The Biblical Pattern

If you’re going to find the right church, you need to know what to look for. Here are some key areas the Bible emphasizes when considering a good, biblical church.

1. The Bible Is the Final Authority

A true church does not base its teaching on traditions, opinions, or culture. It is built on God’s Word alone. With all of the imperfect sources out there, the Bible is the one source that we have today that is perfect and can be trusted.

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2 Timothy 3:16 - “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

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Ask yourself: Do they clearly teach the Bible? Or do they add manmade ideas to it?

2. Salvation Is by Grace Through Faith Alone

This is foundational. A biblical church teaches that salvation is a gift that cannot be earned and is received by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone. If a church is wrong about salvation, they can't be trusted in any other area.

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Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast."

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Avoid any church that teaches...

You must earn salvation

You can lose salvation

Your works keep you saved

3. Clear, Direct Preaching

A biblical church does not avoid truth. It preaches clearly, teaches directly from the Scripture, and doesn’t avoid difficult topics. At times, preaching should be encouraging, but it should also be convicting, thought provoking, and offend our current lifestyle from time to time. A biblical church is well balanced in it's preaching, because the Bible is well balanced in it's content.

2 Timothy 4:2 - "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”

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After every sermon, you should be able to understand what the Bible says and how it applies to your life.

4. Baptism After Salvation

The Bible teaches that baptism always comes after salvation (it doesn't save you) and is a public step of obedience to God. If a church sees no problem with baptizing babies or any random visitor that walks through the door, that church should be avoided. It doesn't support the biblical model of baptism. Baptism always follows salvation. Never the other way around.

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Acts 2:41 - “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."

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Notice the order of events:

• ​They recieved his word (salvation)

• Then they were baptized

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5. A Focus on Reaching Others

A biblical church doesn’t just meet—it reaches out. It's not inward focused. It's outward focused. It doesn't wait for lost people to come to them. It goes out and reaches the lost.

Mark 16:15 - “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."

Look for a church that shares the gospel, cares about others being saved, and takes this seriously. Spreading the gospel is not a secondary purpose of the church. It is the primary purpose. If a church doesn't have a clear burden for souls... something is wrong.

6. A Desire for Holy Living

For several decades now, there has been a trend within American churches that involves bringing Jesus and the things of God down to man's level. Their music, sermons, buildings, and atmospheres have all become worldly in an attempt to reach the lost world... but where is that in the Bible? Simply put, it's not. A true church encourages believers to...

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Grow

Growth is a sign of life and health. When something isn't growing, there is a problem. When a tree is planted, we know it's healthy when it's growing and producing fruit. Too often, churches are full of people that haven't spiritually grown since the day that they got saved. A good church will encourage growth and provide resources to help that growth take place.

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Change

For many modern churches, their motto is, "Come as you are." This is good, but if we aren't careful, it becomes, "Come as you are and leave as you were." All throughout the Bible, salvation is followed by godly changes in the person's life. A church should allow anyone to come through the doors, while at the same time, encouraging everyone to be more like Christ.

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Live Differently

Too often, God's people look just like those who are still lost. There should be a clear difference between Christians and the world. A good church will teach lessons, preach sermons, and live in a way that encourages others to separate from the world.

None of these things are to earn salvation—but a result of salvation.

1 Peter 1:16 - “Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

What To Avoid

Not every church follows the Bible. We must realize that just because a group of people rent a building and put a sign in the yard that says, "church," that doesn't make them a biblical church. For every good church, there are plenty of bad churches.

Be careful of churches that:

• Focus more on entertainment than Scripture

• Avoid clear teaching on sin and salvation

• Add good works to salvation

• Replace the Bible with tradition

• Emphasize feelings over truth

Don’t Choose a Church Because of...

• Music style

  • Music is important, but never as important as the preaching of God's word​

• Friendliness

  • Great quality, but even the worst cults can be friendly​

• Programs

  • They may have programs, but do they have God's presence and blessing?​

• Convenience

  • "A church alive is worth the drive."​

Those things aren’t inherently wrong—but they are not the standard.

Truth is the standard.

How to Find a Good Church

1. Look for churches in your area and attend.

2. Read their Statement of Faith and watch their livestream. This will save you time.

3. Pay attention to what is actually being taught in the services.

4. Compare everything to the Bible... don’t take anyone’s word for it

5. Take your time. A good church is worth being patient for.

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Finding a good, biblical church is one of the most important decisions you will make as a Christian. It will shape what you believe, how you grow, and the direction of your life.

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Need help finding a good church in your area? Start Here​

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Once you have a good, biblical church, the next step is to be baptized.

Continue to Step 3: Get Baptized

We’re here to help you understand the Bible—simply and clearly.