The local church is where Christians live out their faith with other believers. It’s where believers connect with others, grow through discipleship, serve through ministries, worship, pray and praise, and live in communion with one another. Finding a church that’s well-matched for you can be challenging. It is perfectly normal to ask, “how can I find a local church near me” both when you move or when you become frustrated with your current church.

There will never be a perfect church, but you can always find a good one.

Here’s a guide to help you get connected with a church that’s well-suited for you.

What Factors Should I Consider When Trying to Find a Good Local Church?

The Basic Criteria for Local Churches

Theologians traditionally identify four practices that all local churches should be engaged in. These are drawn from Acts 2:

• Teaching: Reading the Scriptures, preaching, Sunday school, Bible studies, etc.
• Fellowship: Fellowship hours, community groups, general friendships, diaconal help, etc.
• Breaking Bread: Communion/Eucharist, potlucks, dinner gatherings, coffee, etc.
• Prayer: Sunday service prayers and prayers, prayer groups, praying together, etc.

Keeping these in mind can help you remain flexible and humble when looking for a local church.

Churches may carry out these practices differently, and some may not carry them out exactly how you think they should be done. If this were the case, remember you don’t need to stay with that church; the majority of the time, there are many options to choose from in your local community.

Features That Make a Local Church Good for You

Aside from the factors mentioned above, there are also some more features that you should consider when finding a local church that’s a good fit for you. Here are some of them:

Theology That You Agree With

It’s a no-brainer that the theology of a church you want to attend should match your beliefs. It’s one of the first things you need to consider.

While it is true that you don’t necessarily have to agree with every church’s theology to become a member, holding different beliefs will curtail your future ministry opportunities. You may not be able to teach or hold leadership roles if you have substantial exceptions to the church’s beliefs.

You can quickly learn a church’s most fundamental beliefs in a couple of different ways:

• Church Traditions: The denomination or tradition of a church will tell you the beliefs that the church ascribes to in detail. Most denominations have extensive theological documents. Some churches don’t make a huge issue of their denomination, so you may have to ask or check several web pages to find this out.
• Belief Statement: A statement of belief formally states what a church believes in. It’s usually expressed in several bullet points, so it’s easy to understand. Individual churchgoers will undoubtedly hold other beliefs, but the statement defines the most basic beliefs church leaders hold.

You can have many other personal beliefs that don’t perfectly align with the church. Nonetheless, you should still agree with the points presented in a statement of faith if you want more prominent ministry roles once established.

Worship Style That You’re Comfortable With

Churches have various worship styles, and each church will vary depending on several factors. -. Most styles aren’t right or wrong, but finding the style that fits your preference may be the solution for finding a permanent church home.

You should consider the music style, sermon length, and liturgical/non-liturgical design. These can significantly affect how much you, as a Christian, feel connected to God.

Ministries You Can Participate In

Any church that you attend regularly should have ministries where you can participate. Ministries are one of the primary ways to be involved with a church, and it’s how a church serves its congregants and community.

One of the most important ministries is some form of discipleship. That could be accomplished through formal discipleship groups or merely through intentional and personal conversations.

Whatever it looks like, you’ll want some type of discipleship so that you can grow in your faith.

Other ministries can include:

• worship teams,
• Sunday schools,
• vacation Bible schools,
• food pantries,
• sports leagues,
• and more.

There should be a few that you can participate in. These ministries can help you connect with others and nurture your faith.

How Do I Find a Local Church Near Me When I Move?

Moving presents one of the most challenging times to find a church, as you’re not just churchless but also largely unfamiliar with the town or city.

Fortunately, there are plenty of different ways you can find a church when you move. Thanks to technology, you can find a church near you with just a few clicks.

Church.org helps you locate nearby churches wherever you are, so you can feel connected to your faith and community at all times. Here are some more ways to help you find a church.

Make Use of Your Network

• Ask your current pastor if they know of any good churches where you’re moving. They may know of churches in the same denomination and have clergy friends serving in the area.
• Ask any church members you know who have lived in the area where they worshiped. They might also have recommendations on some other churches to check. Ask Christian friends who don’t attend your current church as well.
• Lastly, you can ask your colleagues in your new town. These will be some of the first people you meet. They’ll be a helpful initial resource for restaurants, parks, attractions — and possibly churches.

Take Advantage of Technology

• Search for church websites to find local churches. Then, check out each church’s website for a general feel of what the church believes and how it worships. Just keep in mind that (like people), most churches make themselves look extra good on their websites.
• Check churches’ social media activity after looking at their websites. Not all churches are active on social media, and it’s alright if they aren’t. For churches active on social media, you can get a sense of what activities a church currently has going on. Most social media profiles are often more current than a website.
• Stream a service from each church that you’re interested in. There’s no better way to see who’s in attendance and what worship is like. Most churches have streamed services since Covid.

Ultimately, there’s no better way to find a church than by attending. Identify a few potential churches, and attend each one to see whether you like them or not. You might want to visit each church for a few weeks to get a better sense of the churches.

What Factors Should I Consider When Trying to Find a Local Church Near Me?

Aside from the traits of a good church, there are additional factors to consider when deciding whether a church is well-matched for you personally.

A Location Near You

A church should be in or near your community. A seemingly perfect church that’s 2 hours away won’t be perfect when you can’t get involved with it.

Find a good nearby church that’s close enough so you can drive over for Bible studies, fellowship dinners, seasonal activities, and other events. Choosing a close church will also ensure that many members are nearby, so driving to their houses or having them visit you won’t be inconvenient.

Your Age Group

Most people prefer to attend a church with a lot of people that are their age. You’ll get connected with other members more easily if you are in the same age group. .

It’s also beneficial to have fellow Christians who are going through the same life stages as you.

Having older and younger people is also preferable. You can learn from older Christians’ wisdom, and you’ll be able to pour into the lives of younger Christians. However, your age group is likely the most important one for getting connected. .

Service Time That Works for You

Make sure you’re able to attend the worship service regularly. Services are usually held Sunday mornings, but church plants sometimes have different times, and large churches sometimes have Saturday evening services.

You might need to look for a church with a non-traditional worship time if you work on Sunday morning. Otherwise, this is probably a non-issue.

Why Finding a Local Church Near You is Important

Paul encourages Christians to “not give up meeting together” (Hebrews 10:25). This was a group exhortation, but it also applies to individuals. We shouldn’t give up meeting together — and Christians should start meeting new people together when searching for a church.

A local church is where you can live out your Christian faith. It’s a place where you can grow, give, go into fellowship with other believers, and where you can worship in a communal setting.

Other means of worship and study are helpful, but there’s no comparable substitute for being with fellow Christian believers.

Learn how you can love the church like God does here.

The Purpose of Finding a Local Church Near You

Finding a local church near you enables you to practice your faith alongside other Christians. Church members and attendees can encourage, comfort, and help one another.

The church has spread tremendously since Acts 2. The local church remains the foundation, just as it began with a local church where Peter preached.