Good Church Choices
by Sandy Simpson, 2003

Here’s how to find a good church.  What you need to find is a church that not only has orthodox doctrinal statements but teaches, both explicitly and implicitly, in line with the core doctrines of the Faith.  These are Bible-believing Christ-centered churches that are balanced in their theology.  Be sure to test all churches before you become involved.  It is acceptable to get involved with a house church or Bible study as long as there is someone who has the gift of teaching there to lead the study of God’s Word. 

 

Hebrews 10:25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

 

The Christian life is not one to be lived alone.  Trust me; I have sympathy for those who have been spiritually injured by false churches, false prophets, false teachers and false apostles.  It is often a long road back from the diaprax of heresy.  But to undo the brainwashing you will need help, especially from those who are already ahead of you on your journey back.  The first century church was known for the following:

 

Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

This is a good gauge to tell if you are involved in an effective assembly of believers, no matter how small.  Remember that the first century churches were in homes.  In my experience smaller churches are much better at doing the above and more.  Avoid mega churches.

Here are some tips for finding a good church:

1.      Find a church that is Bible-believing and Christ-centered -- that is a church that considers the Bible to be the highest authority in all matters of Faith and practice instead of new revelation, and the main focus is on Christ and not the Holy Spirit, Who Himself focuses our worship and attention on Jesus.

John 15:26-27 "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. 
John 16:13-15 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth.
 He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

 

There have been those who claim that the churches need to be Patriocentric (emphasizing the Father) or Pnemacentric (emphasizing the Holy Spirit), especially the latter.  But they are wrong.

 

Should biblical Christian churches be Christ-centered (Christocentric)?  Should the doctrines of the Father (Patriology) and the Holy Spirit (Pnematology) also be equally emphasized?  Can a church be Patriocentric or Pnemacentric and be biblical?

 

The answer to these questions are quite simple from a biblical perspective.  There have been charges leveled at some movements such as the Pietist Movement in Germany and other movements that they place too much emphasis on Christ to the exclusion of the Father and the Holy Spirit.  This may be true to a certain degree.  The doctrines of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit must be taught with equal emphasis so that Christians will know what they believe.

 

But should a church be Patriocentric or Pnemacentric?  No.  For instance, there are far too many churches today, having been influenced by hyper-Pentecostalism and the Latter Rain, that are Pnemacentric.  They spend most of their time focusing on the Holy Spirit to the exclusion of preaching the Gospel while, in fact, they don't even have a biblical doctrine of the Holy Spirit.  I believe that because classic Evangelicals, to a certain degree, dropped the ball in defining the Person and role of the Holy Spirit it gave an opening to Third Wavers to step in with their erroneous ideas of Pnematology.  For more information on this subject, go to this section of the web site.

(http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/gen_hspirit.html)

 

But should biblical churches be Christocentric (centering on Jesus Christ)?  Though not to the exclusion of a proper understanding of the other core doctrines of the Faith ... yes! Why?  Because that is the emphasis the New Testament, the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit and the Apostles give to Christianity.  Therefore we should do no less.

 

The New Testament is Christocentric.

 

The words "Christ" and "Son" are repeated 720 times in the NT, while the word "Father" is only used 297 times and the word "Spirit" only 274 times.  The emphasis in the New Testament is clearly Christocentric.

 

The Father wants us to be Christocentric.

 

Matthew 17:5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!" 
Phil. 2:9-11  Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

The Son wants us to be Christocentric.

 

John 14:6  Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 
John 11:25-26  Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"

 

The Holy Spirit is Christocentric.

 

John 15:26-27 "When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning. 
John 16:13-15  But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

 

Paul was Christocentric.

 

1 Corinthians 2:2  For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 
Galatians 6:14  May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

 

Peter was Christocentric.

 

1 Peter 4:11  If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

 

Luke was Christocentric.

 

Acts 4:12  Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

 

The author of Hebrews was Christocentric.

 

Hebrews 12:2  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

The fact is that true biblical Christian faith is Christocentric because that is the emphasis given by the Holy Trinity and the Apostles.  We should teach about the Father and the Holy Spirit and have a right understanding of Who they are.  But the central focus of the true Church has always been on Jesus Christ.  Any church that gets its focus off the central theme of Christ is on the road to apostasy.  You cannot have the Father or the Spirit without the Son.  The Son is the "centerpoint" of all history and eternity.  Let us preach the Son so that many will come to know the Father, Son and Holy Spirit! (http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/christocentric.html)

2.      Write an email or call the pastor of the church you want to check and ask him for his doctrinal statement. Be aware, however, that though a church says they hold to a good doctrinal statement they may be teaching and doing things that are against it.  Some actually use a good doctrinal statement as bait to suck you in.  For instance, the logo for Kenneth Copeland Ministries is “Jesus is Lord”.  Sounds good but then he goes on to state teach, as his mentor Kenneth Hagin did, that Jesus’ physical death on the cross did not pay for our sins, that Jesus was dragged down to hell and tortured by Satan, that He was born again in hell, etc. (http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/quotes.html)  A good doctrinal statement will contain, but not necessarily be limited to, the five core doctrines: (http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/5doctrines.html)

a.       The Trinity: God is one "What" and three "Whos" with each "Who" possessing all the attributes of Deity and personality.

b.      The Person of Jesus Christ: Jesus is 100% God and 100% man for all eternity.

c.       The Second Coming: Jesus Christ is coming bodily to earth to rule and judge.

d.      Salvation: It is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

e.       The Scripture: It is entirely inerrant and sufficient for all Christian life.

3.      You should also ask him what his position is on the Toronto Blessing, Brownsville, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Todd Bentley, Bill Johnson and Bethel Church, Church Growth, Emerging Church, the Third Wave/New Apostolic Reformation.  If you are given any response other than that his church rejects and stands against those teachers and teachings, then don't bother with that church. You can find information on these individuals and movements on Apologetics Coordination Team site by using the search engine at the top of the “What’s New!” page here: http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/page2.html

4.      Find a smaller church that has not gotten into any wacky stuff, or a good home Bible study group, but not a “cell” group (part of the New Apostolic Reformation). 

5.      Get into the written Word and pray. 

6.      Seek out someone who can help you who is a mature Christian. 

7.      Be careful of most Pentecostal denominations today because many are compromised, but there are still a few who hold to orthodox doctrines.

8.      Stay away from United Pentecostals, International Church of Christ, Brownsville, Vineyards.  They are apostate in various ways.

9.      Some denominations to check for good churches would be North American Baptist, Congregational Christian Churches (CCCC), Conservative Baptist, some Southern Baptist, and some independent or non-denominational churches.  But be sure to test each individual church because even some of the denominations mentioned above are compromised. Be sure they are not into the C. Peter Wagner organizations like the New Apostolic Reformation, Mission America, Lighthouse, cell church, etc.

10.  Stay away from mega churches, particularly those that are using the "Church Growth" models of Bill Hybels/Willow Creek, Robert Schuller, Rick Warren and C. Peter Wagner. 

11.  Don't get involved in churches that are teaching Emerging Church ideas.

12.  Finding a good church can be daunting in some areas because so many churches are compromised these days.  Some are open and up front about being involved in the Third Wave, but be aware that many will be deceptive about their level of involvement, fearing you will be turned off by their outrageous teachings and actions. Some will even try to lure you in by claiming you won’t understand what is going on till you get involved or get slain in the spirit.  Still others don't realize they are already accepting many of those false doctrines yet you will see them evident in their services. Best to make your investigations off site as you could get taken in by slick con artists. 

13.  Stay away from churches that play Vineyard and Hillsong music constantly with songs that talk about a great end times revival, the "river", Kingdom Now or treat the Holy Spirit like a pantheistic force. 

14.  Stay away from those that urge people to pray the prayer of Jabez, support Promise Keepers, have Healing Rooms, use Cleansing Stream, do Theopostic counseling, etc. 

15.  Stay away from churches that are hyper-Calvinist, hyper-Arminian, teach Preterism/Amilennialism, Postmillennialism and/or Dominionism.

16.  Steer clear of those that do infant baptism or teach baptismal regeneration.

17.  Be careful of churches that teach that you need a second blessing which they identify as the "baptism" of the Holy Spirit (because the baptism of the Spirit happens when a person is born again.  There can and should be subsequent fillings of the Spirit however).

18.  Watch out for churches that emphasize some activity they claim is to be a normative Christian experience such as snake handling, passing around handkerchiefs for healing, drinking poison, being drunk in the spirit, doing slain in the spirit which is not biblical, or anything else that amounts to Christian magic because it has been pulled from its context in Acts or the Old Testament.  We have articles on these phenomenons in churches today.

You do need fellowship, but be sure that fellowship is with true believers, not heretics. Here are a few other articles you might find helpful on finding a good church:

http://www.catholicconcerns.com/Former/Church.html
http://www.letusreason.org/CultHOM.htm
http://www.christian-witness.org/active/goodchurch.html

If you live in Australia, here is a good church list from CWM:

http://www.cwmfellowship.org/network.html

There are many in the apologetics community, good examples represented with links on my site, who would be happy to help you find a good church in your area.  I used to post a good church list but had to change it a lot.  I had to check repeatedly to be sure they were not falling away.  But sine there are many discernment ministries around the US and the world, I can usually find someone I know in that area and they can make a church recommendation based on firsthand experience.

Don’t be discouraged about finding fellowship.  You can start right away by communicating either on social networks or by email with the many apologetics people out there who have their ducks in a row.