Seven or Eight Criteria to Look For in a Good Church
Find a church, or a group of believers near you (or as close to you as you can go to meet with as often as possible) that fits the following seven criteria in descending order of importance (the first three being absolutely vital) — a church where…
- …where Jesus Christ is central to all, and is the prime focus of all activity, and is Lord of every area of life and community activity. Where He is recognised as the Son of God, and that He is God.
- …where it is firmly believed that Jesus was born as a man, died on the cross physically for our sins, and then, physically rose again from the dead; and that the power of His resurrection is what enables us to live the Christian life.
- …where the Bible, both the old and new testament — from Genesis to Revelation — is indisputably recognised as the word of God; that it is relevant to us today, and is accepted as the final authority over and above any teaching, prophetic word or vision etc.
- …where the people's personality and character have been noticeably transformed through abiding in the presence of God (through worship, repentance, prayer and Bible reading) so that the image of Jesus is seen in the lives of the people. Where it is understood and practiced that this transformation must continue through out our whole lives on earth.
- …where they are not involved in strife among themselves, nor with other Christian groups. Love is the motivating factor — not fear or jealousy.
- …where emphasis is placed on what they have in common with other believers (those who fit the first 3 criteria — no matter what their background) and not on what distinguishes them as a unique fellowship/church/denomination. Believers from other backgrounds are regarded as just as much their brother and sister in Christ as are their fellow members of their group, and not looked down on in any way. High priority is given to maintaining relationships.
- …where they are open to experiencing the power of God and hearing His voice in a personal way, or corporately.
- …where the leaders are humble and childlike, they are the leaders by virtue of being servants of all, and their greatness in the kingdom is by virtue of being the least in their own eyes. The criteria stands at seven (or eight) because the eighth may be the most difficult to find. You may just have to pray that the church you do find that fits most of the above seven will soon attain to the eighth as well.
Churches may differ in many ways — in their pattern of worship, administration, and their teaching — but if they fit the above seven criteria, you are on safe ground. Not all of the churches listed in the previous section are guaranteed to fit these criteria, but they could be well on the way. If you do find a church in your area that does fit all seven criteria, please email us (please do not alter the subject line, or it will be treated as spam), and give us the contact details so we can post it here.
return to top
|
