Relocating to a new city is one of the most challenging things ever. In addition to finding affordable housing for your family and good schools for your children, you need to “shop around” for churches, among many other things. Fortunately, we focus on providing you and other members of our community with tools to survive even situations like this one. Keep reading to learn how to find the best church near your home in the new city.
1. Ask Your Peers For Recommendations
Before you get to your new home, start asking your peers if they know anyone who lives in the city you’re moving to. Word-of-mouth is one of the most powerful communication vehicles, so you may find out about churches you’ve never heard of. Once you start your life at your destination, ask realtors, coworkers, and even people you meet in stores about some church recommendations. If these people have a favorite church they go to; you can rest assured they are going to share this information with you right away. Always ask them what they like most about that church in order to gain a better understanding of the kind of vibe you can expect to find there. Local Facebook communities can be another excellent source of information.
2. Use Local Directories
There are many local directories that list churches, so you may be able to find the best ones in your neighborhood within only a few minutes of research. Local Christian radio stations may also know of the best churches around, so you should probably pay them a visit or give them a phone call when you can. Also, The Gospel Coalition and other such national Christian associations publish church lists on their websites. Besides, everyone working for these radio stations and organizations is usually kind and welcoming, always ready to help newcomers find the right church for them.
3. Find Online Sermons From Churches Near You
You can start listening to sermons before you actually move to your new address. As many churches broadcast their sermons online, you can listen to some of them in order to narrow down your options. You can find out more details about the style of preaching, the depth of theology, and the main topics tackled. You’ll only need a couple of days or weeks to figure out which of the churches on your shortlist would best suit you. Then, you can go on a Sunday morning visit to make your final decision. This tip alone can save you a lot of time.
4. Speed Up Your Research
There’s only one single Sunday morning in a week. If you have many churches on your shortlist, attending the Sunday morning service to pick a winner will take you way too long to be a viable option. You can speed up the process by also attending the Sunday night service, wherever available. Also, check whether some of these churches offer Bible studies during the week, in order to cut on your research time. Try to attend these studies, as they can help you figure out whether the teachings and the style suit your personal preferences. Then, follow your gut feeling to choose the best church for you. There’s no need to attend these events more than once to figure out whether you like a church or not.
5. Check Out Church Websites
Try to find the websites of churches near your future address. Browse through these websites to learn more about the core beliefs of each church, the photos of their members, the online sermons, the articles, and everything else that could enable you to make an informed choice. Church websites can truly help you narrow down your selection to a handful of choices to schedule for Sunday morning visiting.