Find your people

Find a church

Following Jesus was never meant to be a solo project. Here's what to look for, and how to walk in the first time when you don't know a soul.

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
Acts 2:42 NIV

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV

What to look for

The Bible is taught, not just quoted.
Jesus is the center, not the pastor or the production.
The Holy Spirit is welcomed, and prayer is real.
People actually know each other. Look for small groups or classes.
Leaders answer to someone. There's a board or elders, and money is handled openly.
It's safe. Kids' areas have clear safety rules, and there's a way to raise a concern.

Your first visit

Look at their website or watch one service online first.
Get there 10 minutes early. Nobody expects you to know where to go.
Sit wherever you want. You don't have to sing, give or raise your hand.
Say yes to one thing: coffee after, a welcome table, or a small group.
Give it three or four Sundays before you decide.

Good questions to ask

What do you believe? (Ask for their statement of faith.)
Who leads the church, and who do the leaders answer to?
How do you keep kids and vulnerable people safe?
How are finances handled and reported?
How do you do baptism and Communion?
What's the best way for a new person to get to know people?

Church finders

Every tradition below has healthy churches and unhealthy ones. A directory is a starting point, not a guarantee. Use the checklist above when you visit. Listed in alphabetical order.

Anglican: Anglican Church in North America
Baptist: Southern Baptist Convention church locator
Catholic: MassTimes (parishes and Mass times)
Evangelical Free: EFCA church finder
Lutheran: Lutheran Church Missouri Synod (LCMS) locator · ELCA congregation directory
Methodist: United Methodist Church
Pentecostal: Assemblies of God · Foursquare (use "Find a Church" on their sites)
Reformed: The Gospel Coalition church directory
Nondenominational: Many great churches belong to no denomination. Search a map app for churches near you, read their statement of faith online, and use the checklist above.

Stuck? Send us a message.