1. What does the church believe about Scripture?
Is the Bible infallible or not? Do the Scriptures have a central place in the worship and lives of the people?
2. What is the church’s confession of faith?
Does the church have criteria for the preaching and teaching of Scripture? The truth is that every church has a confession of faith—it’s just that some are more honest about what they believe than others. If a church has a public confession, you can at least know what kind of teaching you can expect to receive and have a way to hold your pastor accountable to what the Scriptures teach.
3. Is the church’s worship man-centered or God-centered?
In other words, is the church’s worship about God meeting with his people, or is it based on entertainment? Can you pay for this “experience” at a local concert? If so, it’s probably man-centered.
4. Is Christ faithfully preached each week?
This is probably the most important question that you could ever ask when looking for a church. If Jesus as crucified is not publicly proclaimed from the pulpit, then get out of there. What’s the point of going to a church if it doesn’t do the one and only thing a church can do, which no other organization or business can? Is Jesus proclaimed as a moral hero, or is he your Redeemer and Savior? Look for a church that preaches “Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2).
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