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Written by Administrator Friday, 27 July 2007 09:48

What are people looking for in a church? A study was recently conducted by LifeWay Research with results posted at www.christianpost.com (4/10/07). Audrey Barrick reported the following in her article, “What Church Switchers Look for in a Church.”

- At the top of the list of most important reasons in choosing a church was the beliefs (doctrine) of the church at 89%.

- Running a close second in seeking out a church home was preaching – 87% cited this as a significant factor.

- The authenticity of the people and its pastor was third with 86% mentioning this as being critical.

In other words, the top three considerations included what the church believed, what the pastor preached, and how those beliefs and preaching were lived out by the people in the congregation. In other words, do they practice what they preach and believe? These are foundational, and this was encouraging to see.

Other factors in determining a church home included:

- Worship style was important (80 percent) … with 69% pointing to the music that was chosen.

- Care for the community of believers was mentioned by 76% of those polled.

- Evidence of God’s work and changed lives was highlighted by 74% of the responders.

- Church members with whom to build relationships was high on the list at 73%.

- The unity of the church was also vital as 71% of those surveyed indicated.

- And people wanted an opportunity to learn biblical truth (mentioned by 70% of the people).

What caught my eye in this next tier of responses was the matter of relationships. People are interested in the body life of the church. Is there more than just a church service? Are people caring and connected? What is the “spirit” of the church? Do those attending reach out to one another? Is the unity of the body visible and viable?

Among the issues that were of lesser importance were:

- Location – 49%

- Worship times – 47%

- Having acquaintances at church – 47%

- Church size – 31%

One more piece of information grabbed my attention as I read the article. “Welcoming proved to be a significant factor in a decision to stay with the church. According to the study, 67 percent indicated that their church’s approach was congregants personally welcoming newcomers and 82 percent said such a greeting by congregants positively impacted their decision to join that church.”

How do you think Immanuel measures up against all these areas of concern? Just as important, how do you contribute to the strengths or weaknesses of the church? In what ways are you involved in reaching out and connecting with others? What can you do to make Immanuel a place where each person is made to feel a part of the fellowship?

Don’t just come to church to “do your duty” or sit in the pew. It’s not enough to be nourished by the Word. Use that strength to serve the body and show the love of God to others.