad church to us then is a matter of personal preference and experience of to going to a Good/Bad restaurant:
"Today's Church Service was bad." vs "The waiter's service was pretty bad."
"I don't like the worship music." vs "I don't like the restaurant's music."
"I will go to another church." vs "I will go to another restaurant."
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for good worship music and they can draw us closer to God, but that shouldn't be the focus of our experience in church. I'm all for well delivered sermons, but how well a pastor can speak shouldn't be the focus of our experience in church. I'm all for having structures and procedures to facilitate church services but again that is not what our focus in Church ought to be. The focus isn't us, the "customers".
Sometimes we are quick to cherry pick and criticise a church like dissatisfied customers complaining about a bad experience at a restaurant. In the book "Mere Christianity", C.S. Lewis states that:
"In plain language, the question should never be: "Do I like that kind of service?" but "Are those doctrines true: Is there Holiness here? Does my conscience move me towards this? Is my reluctance to knock at this door (making a choice, in this context choosing a church) due to my pride, or my mere taste, or my personal dislike of this particular doorkeeper?"
The Church is not a building where Christians gather. The Church refers to a gathering of God's people. What then should we look out for in a Church?
1) Soundness of God's Word:
With false teachings like Prosperity Gospels and the influx of new age theologies, we need to discern and ask whether the teachings a Church teaches us are Biblical and rooted in God's Word.
Just because a pastor said something does not mean what is preached is always right. We are in fact encouraged to test and hold fast to what is true (1 John 4:1). Likewise in the book of Acts, Berean Jews eagerly received messages from Paul and checked the scriptures to see if what Paul said was true. (Acts 17:10-12)
2) Godliness among His people:
Can you see the traces of God among his people - a community?
Are they having a mere form of outward "godliness" that has nothing to do with God (2 Timothy 3:1-5) or can you see the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) where genuine love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control is evident?
Are they having a mere form of outward "godliness" that has nothing to do with God (2 Timothy 3:1-5) or can you see the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) where genuine love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control is evident?
It is to note that no Church is perfect, and as humans we always make mistakes but a community that loves God will always seek to grow and edify one another not just in outward behaviour but also Christian character so that we may all mature in Christ.
As Jesus says in (John 13:34-35), love for one another is evident among His disciples - those who truly follow Jesus.
Practical Steps to choosing a Church
If you are currently in search of a Church, I would encourage you to earnestly seek God in prayer keeping in mind the two points above. God know that we have personal preferences and personal needs but he calls us to seek His kingdom first (Matthew 6:33).
On a practical note, it would be helpful to be visiting a church (attending Service) for at least 2 months and joining their community (cell group). This would allow you time to get to know what the Church as a community stands for. By placing God's Word first and seeking a community that honors Him, we can be sure we are on the right track.
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Chin wee has been a follower of Jesus for about 7 years. Having experienced a time when he felt stagnated in Faith, he went on an "Exodus" from his old church at a time when he felt God moving him on. He once spent about 1.5 years visiting different churches of different denominations and teachings, finally concluding that there is no perfect church. Rather, God took him on a journey to refine what it meant to be going to a Church.