This is a scary subject for me. My current church is basically my first church. I have gone through one pastor change and it was not an easy transition for me as I was very good friends with my first pastor and his wife.

Looking for a new church in a new location would be very difficult for me. I think it is hard enough to look for a new church with your family, but to have to search for one alone as I would, could be devastating for me.

I probably would check out the local churches online first and see what ministries they supported. I love outreach and would want to be welcomed as part of those ministries. Another important factor would be the youth and how involved in church activities and outreach they are. I feel that youth is the most important part of a church as they are the future of the church.

I also would want to feel “at home” when I walked in the door. I would to be with other Christians that are comfortable with the manifestations of the Holy Spirit. And also, I would want to be able to be involved in teaching.

Like I said, looking for a new church would be very intimidating for me. Hopefully I will not have to. My prayer today is that more people in my current church will GET INVOLVED in teaching and outreach to the youth and to the lost in our community.

Peace and Love to all

When Barbara and I were church hunting we did it based on location first,hoping that we would find the right fit close to home. we tried several, compaired notes and we decided on Kingwood.Alabaster church of God was Barbaras first pick but i wanted something larger and also becouse when we tried ACOG we felt it was unfriendly–nobody spoke to us. she still liked ACOG becouse of its smallness and how she felt here. We enjoyed kingwood but it was just too large and impersonal for her, Olivia was not enjoying their childrens department either. I reluctantly agreed to retry Alabaster . Its been a big adjustment for me attending here but i am glad we stayed. I have met alot of wonderful people here. made some good friends, and have learned alot. Barbara transfered her membership to here but i cannot join becouse i dont agree with all the things id have to agree to,such as not drinking. I am also a little bit nervous about the thought of getting a new pastor. I’ve changed churches but never been at one for a pastoral change. As long as my Sunday and wednesday night teacher stays the same I guess i’ll be alright!

Having to do this a few times in the last several years (because of relocation for school), I do have to say that transitioning local churches is quite a challenge.

A few points to consider:

• Of course, I think prayerful, discerning consideration has to be very intentional in such transitional times. A time of intentional prayer and fasting, as a family, wouldn’t hurt as a way of focusing in on the direction that the Spirit is leading.

• If it’s possible, I suggest asking your current pastor if she/he could recommend a local church in the area to which you are moving. That way, you can ask the reasons for such a recommendation and also already know a few folks upon arrival.

• I think that the most impacting referral is from someone you trust spiritually – a person of integrity. So, if you know someone who bears the fruit of God’s Spirit at your job, school, neighborhood, etc., then you might want to ask them what local assembly they are committed to and why.

• In our day and time, I think searching the internet for info such as meeting times, leadership structure, available life groups, vision, core values, etc. is beneficial. For example, some local churches have many folks in the congregation who, because of work schedule or something else, can gather together more consistently if the meeting times are Saturday evening instead of Sunday morning (in addition to committing to a life group which meets weekly). Such is an example of a community that may be a better fit for one in a similar scheduling situation.

• And since strong relationships are essential to being part of a worshipping community, I think it’s important to connect with whichever local church one decides to go with. While there are numerous differences on which we can focus as it relates to ideologies, preferences, interpretations, etc., the fact remains that a church community is comprised of very different persons who, for the most part, are in serious need of love, acceptance, accountability, nurturing, etc. So, even if we can’t seem to agree on every jot and tittle of a declaration of faith, if we are brothers and sisters in Christ, and God has led you to a community for which your heart connects, I would encourage one to nurture such a commitment wholeheartedly.

• As far as membership goes – I think one of the reasons that persons don’t choose membership is because they don’t know exactly what that entails. In some assemblies, a new member’s class (or whatever one calls it) is helpful in allowing visitors who are considering membership an opportunity to dialogue a bit about doctrinal commitments, local church vision, mission, giving, etc. I have been in some churches where the only mention of membership occurs when, once every few months, the “doors are opened for membership” from the pulpit without prior notice. Many folks just don’t know that much about it for them to take such a step of commitment. And many times there are misunderstandings which are easily cleared up that have stood in the way of such commitment for years…

When I first became involved in the church I was in AL because Kirk was overseas. Going back to LA without a church and a church family was hard. I asked my mother in law about finding a church near the base that was simiular to the teachings I learned and believed in from ACOG. She told me she would ask Pastor Barnes for help. Paster Barnes helped me by looking up churches based out of our home office for the Church of God in TN. It was a big help because there ended up being only two. I called around and talked to the different churches about their beliefs and so forth. I found one I liked but it was some distance away from where we lived and was hard on me to get to. After a while I decided to try a different one closer to home. I tried several different churches over the next few years but none of them seemed rigth for me, like home. Then two and a half years ago I decided to look back upthe other church Pastor Barnes had told me about and ended up finding my home church. I also prayed to God as I went through the phone book (looking for that churches number), asking Him to send me to a church that was right for me and my kids. That I and they could grow in and have a family with. It is a small church but is filled with the Spirit. I trust everyone there with my kids. My son loves our Pastor. I have made friends with some very special people. And I know that while everyone may not agree 100% on every subject we all love God.