2023 Guide to Finding A Church Home in Montgomery, AL | Divine Nature Assembly

2023 Guide to Finding A Church Home in Montgomery, AL | Divine Nature Assembly

Posted on Feb 2, 2023 by Kenyatta Fishoe in General | 0

It has been estimated that 64% of American people identify as Christian as compared to 90% 50 years ago, and only 47% are members of a church. This is down from 61% just 10 years ago. Obviously, a global pandemic has influenced this change, but like so many changes in society, the change was already happening. The pandemic just sped it up. There is nuance for why more and more people are deconstructing their faith and leaving organized religion altogether, but perhaps one of the leading reasons is that “church” is not a good representation of Jesus or His bride.

Some people searching for a “church home” do so out of tradition and a tenuous belief in a “god” or “higher power.” Others desire to be connected to a “positive support group” of like-minded individuals, seeking self-improvement. Few look for a family that will encourage, exhort, and empower them to be who God called them to be. If you fit into the latter group and desire to be a part of a church in Montgomery, Alabama that exalts God and cultivates people, here are seven things to look for. Let’s jump in!

1. The Best Church in Montgomery, Alabama Will Teach the Bible alone. (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

‘Sola Scriptura” means by scripture alone, and it should be the number one thing you look for in a church family. Inspirational messages, entertaining music, and extracurricular activities are nice, but as believers, none of those things will get to the heart of our problems, worries, fears, and doubts. As believers, we believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God and that nothing else should take precedence in our lives as it is everything we need for life and godliness. If 2 Timothy 3:16-17 is not a foundational tenet of the church, keep searching and ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance.

2. The Church Will Function as a Family, Not a Business. (Ephesians 2:19-22)

A successful business is constantly growing–in visibility, clients, and revenue. A successful church is also constantly growing–but not in the same way. The church may be labeled as a “megachurch,” one where the visibility, congregation, and revenue are steadily increasing, yet it can lack true growth and success and actually be an instrument of death.

The church growth that God values is one where believers are joined together to provoke each other to love and good works, where each person rightly fits into the bigger mission and purpose of obeying and glorifying God so that His kingdom will come and His will be done on earth as it is Heaven. It is a family, not a business. Increasing bodies in the seats without increasing love and devotion to God and His people is not success. Look for a church that cultivates authentic, organic relationships of building each other up and towards the Lord Jesus Christ.

3. The Church Won’t be Greedy For Your Money. (2 Corinthians 9:7)

Akin to hypocrisy, a leading reason why millennials have strayed away from the church–many completely deconstructing their faith–is the pressure they have felt to give money that they don’t even have in the first place. Many see a pastor or bishop with a lavish mansion, premium car, and ornate clothes and accessories as ostentatious, especially considering that his congregation may be struggling to pay their rent or put food on the table.

Although believers give as part of their lifestyle and worship to God, it should never be under compulsion or duress from a leader in the church. God loves a cheerful giver, so if the church you’re visiting pressures you to give (even uncheerfully), look for another one under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

4. The Church Won’t Judge You For Who You Are & Won’t Disregard Who God Wants You To Be. (Ezekiel 36:26-27)

Sadly, there are countless stories of people who have been shamed and even turned away from a church service for how they looked. The occurrences are common and unfortunately, so is the damage that they cause, often to babies in the faith or young people who are searching for answers and hope.

In the Bible, Jesus said, “those who offend little ones, that it would be better for a millstone to be hanged on their neck and drowned in the sea.” (Matthew 18:6). God did not come to change your clothes, speech, attitude, or even actions. He came to change your heart. Ironically, if your heart has been changed, those things will likewise change, but the transformation begins in the heart.

A church of God will welcome you in the state you are in, give you the sincere milk and meat of the Word, and encourage you to love and do good works. It is God that draws hearts and changes lives, and the church is just a conduit.

5. The Church Loves God, People, and the Word, and…Hates Sin. (James 4:7-10)

Sin is not a topic that people want to discuss. It is uncomfortable, polarizing, and downright difficult for elders to bring up even casually in a sermon. However, Jesus talked about sin and its consequences (hell) at length. Tackling sin and reconciling us to God is why Jesus came, died, and resurrected.

A church that preaches love for God, His people, and His word, but doesn’t even bring up hatred for sin, is a church that does not love God, His people, nor His word. Jesus said, “If you love me, you’ll keep my commandments.” To be clear, the focus is not on sin, but on following Jesus, giving up your life to save it.

The Holy Spirit will produce in you both the desire and the ability to do God’s will, and once again, the church will be a primary conduit. The church of God where you belong will cultivate such a strong need for pleasing and serving God, that you will not have time to ponder on sin or dwell on your temptations. The key to resisting sin is to first submit yourself to God, and the right church will help you do that.

6. The Church Will Motivate You To Spread Love and Good Works. (Hebrews 10:24-25)

The right church will provoke you to love and do good works. If “having church” is always centered around going to a building and having a service, something is wrong. The church does exist to encourage one another, but it also exists to be an agent of change in their community. Jesus even said that He will say to many on the day of judgment “blessed are you…for when I was hungry, sick, in prison, needed clothes, you gave to Me.” They will wonder and ask when they gave food and clothes to Jesus or visit Him when He was sick or in prison. He will reply, “Whatever you have done to the least of these, you have done for me.”

The church you belong to will actively seek opportunities to spread the gospel of Jesus and His love to those in need in the community. Whether it is the need for God, the need for healing (mind, body, and soul), or earthly necessities that are immediate and ongoing, the church exists to execute loving kindness in the earth, one of God’s many delights.

7. The Church in Montgomery, Alabama is Not a Building or Service, But a Community of Believers That Encourage, Evoke, and Inspire One Another To Impact the City and Change the World.

Finding the right church in Montgomery, Alabama is not a matter of taste or convenience. It is a matter of trusting the Holy Spirit’s leading to find a family of believers that love God, His people, and His Word and are actively seeking to establish His kingdom come and His will to be done on earth as it is Heaven. Ask God, and He will lead you to the right church.

What are your thoughts? How did you find your church?

Please share your thoughts about “church” and how one can find the right one. Also, Divine Nature Assembly welcomes you and your family to visit us at 566 Oliver Road, Montgomery, AL 36117 on Sundays at 10:00 am or Wednesdays at 6:30 pm for themed Bible Study. Maybe we are the church family you’ve been looking for. See you soon!