How do I choose a Church?

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runandsew

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If I were to leave the Catholic Church for a “bible believing” church, how would I choose one? The following is a list of local churches who all claim to follow the Bible. Do I choose one based on the fellowship they provide, on the worship music style that they provide, maybe what they teach as doctrine, or should I find one that believes what I believe?

ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ALLIANCE BIBLE CHURCH, ALOHA CHRISTIAN CHURCH(DISCIPLES OF CHRIST), ALOHA CHRISTIAN LIFE CENTER, BETHEL UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH, BROOKWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH, CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH, CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF HILLSBORO, CHURCH OF CHRIST, CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS, COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH, COMMUNITY OF CHRIST CHURCH, CORRIDOR BAPTIST CHURCH, EVERGREEN CHRISTIAN CENTER, FAITH CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP OF HILLSBORO, FIRST ASSEMBLY OF GOD, FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, U.C.C., FOREST GROVE BIBLE CHURCH, FRIENDS CHURCH OF HILLSBORO, GOLDEN ROAD BAPTIST, HELVETIA COMMUNITY CHURCH, HERITAGE BAPTIST CHURCH, HILLSBORO FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST, HILLSBORO NAZARENE CHURCH, HILLSBORO CHRISTIAN FAITH CENTER, HILLSBORO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, HILLSBORO UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, IGLESIA EVANGELICA HISPANA, LAUREL COMMUNITY CHURCH, ORENCO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, OUR PLACE - YOUR CHRISTIAN CHURCH, REEDVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, SALVATION ARMY, SCHOLLS COMMUNITY CHURCH, SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH OF FOREST GROVE, SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH OF HILLSBORO, SINGING HILLS CHRISTIAN CHURCH, SONRISE BAPTIST CHURCH, ST PETER’S LUTHERAN CHURCH, TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH, TUALATIN PLAINS PRESBYTERIAN, UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST COMMUNITY CHURCH, UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, VALLEY HOPE COMMUNITY CHURCH, Westport Church, WESTSIDE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP, WEST VALLEY COMMUNITY CHURCH, WORLD OF FAITH FAMILY CENTER, WORLD OF FAITH CHRISTIAN CENTER, ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH
 
Why would you be asking this?? Do you want to leave the CC? Why would you choose a bible church?
 
yessisan said:
Why would you be asking this?? Do you want to leave the CC? Why would you choose a bible church?
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Well, I think he is just asking a valid question. Most Protestants I talk with say just to go to a Bible believing church.

But…they ALL claim to be a Bible believing church and they ALL teach different doctrine. Which one is correct?

The answer is usually an answer that doesn’t answer the question.

It normally sounds like “Whichever one follows the Bible!” (Um…what? But which one follows the Bible?)

I have heard a few other answers, but it normally comes down to “Whichever one you feel is following the Bible.” Betty Butterfield said it best “I just want a church that makes me feel good about MYSELF.” (youtube.com/watch?v=IzY4MQW1juM by the way. I find it funny.)
 
Unfinished said:
But…they ALL claim to be a Bible believing church and they ALL teach different doctrine. Which one is correct?
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Good question, and I hope some non-Catholic Christians can help me answer the question.
 
You will definitely want one that provides the best childcare, 'cause that’s whats really important.😉
 
Well, doesn’t looking at all these churches who conflictingly claim to follow the Bible make you want to stick with the CC? I mean, unless someone here provides you with a good way of choosing, it will probably come down to which one you feel is teaching the Bible, with no objective way of picking. Do you really want to leave your spirituality up to that? And where can you find better teaching on the Bible than in the Church that put the Bible together (the CC)? 👍
 
Before I came home and my wife converted we church shopped all over the place. We just could not find a church home so we began jokingly planning our own church.

It would have comfortable stadium seating. A high ratio of music praise / worship / praying time with minimal if any preaching. There would also be intermission with snacks.
 
You just posted up a list of all the reasons you should be staying put.
 
I asked my evangelical friend this once, but in regard to how SHE picked her non-denominational church since there were so many to choose from. Her answer was -* “I picked the one that felt right”. When I asked her to explain she said - “The people were welcoming and I liked the music. They had a lot of family activities. It just felt like home and I knew it’s where God wanted me to be.” *
 
runandsew said:
If I were to leave the Catholic Church for a “bible believing” church, how would I choose one? The following is a list of local churches who all claim to follow the Bible. Do I choose one based on the fellowship they provide, on the worship music style that they provide, maybe what they teach as doctrine, or should I find one that believes what I believe?

ALL SAINTS EPISCOPAL CHURCH, ALLIANCE BIBLE CHURCH, ALOHA CHRISTIAN CHURCH(DISCIPLES OF CHRIST), ALOHA CHRISTIAN LIFE CENTER, BETHEL UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH, BROOKWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH, CALVARY LUTHERAN CHURCH, CHRISTIAN CHURCH OF HILLSBORO, CHURCH OF CHRIST, CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS, COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH, COMMUNITY OF CHRIST CHURCH, CORRIDOR BAPTIST CHURCH, EVERGREEN CHRISTIAN CENTER, FAITH CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP OF HILLSBORO, FIRST ASSEMBLY OF GOD, FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH, FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, U.C.C., FOREST GROVE BIBLE CHURCH, FRIENDS CHURCH OF HILLSBORO, GOLDEN ROAD BAPTIST, HELVETIA COMMUNITY CHURCH, HERITAGE BAPTIST CHURCH, HILLSBORO FIRST CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST, HILLSBORO NAZARENE CHURCH, HILLSBORO CHRISTIAN FAITH CENTER, HILLSBORO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, HILLSBORO UNITED METHODIST CHURCH, IGLESIA EVANGELICA HISPANA, LAUREL COMMUNITY CHURCH, ORENCO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, OUR PLACE - YOUR CHRISTIAN CHURCH, REEDVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, SALVATION ARMY, SCHOLLS COMMUNITY CHURCH, SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH OF FOREST GROVE, SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH OF HILLSBORO, SINGING HILLS CHRISTIAN CHURCH, SONRISE BAPTIST CHURCH, ST PETER’S LUTHERAN CHURCH, TRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCH, TUALATIN PLAINS PRESBYTERIAN, UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST COMMUNITY CHURCH, UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, VALLEY HOPE COMMUNITY CHURCH, Westport Church, WESTSIDE BIBLE FELLOWSHIP, WEST VALLEY COMMUNITY CHURCH, WORLD OF FAITH FAMILY CENTER, WORLD OF FAITH CHRISTIAN CENTER, ZION LUTHERAN CHURCH
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First, of all what a beautifull clipart I had to go on the site and look at it. Are you Spanish? Telling by the site I thought you might be?

You must value our opinion so I will give you mine but it is still a choice that is yours and I am catholic so I could not go to any other than catholic, but we have a spanish group meets at our church on the 3rd saturday of the month in the afternoon so they can have it in their own language.

I think the best choice of your list would be a Luthern one maybe the Calvary if it has a crucifix ? Visit several and see which ones have crosses or crucifixes. It woould maybe do good to eliminate some like the pentecostals sorry assemblies but many don’t even have crosses any more. I don’t mean to offend .

This is a hard question but let the spirit of God lead you. Are you a catholic? return
 
Err…the Catholic Church is a bible believing church. Why change?
 
runandsew said:
If I were to leave the Catholic Church for a “bible believing” church, how would I choose one? The following is a list of local churches who all claim to follow the Bible. Do I choose one based on the fellowship they provide, on the worship music style that they provide, maybe what they teach as doctrine, or should I find one that believes what I believe?
Click to expand...
All Christian or pseudo-Christian churches, assemblies and congregations claim to “follow the Bible.” Many claim to be “based” on the Bible. But none are actually based on the Bible, not even the Catholic Church.

The true Church is based on Christ and the Apostles, which is the only foundation one can find in the Bible for the Church.

The Bible is the witness to Christ’s true Church and came out of the Sacred Tradition of that Church. So, it is an intrinsic part of it. Any church that claims to be based solely on the Bible is seriously delusional for no church has ever been founded on the Bible, but on men, be they the Apostles whom Our Lord himself chose or others claiming to know better than Christ who have formed their own churches using the Bible for their own ends.
 
A couple of days ago, I heard a protestant preacher on television say that we should choose a church that best meets our needs.
I was a bit dumbfounded by that statement.
 
runandsew said:
If I were to leave the Catholic Church for a “bible believing” church, how would I choose one? The following is a list of local churches who all claim to follow the Bible. Do I choose one based on the fellowship they provide, on the worship music style that they provide, maybe what they teach as doctrine, or should I find one that believes what I believe?
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If the church has “bible” in their name, that’d be a good place to start.
I belong to a congregational church in Missouri and they are bible-based.
Research those churches you listed and ask for a copy of their mission statement. You can get a pretty good idea what the church is like from that.
But, like with most things, you won’t really know unless you try them out. 😉
I wish you the best of luck in your search! 😃
If you find some but are unsure of what they teach, pm me and I’ll see if I can help or find someone who can! 👍
 
I think the OP isn’t really wanting to leave the Catholic Church, but is making a point that there are so many different churches that believe differently, yet they all claim to follow the Bible, albeit their own interpretation of it. How would someone choose?

Isn’t it nice that we don’t have to? We can attend the same Church founded by our Savior, Jesus Christ, which is the same Church that compliled the Bible. Can’t get more “Bible Church” than that! 🙂
 
This is our mission statement:

We strive together to live as Christ taught, to be God’s stewards within our faith community and the world through the teaching of the word of God, celebration of the sacraments, and service to one another and the world community. We respect and affirm each person as an individual and vital member of this family. We are called to be a source of hope, accepting, forgiving and compassionate to all.
 
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