Looking for an explanation from Protestants. How do Protestants go to all the churches?
You find some that go to a Lutheran Church, then a Presbyterian one, then, perhaps as a result of moving, now go to a Methodist Church, give that a shot until they find the other Baptist church more exciting, give Presbyterians a few months time and then bounce back to Lutherans, etc., etc.
How does this happen? Is there some common creed, so that the actual denomination matters not?
It’s not about which church is “most exciting.” This is a rather foolish-sounding description that makes it seem like you see us as immature and ill-formed. Let me remind you that Protestants, on average, attend church at a frequency that’s more than 30% ahead of Catholics, there’s less nominalism per capita, and we do take church quite seriously- much more than Catholics do on average, actually.
There is one thing that tends to be at the forefront of our thought process, though, and it might not be what you’ve heard. You might have heard that we’re bouncing around looking for the fullness of truth, but that’s generally not true- it’s a concept Catholic apologists wish that more Protestants had even heard of. We’re usually not leaving a denomination for reasons of doctrinal difference, either. It’s mostly about the praxis and the people, and when we move (which Americans do a lot of), any given Protestant denomination may not be nearly as accessible in a different part of the country. Then we have to make some choices. There’s also a lot of compromises that we’re perfectly willing to make for marriage, and that often means leaving two denominations behind in favor of a third one.
I got a little sidetracked there- I was about to tell you the overarching theme that tends to guide Protestants when they are searching for a new denomination. Which, well over half the time, is precipitated by either a move or a marriage. Generally, the idea is that we want to be a part of the denomination that will do the best job of helping us become better Christians. We’re usually more willing to give ground on doctrinal quibbles than we are on that one point. If it’s a family with young children, their formation obviously takes precedence. And overall, whoever you are, praxis and people are more involved in affecting this one all-important outcome than a certain doctrine is.
If you want to get a Protestant to stick around in a new church home, it is imperative that you do a very good job of helping that Protestant become a better Christian. Incidentally, fifty percent of Tiber swimmers return to some form of Protestantism within one year of converting to Catholicism. There’s not much of a focus on ensuring that new members of a parish are getting what they need in order to become better Christians. It might sound kind of odd to you in your head or if you ever say it out loud, but the Catholic Church is not particularly good at helping Christians become better Christians. This is the single most important issue that governs the Protestant thought process, and unfortunately, it seems to be a concept that many Catholics don’t really grasp. The solution is better mystagogy, but I guess there’s enough Catholic parishes that don’t see it as a high priority. Protestants do, though. We must be in an environment where we can become better Christians. If it’s not like that, it’s a deal-breaker and we will look elsewhere. When we’re looking around, that’s what we’re looking for- the place that lets us use our gifts and talents to help others become better Christians, while everyone else is just as invested in helping us become better Christians.
It’s a little different from seeking the church that excites you the most. And I know this was somewhere in the back of your mind- a Catholic parish is not going to excite you the most, so come back around when you’re looking for the right things. The issue is this, though- we are looking for the right things, and the average Catholic parish doesn’t do a very good job of providing them. It’s not God-awful, but it’s not a particularly viable competitor either, and that’s why so many Tiber swimmers leave.
Just last night I was singing and playing by myself and was powerfully moved.
Scared to ask! 
