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    Which Christian Church to Attend
        After Becoming A Christian?)
   Baptist? Methodist? Pentecostal? Church of Christ? Catholic? Etc


After becoming a Christian, you were probably told to find a church to attend where you can study and grow in the knowledge of God's Word (II Peter 3:18), worship God (Philippians 3:3), and have Christian fellowship (Colossians 3:16).  In this 20th century there are many different Christian churches with  teachings and doctrines, sometimes contradicting one another.
  • It Must Believe & Teach the
                                 FUNDAMENTAL CHRISTIANS DOCTRINES
Even though there are many different Christian churches, God  accepts all of them as being part of the Body of Christ, the true churches of God, if they accept and teach the basic fundamental doctrines of Christianity:

1. Bible is the inerrant Word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit (Psalms 12:6-7; 138:2; II Timothy 3:16; I Corinthians 2:12-13).
2. Deity of Christ (John 1:1, 14; 5:58; I John 5:20; Ephesians 3:9).
3. Virgin birth of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 7:14 fulfilled in Matthew 1:23).
4. Historic creation of man (Genesis 2:7). Mankind did not evolve through evolution.
5.  Deprivation of man - separated from God by birth because of sin (Romans 5:12). The solution: be born-again.
6. Substitutionary death of Jesus Christ who was made sin for us and knew no sin (II Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 1:14).
7. Bodily resurrection of Christ from the grave (I Corinthians 15:3-4).
8. Literal return of Christ to the earth (Zechariah 14:1, 4; Matthew 24:29-42).
9. Resurrection to eternal life: heaven or hell (John 3:36).
10. Trinity: God the Farther, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. They are One (Matthew 28:19; John 14:16-17, 26; I John 5:7).
11. One-Way to Heaven and that is through Jesus Christ the Messiah (Philippians 3:20; Ephesians 1:3; 2:6; Colossians 3:1-2, 3; John 10:9; 14:6).
12. Salvation is by grace through faith not by works; it is the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9).

You should never attend any church fellowship that does not believe and teach these fundamental doctrines. Of those churches that do, it's a personal decision of which church is best for you depending upon many circumstances, including your personality and other doctrinal beliefs you feel are acceptable or non-acceptable.

  • SALVATION IS NOT CONDITIONAL
Has anyone  said to you, "You are saved  by  grace," and then adds, "If you 'aren't baptize', 'don't speak in tongues'  you aren't saved?"  You are required to keep the sabbath, pay tithes, keep the Old Testament holy days - adding works or conditions to maintain your salvation makes salvation conditional. Works don't determine whether you are saved. But  works are done as an act of obedience to demonstrate your faith in Christ (Ephesians 2:10). Works also determine your heavenly rewards: "...will receive his rewards according to his own labor" (I Corinthians 3:8). The Greek word MISTHOS, translated 'reward' means 'wages.' is payment for works or services. This looks back to the parable of the laborers (Matthews 20:1-16) and to the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). The only condition to salvation is accepting by faith that Jesus Christ is Lord and that He died for your sins (Romans 10:9,13; I Corinthians 15:3-4). Stay away from churches that add "works" to maintaining your salvation.

  • You Should Look For A Church That Looks Like   Ephesians 5   
    A Body with Christ as the Head with all its members being held to the highest standards of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, not regarding race, gender, or economic statue.

    But before we cover God’s standards for its members, what are the standards of God you should be looking for in overseers/pastors? Are  they qualified for the office? If a man desire the position/office of a bishop/overseer, he desires a good work (I Timothy 3:1); must be blameless,  husband of one wife, temperate, sober-minded, of good behavior, hospitable, able to teach (I Tim. 3:2); not given [addict] to wine [in excess, see Ephesians 5:18, also I Tim. 5:23], not violent, not greedy for money [fleecing the flock], but gentle, not quarrelsome, not covetous [loving money] (I Tim. 3:3) one who rules his house well, having his children in submission with all reverence (for if a man does not know how to rule his own house, how will he take care of the church of God?)  (I Tim. 3:4-5); not a novice [means beginner; new Christian/babe in Christ; one who isn't well grounded in Scriptural understanding]...(I Tim. 3:6). "A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,  in humility correcting those who are in opposition..." (II Timothy 2:24-25).

    He must be able to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who preach for self-benefit and contradicts:  "7 For a bishop[a] must be blameless, as a steward of God, not self-willed, not quick-tempered, not given to wine, not violent, not greedy for money, 8 but hospitable, a lover of what is good, sober-minded, just, holy, self-controlled, 9 holding fast the faithful word as he has been taught, that he may be able, by sound doctrine, both to exhort and convict those who contradict" (Titus 1:7-9).    

    One of the largest problems that exist in traditional churches today is married men claiming to be ministers of God having affairs (committing adultery), and having sex with boys. Ministers need to have a check list on how to keep this from happening to them; they need to be more conscious of walking in the spirit, and not in the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). Those who practice (make it a daily habit) walking in the flesh will not inherit the Kingdom of God, but will be doomed to hell (Rev. 21:8).     In God’s sight there is neither male nor female, Jew or Greek, neither slave nor free (Gal. 3:28). In God’s church there isn’t any diversity of races: black, white, yellow, or red. Scripture says to show partiality in love is a sin (James 2:9,10). [Partiality: “James alludes to Lev. 19:15, which prohibits favoritism to either the poor or the rich”. (Nelson’s New King James Version’ commentary, 1982)].

    What are God’s standards for its members you should be looking for in the Body of Christ?    Members in the body of Christ should walk in the Spirit – producing the fruit of the Spirit in their daily walk. Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin; do not let sin reign in your mortal body; present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead; for sin shall not have dominion over you (Romans 6:11-14). “Present you bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).
                                                                          
  • WALKING IN THE FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The real factor in [church] fellowship involve walking in the fruit of the Holy Spirit: [love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5:22-23)]. Many cults serve and love those in their fellowship, but totally disregard some fundamental Christian doctrines.

God says, "Present your bodies a living sacrifice; holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1). We must live a holy life style (living together as man and wife or having sexual intercourse without being married to each other is fornication).

These seven are an abomination to God: 1"A proud look, 2A lying tongue, 3Hands that shed innocent blood, 4A heart that devises wicked plans, 5Feet that are swift in running to evil, 6A false witness who speaks lies, 7And one who sows discard among brethren" (Proverbs 6:17-18, 19).

What's the penalty for living an unholy/non-transformed life?: "He who overcomes shall inherit all things...But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually  immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8).


  • DO THEY PRACTICE LOVE?
Another key thing to look for in a church is whether the church congregation practices the commandment of love. God commands members of the Body of Christ to serve and love one another: "...For all the law is fulfilled in one word...You shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Galatians 5:13-14). Notice how you are received as a visitor. Members of the church should welcome you voluntarily. I have personally visited churches where no one, including the pastor, welcome me. Please RUN, RUN! Also observe the pastor - the members usually, not always, are a representatives of the pastor.

  • WHAT DO I DO AFTER BECOMING A CHRISTIAN?
You should also find a church or fellowship which has a good teaching program. It will be a place where you can grow in the knowledge of the Lord (II Pet. 3:18), which obeys II Timothy 2:15KJV: "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of God". "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (II Tim. 2:15). If you can't find one, you have to study on your owns without one. God wants you to learn to be dependence on Him, not on any church or man.

  • WHERE DO YOU FIND GOD'S CHURCH?
It's not a building made with bricks and mortar. It's a collection of individuals, two or more, gathered together singing, praising, worshiping and studying the Word of God.
                                             THINGS TO PONDER
  • If you are looking for a fellowship or a church to gather with that agree with you on every doctrinal issue 100%, you will not find it. All of us, that include you, haven't been given complete understanding and knowledge from God. All churches whether they are non-denominations, denominations or any other Christian group teach some doctrinal error because we are all still growing toward perfect knowledge; fundamentals of the gospel and "love" should be the basis of true fellowship.
  • If you are joining a church to part of their fellowship and all doctrinal beliefs have been established, don't as an individual try to change their doctrines. Groups have been destroyed this way. Seek God whether you can agree with their doctrines before you join.
  • It's a personal relationship with Father God through Jesus Christ which He really desire.
                                     CONCLUSION
GOD DOESN'T JUST HAVE ONE DENOMINATION AS HIS TRUE CHURCH.  THE TRUE CHURCH OF GOD TEACH AND BELIEVES IN THE "FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINES OF CHRISTIANITY". SALVATION IS BASED UPON FAITH IN THE FINISHED WORK OF JESUS CHRIST, NOT ON "WORKS."