How to Choose a Church

Billy Graham, Robert Schuller, and other renowned radio and television
preachers often advise their listeners and viewers to "attend the
church of your choice this Sunday." On the surface, this sounds like
good and helpful advice, but is it really? Should not Messrs. Graham,
Schuller, and other mass media preachers instead advise their
listeners and viewers to "attend a church of God's choice every
Sunday" (and, for that matter, every time the doors are open)?

Should they not warn their listeners and viewers that "the church of your
choice" may not be "a church of God's choice"? Such a warning is vital
in this Laodicean age of apostasy, as "the church of your choice" may
well turn out to be one that stands in direct opposition to "a church
of God's choice."

The following guidelines should prove helpful in
finding "a church of God's choice:

1."A church of God's choice" is one that believes that the Bible is
the verbally-inspired, infallible, inerrant Word of God.

"The church of your choice" may not hold Scripture in such high regard.

2."A church of God's choice" is one that believes that the Bible is
the one, objective, final authority for determining what to believe,
what not to believe, how to live, and how not to live.

"The church of your choice" may not be willing to submit to the authority of God's
Word in this way.

3."A church of God's choice" is one that consistently interprets the
Bible according to literal, grammatical, historical hermeneutical
principles.

"The church of your choice" may not be one that interprets
the Bible correctly.

4."A church of God's choice" is one that believes in the Jesus of the
Bible, completely accepting what the Bible teaches about His eternal
deity, virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary blood atonement,
bodily resurrection, and visible, personal second coming.

"The church of your choice" may not believe in the true Jesus.

5."A church of God's choice" is one that teaches the true way of
salvation and practices the true way of baptism. It is one that
teaches salvation by grace alone through repentance and faith alone in
the Lord Jesus Christ alone and practices believer's baptism by
immersion.

"The church of your choice" may be in error on these two
key points.

6."A church of God's choice" is one that "earnestly contends for the
faith which was once delivered unto the saints" while maintaininq
ecclesiastical separation from such apostate ecumenical orqanizations
as the Baptist World Alliance, the National Council of Churches, and
the World Council of Churches.

"The church of your choice" may not hold to the historic Christian faith
and may be involved in compromise and liberalism.

7."A church of God's choice" is one that seeks genuine Christian unity
with other Christians and churches on the basis of a return to all of
the truths of God's Word. It is one that emphasizes unity based on
truth rather than unity at the expense of truth.

"The church of your choice" may not care about truth at all.

In short, "a church of God's choice" is one that believes God's every
word and seeks to obey God's every command. Attend a church of God's
choice this and every Sunday and every time the doors are open!

Article by Elder John Kohler

Bro. Jeff Hallmark ~~~ "Presenting the Prince of Peace to Prince George"

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth,
will draw all men unto me" John 12:32