There Is Power In His Word...But What if Your Church Is Preaching Counterfeit Gospel?

HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT CHURCH

October 13, 2020
Reality Check
It’s been said before and it’s still true. Your destiny will literally be determined by where you go to church and upon your friends. Your church source of Biblical truth and your friends will either elevate you or bring you down. They will either empower or burden you.

Your pastor should teach the uncompromised Word of God and show you how to appropriate it into your life to bring the victory God promised. Your friends should be a connection point for Biblical truth, for prayer support, and for nurturing encouragement. If you don’t have both – it’s time for a change.

Church is the most important.  If you’re disenchanted with yours, you’re not alone. Many are disheartened by lectures from the pulpit on social justice and by individual life problems that never seem to improve. There’s a better way.

Roadmap
God has the perfect church for you. All He needs is your willingness to change and listen to His gentle guidance in finding the right one. Consider these steps:

• Visit lots of churches but check them out before you go.
• Ask your friends and acquaintances for recommendations then do your research.
• Start with the church website.  Does it talk about Diversity or Racial Sensitivity or Critical Race Theory? If so, it’s not the church for you. 
• Does the church support BLM or illegal aliens? Not the right church.
• When did the church open after the lockdown? Still only partially open? Fear apparently rules there – you can get that on network TV. You want a church that’s bold like these. 
• How does the church treat the Bible? As the inerrant Word of God or as a series of parables for living? If it’s the latter, run for your life!
• Does the church teach the importance of faith? That faith comes by hearing, studying, and confessing God’s word over your family, your finances, your safety, and your circumstances? (Romans 10:17 Then faith is by hearing, and hearing by the word of God) If not, move on.
• What does the church teach about tithing? Does the pastor teach that tithing is God’s way to get money to you, not take it from you? (Malachi 3:8-12). If so, that’s the beginning of your financial literacy and God’s protection over your finances. It’s also the only place in the Bible where God literally challenges you to test Him.
• What does the church teach about the protection of Israel? (Deuteronomy 46:33:29.) The Lord says He blesses those who bless Israel. If the church falls short of that, that’s your cue to move on.
• Is the church focused on growing new leaders? Churches that don’t pour into others to make them leaders miss the mark. Pretty soon, the church becomes all about the leader instead of growing additional leaders to accomplish the purpose of why the church exists in the first place. (Acts 6:1-7)
• Does the church help members crave meat, not milk? (I Corinthians 3:1-3) It’s the pastor’s responsibility and the members’ responsibility to grow in the Word.
• What role does prayer play in this church? (Acts 12:15) A healthy church has a regular time devoted to prayer.
• Does this church give cheerfully? (Acts 2:44,45). If churches gave this way today, everyone’s needs would be met with plenty left over to pay it forward.
• Does this church welcome strangers or treat them like an inconvenience? (Matthew 25:35). When we welcome the hurting, we’re doing it for the Lord. If you visit and are not made to feel welcome, cross this one off your list.

Suggestions
This may sound like a tall order to find all this out, but here are some suggestions:

• Listen to a sample sermon from the church’s website.
• Make an appointment to visit the pastor or a member of the ministry staff to ask some of these questions.
• Speak with some of the church members and get some information on the 14 points above and find out what the members value most about the church.
• Pray and ask God to lead you to the perfect church where you can be blessed and be a blessing in return.
• Make a promise to yourself and to God to be open-minded and flexible. He may send you into a different environment than the kind you’ve experienced. That’s what healthy change is all about.
• Don’t give up. Your effort will bear fruit.
• Oh, and the friends? You’re on your own on that front.

I know a lot of people are feeling churchless and finding a new church is not a quick thing. In the meantime, if you are interested, I am going to start doing a short weekly periscope reading the Bible a few chapters at a time. Let's immerse ourselves in His word. The church has failed but His word is the solution. Join me at 7:30 on Sunday . Let's go back to the beginning and listen to what God is telling us, not what the world is trying to distract us from.....