Selecting A Church

Introduction:
I. There comes a time in all our lives when we have to make
important decisions.

A. After high school, if plan to go to college, must decide which.

B. Occupation - earlier the decision the better.

C. Whom to marry and when.

D. Most important is what church to be a member of or where to worship.

II. All of these are important, but this last one is most important
yet many give little thought about selecting a church.

In this lesson, we intend to present some guidelines for selecting a church.
But lets first talk about how not to select a church:

Body
I. How Not To Select A Church

A. The nearest one.
1. Some select the church that is nearest, but the closest
one may not be the right one.
2. People go great distances for other things.
a. To same family doctor in distant city.
b. Shopping and work.
c. Why select a church just because it is close.

B. Should not select one because it has an impressive building.
1. Elaborate and costly buildings do attract people, but the meeting
house does not determine whether or not the
worship is acceptable.
2. The church is not the building. Acts 5:11 - "And great fear
came on all the church..."
a. Buildings do not fear - people do.
b. The beauty and quality of a church is determined by the
character and purity of its members.

C. Because friends and or relatives attend.
1. Friendship does not determine truth, nor what relatives
believe and do.
2. Besides, must love the Lord above friends and relatives.
Matt. 10:37 - "He who loves father or mother more than
me is not worthy of me. And he who loves son or daughter
more than me is not worthy of me."
3. Jesus wants you to worship where you can worship "in
spirit and truth."

D. Because it has a large membership.
1. The size of a church doesn't make it right.
2. There were only eight saved in the ark (1 Pet. 3:10).
Matt. 7:13,14 - "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is]
the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to
destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which
leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."
3. Just because a lot of people think it is right doesn't make it right.
a. All those who didn't get into the ark thought....
b. Majority lost then....now!

E. Because of the social activities provided.
1. Rec. and entertainment used by many to attract people to come.
a. Ping-Pong, ball teams, bingo, raffles, prizes, etc.
b. Rec. is not the work of the church.
c. Paul said, "Shall I do evil that good may come?" (If the
church does something that is not authorized it is evil.)
1) The closest thing they have for authority is to argue
that the "end justifies the means".
2) But Paul eliminated that kind of reasoning...
d. Such things are wrong when the church collective gets involved.
2. People that are attracted by things like this are not
converted to Christ by the gospel.
a. They have been drawn by the "social gospel".
b. You take away the social activities and the rewards
that got them to come and they'll quit coming.
3. Rom. 1:16 - "The gospel is the power of God unto salvation" and
those drawn by it will be saved from their sins.
a. A church acts without authority when it uses anything
but the gospel to gain attendance.
b. One should not select a church because it has something
to offer other then the gospel.

F. Because you will be benefited economically or politically.
1. Some choose a church because there are people in it that
are influential in politics or good potential customers for business.
2. Had an uncle who was chief of police...
a. Told his wife they ought to go to certain church because
would help him politically.
b. Wife thought hypocritical but went anyway.

II. Now that we've discussed how not to select a church lets
look at some Guidelines For Selecting A Church.

A. When looking for a church, look for one that respects the
authority of the scriptures.
1. The idea exists that it doesn't matter much what the Bible says.
a. The Catholics will even admit that the authority of
their church is greater than the Bible.
1) A Church is made up of men.
2) Hence, they have put the doctrines of men above
the word of God.
b. Many denominations have their human creeds
that they follow and they will usually accept what it
says over the Bible.
2. It is important that a church respects authority because the
word of God must determine what we do in religion.
a. II Tim. 3:16 - "All scripture is inspired of God."
b. II Pet. 1:3 - "..hath given all things that..."
1) Since "all things that pertain to life and godliness"
are contained in the scriptures, we don't need anything else.
c. Matt. 28:18 - "...all authority hath been given to me in heaven and on earth."
1) He delegated authority to the apostles who wrote by
inspiration the N.T. which is the creed of the Lord's church.

B. One that is identified as belonging to Christ.
1. Matt. 16:18 - Jesus said, "...I will build my church.."
2. Rom. 16:16 - "The churches of Christ salute you."
3. The church belongs to Christ - not Luther, or John Baptist...

C. One in which its members wear the name "Christian".
1. There is something in a name.
2. God said he would give His people a new name.
a. Isa. 56:5 - "Even unto them will I give in mine house
and within my walls a place and a name better than
of sons and daughters: I will give them an everlasting
name that shall not be cut off."
b. Isa. 62:2 - "And thou shalt be called by a new name
which the mouth of the Lord shall name."
3. Acts 11:26 - "The disciples were called Christians, first at Antioch."
a. This is that new name!
b. Acts 26:28 - Agrippa said, "Almost thou persuaidest me to
become a Christian."
1) This was the only name that anyone claiming to
be a follower of Christ knew then, and it should so be today.
c. Acts 4:12 - "Neither is their salvation in any other:
for there is none other name under heaven given
among men, whereby we must be saved."

D. One that worships like the N.T. teaches.
1. The churches of Christ of N.T. times engaged in:
teaching; the Lord's Supper every week; praying;
singing; and giving.
a. Anything else is an addition.
b. Failing to do these things is substracting from God's word.
2. John 4:24
a. The church we select must worship in "truth".
b. To worship in truth is to engage in the items of
worship mentioned, in the way that is prescribed.

E. One organized after the N.T. order.
1. The church should contain elders and deacons; and saints
which includes the rest of the membership.
a. A church that has a Pope or a pastor is not the one we
want because it is not organized properly.
b. The church should recognize Christ as head, not Pope.
1) Catholics claim two heads - earth and heaven, thus
have two heads for the same body.
2) Try to picture a body with two heads - it’s a freak!
a) And the Pope is a man that is mortal - so their
“head” dies and they have to elect another.
3) The Lord's church has only one, Christ.
i. Col. 1:18 - "And he is the head of the body the
church." (He is not ONE of the heads, but THE head.)
c. It should have a plurality of qualified elders or pastors, not a pastor.
Acts 14:23 - "Elders", (plural) were "ordained in every church."
2. Church should have no org. larger or smaller, nor
different from the local church.
a. But most den. have their earthly headquarters which
is an org. larger and different than the local church.
b. The true church has no such org.
c. When I'm asked, "Where are your headquarters?" I simply reply,
"In heaven".

F. One satisfied to just be the church and do the work God
assigned it.
1. Too many churches want to engage in things for which
there is no authority: Entertainment; Instru. music, etc.
2. The primary work of the church is of a spiritual nature:
a. Preaching the gospel to lost (Evj.) and saints (edif).
b. Secondarily - taking care of its own needy (Acts 6:1-6; 1 Tim. 5:16).
1) Where is the authority for a church to take from
its treasury for general benevolence? (Samaritan)
2) Some would accuse me of not believing in benevolence,
but I do.
Gal. 6:10 - "...As we therefore have oportunity, let us do good unto all men."
i. The above teaches Individual responsibility
ii The church is to take care of its own needy and other needy churches.
3. Where is the authority for a church to send money to colleges to do
its edifying; to contribute to missionary society, or "sponsoring church" to
do its evangelizing.
a. God's way is for churches to send directly to the preacher.
b. Paul said, "I robbed other churches to do you service."
c. God has given us a patter for evang. and we should follow it.
Finally:
G. One that teaches the Bible plan of salvation.
1. Most churches teach some of the plan of salvation, but
few teach the plan.
2. The plan of salvation is H-B-R-C-B and faithfulness or
"walk in the light" (1 Jn. 1:7).
a. We don't think it nec. to always give the scriptures
for H-B-R-C because most will accept this.
b. However, many claim salv. comes at the point of
believing: that is - by "faith only" (Jas. 2:24) and
before baptism.
i. Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved…” Mk. 16:16
Conclusion
I. Even as members of the church of Christ, we have to select
a church when we go on vacation or move to another city.

A. And it takes some serious investigation and consideration
because just because C of C is on sign doesn't mean it is one
with which we should worship.

B. There is more to selecting a church than to merely look for
one with a scriptural name.

II. If you’re not a member and have been looking for the right
church, we hope this lesson has been profitable and that it
will help you to decide & and make the right choice.

A. There are great differences in churches, even though Jesus
built only one and left only one set of rules.

B. You can find His church by keeping in mind the guild lines that
we have presented for selecting a church.
Look for:
1. One that Respects Bible Authority.
2. One that is identified as belonging to Christ.
3. One in which its members wear the name "Christian".
4. One that worships like the N.T. teaches.
5. One org. after the N.T. order.
6. One satisfied to just be the church and do the work God assigned it.
7. One that teaches the plan of salvation.

C. Through these guidelines you can identify the Lord's church
which He has redeemed with His blood.
1. If a church falls short on these it is built on the sand.
2. Psa. 127:1 - "Except the Lord build the house they labor in vain that build it."
3. Continue faithful in the church - you must never give up
for giving up will mean you loose all.

III. Obey the plan of salvation and the Lord will add you to his church.

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