Dear Reader,

Drive through most any town of any size, and you will discover all kinds of churches. Some are well known, because there are so many of them scattered across the nation, and even around the world. Others may bear names that you have never heard of. Which is the right one, and how can I tell which one I should attend?

Denominations often receive their name from things like the names of their founders, or from some aspect of the particular doctrine espoused by the group, or from some verse or phrase found in the Bible or the holy book of that particular group. These names and titles may or may not accurately describe the beliefs of the group, so, for the person who is searching for a church, it becomes important to find out what that church teaches and believes.

Ironically, one of the reasons there are so many churches is because there are so many different beliefs and values, and it is almost the case where a new church can be started by anyone who doesn’t seem to fit in anywhere else and can raise a following. (Churches don’t really do well if only one is attending!) For the purpose of this article, I’m assuming that you are interested in finding a church that will help you learn about Christianity and how to spend eternity in Heaven.

A major criteria for finding a home church is to find one that most closely follows the Bible, God’s Book of Instruction for living and dying. The Bible tells us that we must avoid those groups who deny the virgin birth of Jesus, or those that deny that Jesus is God’s Son come in the flesh (or as a person). Beyond that, there are many other doctrines to take into consideration, things like the doctrines of sin, the fallen nature of man, the plan of salvation and holy living, faith and trust in God, and more. If you are sincere in your desire to find the right church, you can also ask God to help you find the right place for you to be. In fact, I believe that is the first step.

What it all boils down to is this: denominational names will be meaningless when we cross from time into eternity. What will really matter is what we have done with God’s offer of full salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. It is not what church we belong to that matters, but what is our relation with God like? That’s what is important.

Thanks for reading,
Pastor Ritchey