I haven’t had to do this in a very long time – search for a home church, that is. As a pastor you usually get the “Here’s your office. Now get to work” welcome to a church. We’ve been on an interesting journey in search of a church where we can use our gifts, where we can be responsible financial stewards by giving financially, where we can be fed and find balance. A place where we can worship. It seems to be a lot to ask.

I want to find a church home where I don’t drive by a dozen or more other churches to get to our church. I’m searching for a place that’s doctrinally sound and methodologically forward thinking. The two aren’t often found together, in my experience. I’d like to find a caring church. The list could go on – and will as I blog about the search. Here are the questions I’m going to use for “the first cut”. If these are a yes, I intend to visit again and dig deeper.

Is the church doctrinally sound from a diet of sound expository preaching?

I’ve had it with “felt need of the week” sermons, no matter how much entertainment value they might have. Tell me what the text says and why God thought it was important for me to know. I want a church that takes God’s Word seriously – it is both timeless and timely, living and changeless and perhaps most important – inerrant. It is not just a collection of inspiring stories. It is inspired, God-breathed. I want a pastor that handles it accurately, carefully, thoughtfully and allows the mystery to what it is – a reflection of our finite ability to grasp the mind of God and not God having second thoughts.

Is it a caring church?

This (church) is the place where I want to live out my personal mission (Ephesians 2:10), which includes being “….part of a growing community of caring believers.” When I visit I hope people will not leave me isolated. I want them to politely introduce themselves and reveal something about themselves before (this is what one of our single adult friends used to call it) I am “informationally raped.” This is where they get what they want (name, address, e-mail, telephone number, marital status, number of children) without making any commitment to me. My single friend’s phrase was an apt (and memorable) one.

I’m willing to volunteer that I’m searching for a church home. I hope they’ll take the time to follow up in some way on that piece of information. Give me a phone call, contact me by e-mail, mail me your form letter (“Insert name of prospect here”), have the pastor or a visitation team member call me. Its good when the pastor makes an effort but as I used to tell people “They pay me to be good. You, however, are good for nothing.” The pastor is paid to be “on”. The church members are a reflection of the real temperature” of the church’s welcome.

Am I drawn into worship?

I don’t know how else to state this. I’m not looking of a particular style of music or level of performance quality. I’m hoping and praying God shows up. I don’t want to fight the worship wars. I’m looking for a place where that’s been decided, where they’re really seeking God. This will include not just music but prayer. It will look different in different churches, but it will be recognizable.

Can the leadership be trusted?

I realize we wouldn’t have a large portion of the New Testament if it weren’t for dysfunctional churches. I am looking for a church that handles conflict well, without someone leaving every time a disagreement breaks out. Its an art, and a tribute to a non-charismatic’s belief that the Spirit works today, that I believe such a  church actually exists.

I also am painfully aware that dysfunctional churches exist. As Ron Enroth (http://www.batteredsheep.com/dysfunctional.html) wrote:

What are the hallmarks of unhealthy, aberrant churches? The key indicator is control oriented leadership, ministers who have a need to "lord it over the flock." Abusive leaders demand submission and unquestioning loyalty. The person who raises uncomfortable questions or does not "get with the program" is cast aside. Guilt, fear, and intimidation are used to manipulate and control vulnerable members, especially those who have been taught to believe that questioning their pastor [Alan’s note: “…or leadership”] is comparable to questioning God.

There is a good list of characteristics (of dysfunction) to avoid at http://ministryhealth.net/mh_articles/095_fifteen_char_dysfunctional_church.html

Those are the first level of questions to help us sort through to the right church. I hope I haven’t set the bar impossibly high.

I’m going to try to post on this again as we visit different churches. It’s sort of a “report from the field”. Let me know if I’ve missed anything in the first tier of questions. Remember, you can’t ask every question the first Sunday. Its been a busy week so I may post my first field report before the week is up – but that’s all for now.