How to Pick a Church

Church Shopping vs. Church Staying

Written by Alexis Faubel

As a first-year student, all of my new Chi Alpha friends were attending different churches across the city. And while I participated in the classic “church shopping” that often accompanies a new move before I knew it, 6 months had gone by and I still hadn’t settled on a church. 

After visiting several churches, the biggest piece of advice was from my campus director - “Just pick a church. Doesn’t matter which one, just pick one and commit to it.” It was blunt, but he made a point. Besides sharing major theological beliefs (we’ll get to that below), picking a church is truly based on preference - not perfection. 

You will NEVER find all that you want within a church. That doesn’t exist. You will always find something that can be improved upon or doesn’t match your pre-conceived expectations.

Hopefully, that reality brings you some peace in knowing that it comes down to a clear set of necessities, and then ultimately, preference. I say to emphasize the multitude of church options our American context gives us, and as a warning against many Christian’s tendencies to over-spiritualize the church search simply because they don’t prefer one over another. Just because one place worships differently than what you are used to, it does not mean there is a theological hole in their function. 

What should we look for, then?

There are many good things churches can offer. And it is important to weigh the core elements against your core beliefs. 

A couple of questions you could ask are: Do they believe in Jesus as God? Is their foundation on the Bible as the Word of God? Do they believe in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit? What about salvation and baptisms? 

These issues are central to our belief systems and can be helpful in searching for which churches align with our beliefs… but you may also find that every church you were considering falls under that.

From this point, there are a number of factors you can then consider. There can be an emphasis on further convictions or personal boundaries/necessities. Are you looking for a complimentarian or egalitarian congregation? One that is actively anti-racist and inter-generational? Does it include the presence of a nursery or youth group for children? All valid and important distinctions to consider. 

Then, with all of those weighty considerations, I implore you to find a church that loves. That greets, welcomes, embraces, and invests in each person that walks through the doors. A church with people that will help you, and to grow in your faith with. If they make room to invest in you and give you the opportunity to do the same for others, I believe that is the sign of a healthy community that would be an excellent place to get involved in. And remember - don’t just look to be served in your new church, look for opportunities to serve others as well. 

Ultimately, I believe our church search experience in America is a lot simpler than we make it out to be. If you’ve done the work to see if core beliefs and needs hold up to the congregation you have visited, then I encourage you to stay. And if you need to hear it from someone... It’s time to stop shopping. My friend, just pick a church.

Missionary Misconceptions

Written by Alexis Faubel

When the word missionary floats toward me, there have often been ideas and presumptions that I have made about those who carry the role. As I have even experienced these assumptions myself, I thought it would be helpful to really analyze what we may think about missionaries, and uncover the truth about the role that they play in our world:

1. They’re out-of-touch… I have come to find that missionaries are by far some of the most grounded people I know. They often feel the need to be acutely aware of the culture, environment, and context of their mission fields, and, are pretty present because of that.

2. They only talk about Jesus… Our ministries are based on doing life with others. This means that we talk about family, friends, favorite coffee drinks, and anything in between. And while our goal is to talk to others about Jesus, I have found that those conversations start from another topic 95% of the time. 

3. They don’t have personal lives… Although we love our missional communities, a lot of us have friends and other communities that we love to spend time within our free time.

4. They have rose-colored glasses… While this may seem true for the often high-vision and hope-driven missionaries around the world, I have found that appearances often hide the reality that all of us have to count the cost of being a missionary, sometimes even daily. 

5. They’re all poor… While many of us make a lot less than others on average, most of us make enough to live comfortably and sustainably. And believe it or not, that’s the goal!

6. They don’t struggle with doubt… Sharing the gospel is usually a joy, but we question the hard things in life and faith just as much as anyone else. And sometimes, more frequently in our day-to-day conversations with students who are also wrestling with their faith.

7. The role of a missionary is a ‘calling’ for specific people… To this, I would say that most of us didn’t plan to be missionaries and that the call to make disciples of all nations is already there, for all of us - we just have to say yes to it! 

8. We’re the perfect Christians... Are we professional Christians? Yes, are we perfect? No, and we are usually far from it - hopefully, authenticity and story-telling in our lives and ministries shed more light on that reality for others.

9. We don’t value stability or routine... While most of us usually live in a state of flexibility for the sake of the gospel, and the many people we are in a relationship with, this doesn’t mean that we don’t strive for healthy and stable careers and lives within the action!

10.  We always love our jobs… Usually, yes. I always say that I love what I do, but sometimes it isn’t fulfilling, enjoyable or likable. But what I have found is that those seasons are only for a time and that the pros outweigh the cons. The joy that comes in the high moments makes the tough ones worth it for me!