some questions from a new christian reply to pwhite empros com in article apr athos rutgers edu bach udel edu steven r hoskins writes i have another question i would like to ask i am not yet affiliated with any one congregation aside from matters of taste what criteria should one use in choosing a church i don t really know the difference between the various protestant denominations here in america people tend to think of choosing a church much like they think of choosing a car or a country club what i mean is that our culture is such that we tend towards satisfying our own wants rather than considering things with others in mind and not making prayer an initial and primary part of the decision process people tend to treat church as they would a club and when something is less than to their liking off they go to another one i think that scripture presents the idea that god takes a different perspective on the church choosing process it seems to me from cor that god doesn t subscribe to the idea of us choosing a church at all but that he places us in the body as he wants us so i think a better question is not how do i choose a church but how do i figure out where god is trying to place me if a person was instrumental in leading you to christ the church they go to is a logical first choice you have been born into the family of god people should hop around from church to church as often as they hop from natural family to family if you met the lord on your own so to speak there may not be an easily identifiable church to try for starters here you are more like an orphan prayerfully go and leave yourself on a few doorsteps and see if anyplace feels like home i wouldn t expect that god want to place you in a church where you have difficulty fitting in with the people but on the other hand there are no perfect churches if you have an attitude of looking for problems you will both find them and make them on the other hand if you have an attitude of love and committment you will spread that wherever you go in general i think that god will try to place you in a church that talks about the lord in the way that you have come to know him and is expanding on that base peter white disclaimer none of what is written necessarily reflects a view of my company phil i want to know christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in niv his sufferings becoming like him in his death
