Shopper’s Guide To Churches

Shopper’s Guide To Churches

We're passionate about one thing...
Your Salvation!

Choosing a church is a big decision.

The choice that you make right now can have lasting consequences in your family for generations. More even than that—it’s a choice that has eternal significance!
How can I be sure that I’m making a good decision?
The right one?
How do I choose a church?

To begin with, there really is only "One Holy Christian Church." It consists of all those who have faith in Jesus as their Savior from sin and death. In heaven, there will be folks who were Catholic Christians, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, Presbyterians, Lutherans, and others.

That said, you do not want to trust the care of your soul to just anyone.

For that matter, you do not want to entrust it to anyone at all, except to the Lord Jesus Himself, who says:

“I Am the Way; I Am the Truth and the Life; I Am the Gate; I Am the Door; I Am the Good Shepherd, who lays down His life for the sheep. I Am the Resurrection.”

So we consider each church with Jesus in mind.

Is Jesus at the center of worship and proclamation? How do they handle His Word?

With this Little Shopper’s Guide to Churches, we aim to help you make a careful, informed choice as to where to find fellowship. If you decide to make our church your church, we will certainly be delighted. But even if not, we hope to help you make the best decision you can, with the best information available to you.

Thank you for taking this journey with us, and God guide you to your new home church.

Common Church Shopping Mistakes

Below are 3 common pitfalls people encounter when church shopping. Click each topic to learn more.

comfort

Moses met God face-to-face on the mountain at the burning bush — and humble awe and reverence were the consequences, not an immediate feeling of being at ease. When God meets us in the Gospel, it will finally comfort us in the most important way — by bringing God’s peace to our hearts!

youuth

Choosing for the "Youth"

Don’t get us wrong—a healthy church cares about its youth. But the church’s beating heart is its worship. That is for everyone, where God promised that we (and our children!) will find Him.

thomas-jesus

Choosing for "Personality"

Pastors are fallible human beings, and in the life of the congregation, they come and go. What matters is whether the Person of Jesus is the Hero in sermons, the Focus of the worship, and whether He is seen as the Giver of our callings in life. In other words, what does the church —and its pastor— believe, teach, and confess?

5 Key Questions to Ask

1. Pastor, do you personally believe that Adam and Eve were two real, flesh-and-blood people?
The answer to look for is Yes.
The Bible presents itself not as a book of fable, but the inspired true history of our life with God.
2. Pastor, do you personally believe that Jonah was swallowed by an actual fish?
The answer to look for is Yes
To admit and affirm the Bible’s accounts of miracles—which finally lead to Jesus. See Matthew 12:40.
3. Pastor, do you believe that Jesus was born to an actual virgin?
The answer to look for is Yes
For that is what God promised (Isaiah 7:14), what the angel announced (Luke 1:34-37), and the assurance that God gave to Joseph, (Matthew 1:18-21).
4. Pastor, do you believe that Jesus bodily rose from the dead on the third day?
The answer to look for is Yes
Because that was what God promised, what Jesus Himself pledged to do, and what the eyewitnesses all testified, to the end!
5. How are we saved?
The answer that you are looking for is:
We are saved only by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ (Ephesisans 2:8-9.).

A faithful pastor can enunciate just what the Gospel is that we come to hear, namely, the forgiveness of sins that is found in Christ, and delivered to us in His Name. If these are the answers you are given, so far, so good!

After that, take time to get to know your prospective church. Ask plenty of questions and be sure to ask that the answers would be provided out of God’s Word, the Bible. Your friends at Redeemer Lutheran Church will be glad to help you in your quest in any way we can. Thank you! God bless you!
With Love,
A.J. Hamilton, Pastor