It's that time of year when there are new starts – a new job, new place to live or a new start away at college.
Because of this, it's also a time when many will be searching for a new church. Depending on how long you plan to live in that place, it could be a big decision which will impact your life for many years.
How can you decide which congregation to join?
Well, there will be some obvious things to tick off. If you're looking for a particular denomination or worship style, that will probably be the way you start to narrow down your options. Recommendations from friends, family and previous churches can also be a good guide. With those things taken into account, what should we be looking for in a new church?
1) A place where you feel welcomed
It's incredibly simple, but a vital point nonetheless. A warm smile as you enter the church for a service can make or break the whole experience. Yet there's more to a good welcome than that. Do people who aren't part of the official 'welcome team' come and say hello? If so, that's a good sign.
Aspects of the service itself can be welcoming (or not!) as well. If you're unfamiliar with what usually happens, then clear instructions, either written or verbal, can go a long way to making you feel at home. No-one wants to be the person who joins the wrong line while waiting to receive communion or the person who stands up at the wrong point in the proceedings!
2) A place you feel comfortable
This is related to point one, but is about much more than welcome. A church in which you can be comfortable will look different depending on your personality and what stage you are at on your faith journey.
Some people will want a small group with whom they can share their lives and spend social time as well as worship and prayer. Others will be looking for a more contemplative, quiet way of experiencing God. This is thought to be behind the rise in attendance at English Cathedrals.
A place where you can be comfortable isn't just somewhere where you have a 'nice' experience. It's somewhere that encourages you to grow in your depth of understanding and your spiritual walk.
3) A place that doesn't let you stay comfortable
Having said comfort is important, it's important that we don't get too comfortable. There can, of course, be a number of ways in which churches do this. Some churches tend to fall into a pattern of doing things that remains static and too similar from week to week. It isn't just liturgical churches that can suffer this problem – any form of church can become routine.
A church that doesn't challenge you to engage with the Gospel afresh isn't going to be a place which helps you along the path of discipleship. This doesn't mean there needs to be controversial preaching every week or daringly experimental music. However, an attitude of relying on the spirit to prompt proceedings will probably mean that there is a level of discomfort which is good. Think of it like the grit which gets into an oyster – without it there would be no pearl.
4) A place that is reaching out
Churches look very different in different contexts but one trait the best churches all share in common is an attitude not just of welcome, but of outreach.
A church that is taking Jesus' seriously will be reaching out into its community to tell people the good news of the gospel as well as being actively engaged in doing works of mercy and campaigning for justice. These three separate but related aspects of outreach – evangelism, charity and justice – aren't in competition with eachother – they are complementary.
5) A place within walking distance
This may not be possible for everyone, but if it's at all feasible, being in a local church should be the aim. Church isn't just about Sunday mornings – church is about day-to-day life.
If you live in the community where your church is based then you can have many more interaction – both planned and unplanned – with your church family.
None of these five points is a silver bullet. Finding a new church can still be a tricky task. But armed with this checklist, some recommendations and some prayer – you could be well on your way to finding your new home...
