When it comes to going to church, you should make sure that this is a personal choice for you and that you don’t just accept the nearest church to you, geographically. This is not to say that the nearest church to you is going to be a poor church, perhaps this is not the case, but either way you should actively seek for a church which fits in to your view of worship and praise.
I am fortunate enough to be a member of the fantastic Westside Family Church and prior to joining this exciting place of worship, I spent many years in a church which did not share in my ideas for what worship should look like. If you are concerned that you are in a similar position to the one that I was in, then here are the things that I think that you should look for in a church and why you should be seeking it.
Community
The church is more than just a place of worship, it should be a place where friends, family and strangers come together to share in the love of their faith. If you do not have this then you cannot fully embrace your faith in the way that we are taught to. A strong church should have a tight community which not only seeks to help one another but also those in the surrounding areas of the church as well as people around the world.
Exciting
Giving thanks and praise is not always about quiet ceremonies and masses and the church has moved in to modern times as the world has. For example, mass in my new church is an exciting event where we can sing at the tops of our voices with exciting music that gives the deserved praise to God, in a way that gets everyone off their feet and dancing in the aisles. A church should match your desires when it comes to how you wish to worship and this is something that is key when you are looking for a new church where you can go and give praise.
Extras
For me, a church is about more than just a place to go each Sunday to break bread, it is about a center of worship which offers its flock a wide range of activities, classes and incentives to get involved with. My previous church was usually closed for most of the week and seeking help, knowledge and inspiration was difficult to come by. When looking for a new church you should also be looking for extra projects to get involved in which can help you to practice your faith as we have been shown. Whether it is volunteering or learning that you would like to do, your church should be a place which gives you the chance to do exactly that.
What do you look for in a church? Let us know in the comments below.
