After ten years attending our home church, Terri and I were led to leave and move on. We are currently in the process of finding a new church home. This is something we don’t take lightly nor that will be resolved quickly or easily. We are truly trying to listen to the Lord in this difficult process.
Leaving your old church home is always difficult no matter the circumstances. For us, our decision came after numerous little nudges from the Holy Spirit. We didn’t have a laundry list of complaints. We weren’t disgruntled about a list of preferences. God simply made it clear to us that our season serving at our church home had come to an end. Ten years ago, we faced a much different experience when we were told in no uncertain terms that we were no longer welcome at our then church home. Yes, at times, attending church is more challenging than we would like to believe.
What are we looking for in a new church home?
That’s an awesome question. In part, we don’t really know. We knew what we were looking for the last time we found ourselves seeking a new place to worship the Lord. But, this time, we are genuinely leaning on the Lord, trusting Him for the answer. Sure, there are certain things that are vitally important to us, particularly theologically and doctrinally. However, there is no shortage of theologically, biblically sound churches here in the Dallas area. Dallas hosts a ton of great churches. So let me flip the question.. What do you look for in a home church?
Keys to Remember When Searching for a New Church Home
Some key factors to keep in mind when you are searching for a new place of worship include remembering that churches are made of people and therefore are not perfect. I’ve heard it said that if you ever find the perfect church than you shouldn’t ruin it by attending it.
Here are some other key factors I believe matter:
- The church must be theologically sound.
- You should feel welcome and feel the love of the Lord present in the building and in the people.
- Finding a new church takes time. Don’t rush it.
- Be willing to be stretched. This means stepping out of your comfort zones like “I don’t go to a church that has drums,” or “I only go to church on Sunday.”
- Finding a new church demands discernment. Discernment comes from the Lord. This means you need to pray about where the Lord is leading you.
These are just a few of the factors I think matter. There are of course a ton of preferences to consider. But, in the end, you need to keep the main thing the main thing and the main thing is Jesus.
Please pray for God’s direction and guidance as Sweet T and I look for our new worship home. We’ve visited a couple of places but continue to explore what’s out there. Also, a big shout out to all those of you who are new readers and followers of The Devotional Guy™ blog! I am super-excited about what the Lord is doing through this medium to reach others. Know that you are loved.
Blessings,
The Devotional Guy™
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The Devotional Guy™ 
I have always felt like starting a new church is like breaking and entering someone’s home, and if you stay long enough, it becomes part of your home. Best wishes on your search!
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I can relate to this post Rainer, I have not been in any church for a long time due to various health issues. Recently I was able to attend a particular fellowship and thought it was a good match, but I was wrong. Now I am back to searching and praying again.
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I will be praying you find a new place to worship. It is not easy as I am learning.
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Thank you brother, that is greatly appreciated, God bless you this weekend.
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