Westside Church of Christ

The title of the article captured my attention, “How to choose a church home.” That is an important decision. How would we determine which one is right for us if we moved into a new area? The story shared many categories to consider. A big or small church? Rock music, more traditional organ or piano, or acapella? Women’s roles? Their view of the Bible? Leadership?

Our pecking order of what really matters and what is secondary? So many issues to think about. While all of that may be significant, let’s start with a more basic concern. What does the word of God say about those questions as we pursue answers? The Lord’s opinion is really the only one that matters. It is not about finding one that suits us, but rather the one that He approves. Yes, the one! Scripture teaches that the church is the body of Christ and that there is only one (Ephesians 4:4). That fact magnifies the significance of our choice.

The body appears to be a monstrosity now. It is divided into thousands of subsections that cling to unique traditions. Some are biblical, and others are not. How can we possibly decide among them all? Again, we must go back to basics. Whose church is it anyway? Jesus bought it with His own blood (Acts 20:28). It belongs to Him, and that should be at the forefront of any decision that we make. His perspective is different from ours.

Biblical history shows that God doesn’t accept every offering. Cain and Abel both brought sacrifices, but one was acceptable and the other was not. Even a homicidal temper tantrum did not alter that reality (Genesis 4). The Lord sees through the gift to the giver. Faith made all of the difference, and that transcends time and place to be an enduring lesson for all generations (Hebrews 11:4). There is only one source for gathering the necessary information to offer a sacrifice by faith, and that is the word of God (Romans 10:17).

Jesus verbally lashed the religious leadership for their hypocrisy (Matthew 15). They put on a good show and talked a good game, but their worship was meaningless to the Lord. Isaiah had prophesied centuries earlier about these men. God was not caught off guard or surprised by this. It’s been that way from the beginning (Cain) and has resurfaced repeatedly throughout the ages. The Jews had demoted Scripture and promoted human traditions. Has the 21 st century version of Christianity done the same thing?

How do we go about choosing a church home that is right for us? Perhaps, that is the wrong question. The better concern is seeking one that is correct in the Lord’s eyes. It belongs to Him. It may be more verbally accurate to refer to the church as a “she” not an “it”. After all, the church is His bride. Choose wisely. He did. It matters.