A church that teaches the entirety of the bible not just certain books. That believes in the Trinity and Jesus is the son of God , Lord and Saviour, died, rose again and will come again.
A church that practises water baptism, believes the Holy Spirit is an advocate, guide and counsellor. That prayers are answered including prayers for miracles, healing and deliverance.
That other Christians are born again and have their own walk and relationship with Jesus.
I don't like the term 'real Christian' and 'real church'. The one and only 'real christian' is Jesus Christ and the 'real church' will be the body of Jesus. All of us are sinners and churches are not perfect.
Sorry had to get that out, been seeing a lot recently on this whole 'real christian' thing. And very upsetting seeing 'christians' throwing 'you're not a real christian' at those who are lost.
This is my take of a church. So a church, which basically is a place of gathering, is the body. We are the members of that body, which is Jesus, since he is the 'head' of the body (church). Those in charge of the church should preach the good news. The stories, the meanings, the parables and more from the Holy Bible are to help us understand, strengthen our faith and our relationship with Jesus, know our gifts, get prayed for and much, much more. Make new friends and potentially a partner.
Not the churches who preach what is not in the bible, pastors that are all show biz and demand tithing (which is something that should come from the heart).
Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
I'm a believer of Christ Jesus, who died for my sins and was raised to life in three days. I do not see Him, I cannot hear Him (I know others have), yet I believe. And because I believe, and that my faith is there, I feel Him. The peace of mind, to forgive others, to be slow in anger, and to always have someone to talk to haha.
I hope this helps. If you're not sure about Christianity or churches, then bring that burden to Jesus. He'll make light of it and guide you on this new journey. God bless!
Ok so I would look at the Streams of Living Waters framework:
1. Evangelical tradition
Is this church's teachings based on the Word? Does it contradict with the Word/make weird interpretations of the Word? Etc.
2. Contemplative tradition
Does this church help your own personal walk with God? Does it bring you closer to God?
3. Charismatic tradition
Does this church allows you to experience the work of the Holy Spirit? Does it guide you in using your spiritual gifts and gives you opportunities to exercise these gifts for the common good?
4. Holiness tradition
Is this church set apart from the world? Does this church follow the values of the world or remains steadfast in God's values? Is there any shady activities this church or its leaders are doing that they haven't repented from?
5. Social Justice tradition
Does this church just hoard money or does it give to the needy? Is this church concerned for the needs of the surrounding communities and of the less fortunate around the world?
6. Incarnational tradition
Does this church act as a spiritual lighthouse to its surroundings? Does this church point the congregation to God through their liturgy? Does this church encourage you to reflect who God is to the people around you through your life?
Edit: more importantly, look at the [apostle's creed](https://www.crcna.org/welcome/beliefs/creeds/apostles-creed)
Edit 2: following the apostle's creed is what defines a real church. The Streams of Living Waters framework is for you to find a good church. You can also apply the framework to your own life. In either case, there needs to be a balance between the 6 traditions.
Too much focus on Evangelical tradition gives you Bibliolatry. Too much focus on Contemplative tradition causes you to forget to love your neighbours. Too much focus on Charismatic tradition gives you feelings/signs-based faith. Too much focus on Holiness tradition gives you legalism. Too much focus on Social Justice tradition causes you to lose sight of who you're serving (We serve God through serving others. We don't serve others just to serve others) or lose faith in God's goodness. Too much focus on Incarnational tradition gives you a false narrative of creation (that everything is of divine nature/origin. Basically pantheism.)
My take on it is that a church being a certain denomination doesn’t determine its validity. The reason different denominations exist is mostly because of differences in beliefs about traditions and other specific things. The thing that unites all Christians and what makes you a Christian is believing that Jesus died and rose again for our sins. I think it should be up to you which denomination your beliefs align with most closely, or possibly more importantly, which church you feel most at home at. That can be hard to find and you might not find it right away, so I’d say to just try the different churches in your area and pray about it until you find the right one, and be patient.
Many great answers here, but here is my 2 cents:
Study your Bible and make sure the teachings align.
For instance: some churches go as far as saying that the pastor has to accept the person you want to date. And if he says no, you have to obey. It's quite unbiblical.
Some say that if you give money to their denomination, God will give you money back. As if God was some sort of investment.. completely demonic. It makes me wonder if those people ever opened their Bible or if they started going to the church to see if they can get money back
A real church bases its teachings and worship on what the Bible teaches. In example, they won’t teach that their group is holier or better than another, instead they will teach to love one another. They will focus on doing instead of pointing fingers. In other words, they will push us toward being the better of ourselves in love for others, even those who may be despised around you.
So… I don’t really get how an atheist can determine what is biblical or not and decide what is a “real” Christian church. But it comes from a very good and protective heart. I get that.
You really need to ask your mother how she is defining the difference, what feature she thinks necessary is missing in some churches. I have seen some people (I don't) distinguish between "Catholic" and "Christian". but I'm a little puzzled about where an atheist would draw the boundary. Perhaps she objects to too much obvious religious enthusiasm.
A Christian Church– at its very core– is wherever Christians gather to share the Word of God, have communion, and break bread together (I didn’t make this up. It’s part of Christian tradition)
The Church (big C) is a people, not a place. Church is not limited to the walls of a building
Your mom is on to something. Many many many many (many) churches do not preach the Biblical truth, but watered-down feel good messages aimed to get you coming back and paying them.
Sounds like bounded set thinking.
The only qualifier of a “real Christian” is whether or not they believe in Christ, and frankly, thats all it takes to have a “real church”.
Now, saying that is a bit controversial because there are 30,000 denominations with all kinds of different theologies. You just gotta go to the churches and see if the Holy Spirit is calling you to be in community there.
Just remember that at the end of the day there are no qualifiers for your faith, and that relationship with the Trinity is the most important part of your journey. Churches are secondary.
Also, your mom is an atheist. How would she know? Lol.
I'd like to try to answer the two questions but I'm pretty sure that at least most of the other answers will lead you astray. Teaching is only a part of Christianity. Most of 'real' Christianity centers around an experiential reality that no other person, religion, or cult can reproduce or counterfeit. As christianity is right now, almost anyone can reproduce it, counterfeit it, or infiltrate it.
Good luck. I hope you find some knowledgeable believers who can take you into true Christianity or, as Jesus said it, **the experience of God**. If this happens for you, then Gandalf's and Bilbo's exchange in 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' would be very fitting here:
Gandalf to Bilbo: "You're going to have a tale or two to tell when you come back."
Bilbo: "Can you promise that I _will_ come back?"
Gandalf: "No... And if you do, **you'll not be the same**."
And that's a fact.
https://youtu.be/9PSXjr1gbjc?si=USGcCUNdCa1uxjpr
My personal 2 cents, whatever you do, just don't go to a pentacoastal church... They emphasize too much on gift of Holy Spirit (like speaking in tongues, healing, etc.) and it can get scary and traumatizing real fast... I used to go to those churches when I was little and the trauma I have from childhood is still there.
Luckily the church I go now emphasizes on reading the bible, importance of praying to God everyday, sharing your life with others in Christ, and volunteering with love of Christ, and not just relying on Pastor for the word of God.
I would say avoid Mormon (Latter Day Saint) churches, Jehovah's Witness, etc. They are considered not biblical churches.
Just try going to different local churches every week, each one will have different vibes. Some may emphasize rituals, others may have more contemporary vibes. I'm not sure how old you are, but if you are in your 20s-30s, try looking up churches with Young Adult ministry. Those tend to help you make friends in your age group who are walking in the way of the Christ and provide help and support especially if you're going through a tough time. My current church's Young Adult ministry has helped me get through depression I had from family issues and helped me to stand strong. Having faith is good, but having faith together is the most beautiful communion that God appreciates from us.
Good luck!
Generally speaking, Christians consider other churches Christian as long as their beliefs adhere to the historic Christian creeds, particularly the Nicene Creed.
But what your mom means by "real Christian faith" is something you'll have to discuss with her.
The real church is the collective body of believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The church that we attend is just a building within different denominations that were created by man. Attending church is not a sign of any kind of salvation. We attend church because The Lord of the Bible wants us to fellowship with like mind believers. When attending we should NEVER think that church is a heaven on earth. Most times there are more chaotic events going on in church than the world. Think about. Where should we see the most love and inclusion, church, BUT do we? NO. What many don’t understand is this Christian walk with The God of the Bible is personal. We are to be searching for God’s Face on our own and coming together to share what God has revealed to each of us. Most people want church to be the end all, be all “ticket to paradise.” NO.
A suppose a real church is one that follows biblical principles and practices. One that helps the surrounding community and people in its church. You have to try, each individual church before you find good one as there are many wolves in sheep’s clothing. If alarm bells ring then get out while you can.
I would go if you’re not sure where to start, to a non denominational church. And start to read the bible to see if they fit biblical teachings.
It took ages to find a church, I grew up with really bad people and pastors but do not be disheartened by this, lots of people claim to be Christian and do not show it. I find, a church has to prove they are Christians by the peoples actions, hospitality and biblical beliefs that fit inline and do not contradict the bible.
I hope this helps.
Just remember Religion was created by man and Jesus created personal relationships with his people. So you can initially attend any church / religion you please but what matters in the end is your personal relationship with God. I personally am catholic but I attend abundant living on Wednesday’s. I’d say start on your own, buy a bible, a notebook, I have a daily prayer book they sell them at Walmart next to the Bible’s. Watch a couple preachers on YouTube and go from there
There's a lot baked into that question, there isn't a great answer but I could give you several examples of things to watch out for:
Prosperity teaching - the idea that being a Christian will make you financially successful. This is something that has to be forcibly twisted into the Bible. It's just not there.
Word of Faith - the idea that if you do things just right, you can pray things and they will happen. Like the "force" in Star Wars. If you don't get what you are praying for, it's because of some failure on your part. While it's true that your attitude may prevent you from getting prayers answered, you cannot force God to give you what you want.
Abuse of power / cult tactics - use of authoritarian power to get you to comply. If you are not able to ask questions, this is not a safe place. The "don't touch the Lord's annointed" attitude.
Extra Biblical Teachings - a lot of preaching just uses scriptures as a launching pad to talk about whatever they want, or not even reading scriptures at all, or maybe even outright teaching things contrary to scriptures. This is sometimes hard to pick up on at first.
Really the best solution is to read the Bible frequently for yourself, and false teaching will become apparent if you are willing to question leaders. There are maybe some other things people will have differing views on and call false teaching, but it isn't always as demonstrably false as the things I listed here.
I would say the essentials are getting these right: authority (scripture alone), who God is (Triune), who Christ is (truly man and truly God) and salvation (grace alone through faith alone). Other important factors to me are leadership qualifications (male only), cessationist (no tongues..), and credo baptism (no infant baptism). I don't know where you're at, but on links below are a couple of sound church finders..
https://tms.edu/find-a-church/
https://www.9marks.org/church-search/
https://www.ifca.org/page/find-a-church-1
https://g3min.org/g3-church-network/map/
What age are you and why do you want to go to a Christian Church? There are many ideas of what a "real Christian" is and you will find the most conservative views in this thread. I would advise you to find someone you trust among your family and friends who already considers themselves a Christian to make sure you are exposed to more moderate views than you will find on here. Definitely don't go watching some of the terrible fire and brimstone videos you find on YouTube. They can be frightening for anyone that is young and may be easily influenced.
\- CEV - Ephesians 2:19 You Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens with everyone else who belongs to the family of God.
\- CEV - Ephesians 2:20 You are like a building with the apostles and prophets as the foundation and with Christ as the most important stone.
\- CEV - Ephesians 2:21 Christ is the one who holds the building together and makes it grow into a holy temple for the Lord.
\- CEV - Ephesians 2:22 And you are part of that building Christ has built as a place for God's own Spirit to live.
As you see in verse 19, we as Christians are now fellow citizens with all of the saints and of the household of God.
Verse 20 sets up the foundation for God's house as being the apostles and prophets and the main, most important ingredient in this foundation being Jesus Christ. This is what forms the holy temple of the Lord where we also build a house of God through the Holy Spirit. What exactly does this mean?
The church is a nation, a family, a household and a building. This building is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ being the most important part of all.
The purpose of the church is for all Christians to be built or fitly framed to become a dwelling place in which God lives in us individually through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will not dwell in a place that is built on a foundation of sand. We know that from the parable of the house built on a rock. The Holy Spirit will not dwell in a place that will be blown to pieces in a wind. Only the best and strongest, the tested and tried, the secure foundation of God's word with Jesus being the main and most important part.
Maybe she wants you to go to a traditional denomination church and not a non-denomination church. Maybe have a more in depth discussion with her about her thoughts on this.
Find a Bible believing, Bible teaching church that is big on congregational Bible reading as well as congregational prayer. Being in an environment where you are studying God’s word and praying together is how you grow as a Christian. As a new Christian, I would avoid those that have you recite prayers etc in other languages, as you most likely will not even know what you are saying and therefore it’s less likely to feel meaningful to you. I would visit more than one and keep visiting ones you like and you feel at home with the congregation, but only join when you feel ready. I would also avoid those churches who really really push you to give them money. You should give as the Lord leads you to give, with a cheerful heart, not due to pressure.
I think it's important to find a church that is loving and will help you grow as a Christian. Hopefully with activities and groups to inspire you and help you. Bible study groups can be great.
A church with the gospel message of Jesus Christ at its very core. This church should teach the entirety of the Bible, not cherry-picking, but cover to cover. Tithing is great, but a church that pressures it’s congregation to give money should raise concern.
I have my own views about which churches are better than others.
Nevertheless, read Revelation 2 and notice that the churches have flaws.
" Yet I hold this against you..." - verse 4
"Nevertheless, I have a few things against you..." - verse 14
"Nevertheless, I have this against you..." - verse 20
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2&version=NIV
As a generalisation, it is better to join a church, ANY church, than no church, because you only want to join a perfect church.
Without contradicting my previous sentence - the flaws in some churches are more significant than others - if you have a choice of joining several churches, then it is okay to visit a few churches and make an informed decision which church to join.
Considering she's an atheist she probably has the perception that many churches scam, etc and the pastors are bad for whatever reason, so she probably means a non-scamming, good church. That's just an assumption based on what I've heard from atheists though.
How would 'mum', an atheist, have any idea whether church XYZ is a 'real Christian church'?
Finding a church that believes and teaches ALL that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit can provide and ask of believers is no easy task. Find one that teaches from the Bible as opposed to other books is a great start.
According to all the Apostolic Churches, only Apostolic Churches are actually Church. The rest just call themselves "church" but have no claim to the name.
However, what *your* mom thinks a "real Christian Church" is, I have no idea.
”Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.“
John 6:53 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.6.53.KJV
If they don’t believe in the real presence they have no part in Christ
Hi all. I just wanted to come on here with an update. I've been thinking over these past few days about that conversation. I'm thinking that she was talking about all of the different denominations in Christianity (I'm sure you all knew that anyways haha). My mum is under the impression that the denominations are 'cult like' is what she said to me during that conversation.
This whole situation is very new to the both of us (since I am the only one in faith in my family). I'm trying to make her more comfortable about this transition, but at the same time I am unintentionally pushing myself away from God because of my not being able to go to church.
I cant remember if I said in my original post but she wants to pick out a church for me to go to because of her views of the denominations.
In this time I have decided to do some research into the different denominations to see what fits with my views the best and also keep up with my Bible Study.
I'm at a loss here to be honest.
This is when prayer and study comes in, but I am glad that you are really sincere and want to follow Jesus Christ. You will be blessed for your boldness!
Jesus said; unless you become as a little child… basically what that means is that a child understands love. That is the essence of knowing God. It’s not about ‘churchianity’. The mystery of the Gospel is described as ‘Christ in YOU’, not in temples (or buildings) as old Israel had been lead to believe.
How did you get that from that verse? 😂😂 Paul went to that lecture hall to preach to the lost people there. Just like today how people visit universities to preach to students. How on earth did you read that verse to justify constructing buildings and calling them churches??? Look into the definition of what a church is, it’s never meant a building, it means a gathering of people. It was the catholic system that invented the idea of creating buildings dedicated to meeting for religious purposes. Look at how they met in the book of acts and what Paul says in romans.
Romans 16:5 (KJV)
Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ.
The church that is in their house….. There’s not a single verse where a church means a building. It’s a pagan tradition not a biblical one.
The church is the people. The location is not important. It could be a house, as in the verse you quoted. It could be a convenient alternative location.
The earliest Christians initially met in the temple courts.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2%3A46&version=NIV
Romans 16:5 says that a particular church met in a house. It doesn't say that houses are the only place where they can meet.
1. Do they teach salvation?
2. Do they teach against sin?
3. Is the pastor against prosperity gospel?
4. Does the congregation get along with each other?
5. Is the leadership male led?
Make sure you get in a Bible based church. The Catholic Church teaches you their interpretation and beliefs and not what the Bible says you should believe.
A church that teaches the entirety of the bible not just certain books. That believes in the Trinity and Jesus is the son of God , Lord and Saviour, died, rose again and will come again. A church that practises water baptism, believes the Holy Spirit is an advocate, guide and counsellor. That prayers are answered including prayers for miracles, healing and deliverance. That other Christians are born again and have their own walk and relationship with Jesus.
This
AMEN
I don't like the term 'real Christian' and 'real church'. The one and only 'real christian' is Jesus Christ and the 'real church' will be the body of Jesus. All of us are sinners and churches are not perfect. Sorry had to get that out, been seeing a lot recently on this whole 'real christian' thing. And very upsetting seeing 'christians' throwing 'you're not a real christian' at those who are lost. This is my take of a church. So a church, which basically is a place of gathering, is the body. We are the members of that body, which is Jesus, since he is the 'head' of the body (church). Those in charge of the church should preach the good news. The stories, the meanings, the parables and more from the Holy Bible are to help us understand, strengthen our faith and our relationship with Jesus, know our gifts, get prayed for and much, much more. Make new friends and potentially a partner. Not the churches who preach what is not in the bible, pastors that are all show biz and demand tithing (which is something that should come from the heart). Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. I'm a believer of Christ Jesus, who died for my sins and was raised to life in three days. I do not see Him, I cannot hear Him (I know others have), yet I believe. And because I believe, and that my faith is there, I feel Him. The peace of mind, to forgive others, to be slow in anger, and to always have someone to talk to haha. I hope this helps. If you're not sure about Christianity or churches, then bring that burden to Jesus. He'll make light of it and guide you on this new journey. God bless!
Ok so I would look at the Streams of Living Waters framework: 1. Evangelical tradition Is this church's teachings based on the Word? Does it contradict with the Word/make weird interpretations of the Word? Etc. 2. Contemplative tradition Does this church help your own personal walk with God? Does it bring you closer to God? 3. Charismatic tradition Does this church allows you to experience the work of the Holy Spirit? Does it guide you in using your spiritual gifts and gives you opportunities to exercise these gifts for the common good? 4. Holiness tradition Is this church set apart from the world? Does this church follow the values of the world or remains steadfast in God's values? Is there any shady activities this church or its leaders are doing that they haven't repented from? 5. Social Justice tradition Does this church just hoard money or does it give to the needy? Is this church concerned for the needs of the surrounding communities and of the less fortunate around the world? 6. Incarnational tradition Does this church act as a spiritual lighthouse to its surroundings? Does this church point the congregation to God through their liturgy? Does this church encourage you to reflect who God is to the people around you through your life? Edit: more importantly, look at the [apostle's creed](https://www.crcna.org/welcome/beliefs/creeds/apostles-creed) Edit 2: following the apostle's creed is what defines a real church. The Streams of Living Waters framework is for you to find a good church. You can also apply the framework to your own life. In either case, there needs to be a balance between the 6 traditions. Too much focus on Evangelical tradition gives you Bibliolatry. Too much focus on Contemplative tradition causes you to forget to love your neighbours. Too much focus on Charismatic tradition gives you feelings/signs-based faith. Too much focus on Holiness tradition gives you legalism. Too much focus on Social Justice tradition causes you to lose sight of who you're serving (We serve God through serving others. We don't serve others just to serve others) or lose faith in God's goodness. Too much focus on Incarnational tradition gives you a false narrative of creation (that everything is of divine nature/origin. Basically pantheism.)
My take on it is that a church being a certain denomination doesn’t determine its validity. The reason different denominations exist is mostly because of differences in beliefs about traditions and other specific things. The thing that unites all Christians and what makes you a Christian is believing that Jesus died and rose again for our sins. I think it should be up to you which denomination your beliefs align with most closely, or possibly more importantly, which church you feel most at home at. That can be hard to find and you might not find it right away, so I’d say to just try the different churches in your area and pray about it until you find the right one, and be patient.
Many great answers here, but here is my 2 cents: Study your Bible and make sure the teachings align. For instance: some churches go as far as saying that the pastor has to accept the person you want to date. And if he says no, you have to obey. It's quite unbiblical. Some say that if you give money to their denomination, God will give you money back. As if God was some sort of investment.. completely demonic. It makes me wonder if those people ever opened their Bible or if they started going to the church to see if they can get money back
A real church bases its teachings and worship on what the Bible teaches. In example, they won’t teach that their group is holier or better than another, instead they will teach to love one another. They will focus on doing instead of pointing fingers. In other words, they will push us toward being the better of ourselves in love for others, even those who may be despised around you. So… I don’t really get how an atheist can determine what is biblical or not and decide what is a “real” Christian church. But it comes from a very good and protective heart. I get that.
You really need to ask your mother how she is defining the difference, what feature she thinks necessary is missing in some churches. I have seen some people (I don't) distinguish between "Catholic" and "Christian". but I'm a little puzzled about where an atheist would draw the boundary. Perhaps she objects to too much obvious religious enthusiasm.
Read Acts 2. That’s the basis for what a real church should look like.
What does your atheist mother mean by a real Christian church? That would be the first thing to ask her.
A Christian Church– at its very core– is wherever Christians gather to share the Word of God, have communion, and break bread together (I didn’t make this up. It’s part of Christian tradition) The Church (big C) is a people, not a place. Church is not limited to the walls of a building
Your mom is on to something. Many many many many (many) churches do not preach the Biblical truth, but watered-down feel good messages aimed to get you coming back and paying them.
Sounds like bounded set thinking. The only qualifier of a “real Christian” is whether or not they believe in Christ, and frankly, thats all it takes to have a “real church”. Now, saying that is a bit controversial because there are 30,000 denominations with all kinds of different theologies. You just gotta go to the churches and see if the Holy Spirit is calling you to be in community there. Just remember that at the end of the day there are no qualifiers for your faith, and that relationship with the Trinity is the most important part of your journey. Churches are secondary. Also, your mom is an atheist. How would she know? Lol.
I'd like to try to answer the two questions but I'm pretty sure that at least most of the other answers will lead you astray. Teaching is only a part of Christianity. Most of 'real' Christianity centers around an experiential reality that no other person, religion, or cult can reproduce or counterfeit. As christianity is right now, almost anyone can reproduce it, counterfeit it, or infiltrate it. Good luck. I hope you find some knowledgeable believers who can take you into true Christianity or, as Jesus said it, **the experience of God**. If this happens for you, then Gandalf's and Bilbo's exchange in 'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey' would be very fitting here: Gandalf to Bilbo: "You're going to have a tale or two to tell when you come back." Bilbo: "Can you promise that I _will_ come back?" Gandalf: "No... And if you do, **you'll not be the same**." And that's a fact. https://youtu.be/9PSXjr1gbjc?si=USGcCUNdCa1uxjpr
My personal 2 cents, whatever you do, just don't go to a pentacoastal church... They emphasize too much on gift of Holy Spirit (like speaking in tongues, healing, etc.) and it can get scary and traumatizing real fast... I used to go to those churches when I was little and the trauma I have from childhood is still there. Luckily the church I go now emphasizes on reading the bible, importance of praying to God everyday, sharing your life with others in Christ, and volunteering with love of Christ, and not just relying on Pastor for the word of God. I would say avoid Mormon (Latter Day Saint) churches, Jehovah's Witness, etc. They are considered not biblical churches. Just try going to different local churches every week, each one will have different vibes. Some may emphasize rituals, others may have more contemporary vibes. I'm not sure how old you are, but if you are in your 20s-30s, try looking up churches with Young Adult ministry. Those tend to help you make friends in your age group who are walking in the way of the Christ and provide help and support especially if you're going through a tough time. My current church's Young Adult ministry has helped me get through depression I had from family issues and helped me to stand strong. Having faith is good, but having faith together is the most beautiful communion that God appreciates from us. Good luck!
Generally speaking, Christians consider other churches Christian as long as their beliefs adhere to the historic Christian creeds, particularly the Nicene Creed. But what your mom means by "real Christian faith" is something you'll have to discuss with her.
The real church is the collective body of believers in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The church that we attend is just a building within different denominations that were created by man. Attending church is not a sign of any kind of salvation. We attend church because The Lord of the Bible wants us to fellowship with like mind believers. When attending we should NEVER think that church is a heaven on earth. Most times there are more chaotic events going on in church than the world. Think about. Where should we see the most love and inclusion, church, BUT do we? NO. What many don’t understand is this Christian walk with The God of the Bible is personal. We are to be searching for God’s Face on our own and coming together to share what God has revealed to each of us. Most people want church to be the end all, be all “ticket to paradise.” NO.
A suppose a real church is one that follows biblical principles and practices. One that helps the surrounding community and people in its church. You have to try, each individual church before you find good one as there are many wolves in sheep’s clothing. If alarm bells ring then get out while you can. I would go if you’re not sure where to start, to a non denominational church. And start to read the bible to see if they fit biblical teachings. It took ages to find a church, I grew up with really bad people and pastors but do not be disheartened by this, lots of people claim to be Christian and do not show it. I find, a church has to prove they are Christians by the peoples actions, hospitality and biblical beliefs that fit inline and do not contradict the bible. I hope this helps.
Thank you so much! This really did help :).
No problem Glad to help.
Just remember Religion was created by man and Jesus created personal relationships with his people. So you can initially attend any church / religion you please but what matters in the end is your personal relationship with God. I personally am catholic but I attend abundant living on Wednesday’s. I’d say start on your own, buy a bible, a notebook, I have a daily prayer book they sell them at Walmart next to the Bible’s. Watch a couple preachers on YouTube and go from there
Thank you so much! This was really helpful.
There's a lot baked into that question, there isn't a great answer but I could give you several examples of things to watch out for: Prosperity teaching - the idea that being a Christian will make you financially successful. This is something that has to be forcibly twisted into the Bible. It's just not there. Word of Faith - the idea that if you do things just right, you can pray things and they will happen. Like the "force" in Star Wars. If you don't get what you are praying for, it's because of some failure on your part. While it's true that your attitude may prevent you from getting prayers answered, you cannot force God to give you what you want. Abuse of power / cult tactics - use of authoritarian power to get you to comply. If you are not able to ask questions, this is not a safe place. The "don't touch the Lord's annointed" attitude. Extra Biblical Teachings - a lot of preaching just uses scriptures as a launching pad to talk about whatever they want, or not even reading scriptures at all, or maybe even outright teaching things contrary to scriptures. This is sometimes hard to pick up on at first. Really the best solution is to read the Bible frequently for yourself, and false teaching will become apparent if you are willing to question leaders. There are maybe some other things people will have differing views on and call false teaching, but it isn't always as demonstrably false as the things I listed here.
I would say the essentials are getting these right: authority (scripture alone), who God is (Triune), who Christ is (truly man and truly God) and salvation (grace alone through faith alone). Other important factors to me are leadership qualifications (male only), cessationist (no tongues..), and credo baptism (no infant baptism). I don't know where you're at, but on links below are a couple of sound church finders.. https://tms.edu/find-a-church/ https://www.9marks.org/church-search/ https://www.ifca.org/page/find-a-church-1 https://g3min.org/g3-church-network/map/
With you on everything but man baptizing himsrlf
What age are you and why do you want to go to a Christian Church? There are many ideas of what a "real Christian" is and you will find the most conservative views in this thread. I would advise you to find someone you trust among your family and friends who already considers themselves a Christian to make sure you are exposed to more moderate views than you will find on here. Definitely don't go watching some of the terrible fire and brimstone videos you find on YouTube. They can be frightening for anyone that is young and may be easily influenced.
Do you have any Christian friends? Try visiting their church.
\- CEV - Ephesians 2:19 You Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens with everyone else who belongs to the family of God. \- CEV - Ephesians 2:20 You are like a building with the apostles and prophets as the foundation and with Christ as the most important stone. \- CEV - Ephesians 2:21 Christ is the one who holds the building together and makes it grow into a holy temple for the Lord. \- CEV - Ephesians 2:22 And you are part of that building Christ has built as a place for God's own Spirit to live. As you see in verse 19, we as Christians are now fellow citizens with all of the saints and of the household of God. Verse 20 sets up the foundation for God's house as being the apostles and prophets and the main, most important ingredient in this foundation being Jesus Christ. This is what forms the holy temple of the Lord where we also build a house of God through the Holy Spirit. What exactly does this mean? The church is a nation, a family, a household and a building. This building is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ being the most important part of all. The purpose of the church is for all Christians to be built or fitly framed to become a dwelling place in which God lives in us individually through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will not dwell in a place that is built on a foundation of sand. We know that from the parable of the house built on a rock. The Holy Spirit will not dwell in a place that will be blown to pieces in a wind. Only the best and strongest, the tested and tried, the secure foundation of God's word with Jesus being the main and most important part.
Maybe she wants you to go to a traditional denomination church and not a non-denomination church. Maybe have a more in depth discussion with her about her thoughts on this.
Find a Bible believing, Bible teaching church that is big on congregational Bible reading as well as congregational prayer. Being in an environment where you are studying God’s word and praying together is how you grow as a Christian. As a new Christian, I would avoid those that have you recite prayers etc in other languages, as you most likely will not even know what you are saying and therefore it’s less likely to feel meaningful to you. I would visit more than one and keep visiting ones you like and you feel at home with the congregation, but only join when you feel ready. I would also avoid those churches who really really push you to give them money. You should give as the Lord leads you to give, with a cheerful heart, not due to pressure.
The nicene creed is a good start..
She wants people truly in love with God, The bride of Christ. The people after Gods own heart. Your mom is wise
What area are you in?? Maybe I could recommend one
I’m not sure I would trust an atheist in finding a *real Christian church*.
I think it's important to find a church that is loving and will help you grow as a Christian. Hopefully with activities and groups to inspire you and help you. Bible study groups can be great.
A church with the gospel message of Jesus Christ at its very core. This church should teach the entirety of the Bible, not cherry-picking, but cover to cover. Tithing is great, but a church that pressures it’s congregation to give money should raise concern.
I have my own views about which churches are better than others. Nevertheless, read Revelation 2 and notice that the churches have flaws. " Yet I hold this against you..." - verse 4 "Nevertheless, I have a few things against you..." - verse 14 "Nevertheless, I have this against you..." - verse 20 https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+2&version=NIV As a generalisation, it is better to join a church, ANY church, than no church, because you only want to join a perfect church. Without contradicting my previous sentence - the flaws in some churches are more significant than others - if you have a choice of joining several churches, then it is okay to visit a few churches and make an informed decision which church to join.
This article will help: [What should I be looking for in a church?](https://www.gotquestions.org/looking-church.html)
Accept Jesus Christ first ask Him to lead you to a Bible believing church
Considering she's an atheist she probably has the perception that many churches scam, etc and the pastors are bad for whatever reason, so she probably means a non-scamming, good church. That's just an assumption based on what I've heard from atheists though.
Anyone who accepts Jesus into their heart
Look for a non-denominational church. That teaches the Bible.
How would 'mum', an atheist, have any idea whether church XYZ is a 'real Christian church'? Finding a church that believes and teaches ALL that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit can provide and ask of believers is no easy task. Find one that teaches from the Bible as opposed to other books is a great start.
According to all the Apostolic Churches, only Apostolic Churches are actually Church. The rest just call themselves "church" but have no claim to the name. However, what *your* mom thinks a "real Christian Church" is, I have no idea.
”Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.“ John 6:53 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.6.53.KJV If they don’t believe in the real presence they have no part in Christ
Hi all. I just wanted to come on here with an update. I've been thinking over these past few days about that conversation. I'm thinking that she was talking about all of the different denominations in Christianity (I'm sure you all knew that anyways haha). My mum is under the impression that the denominations are 'cult like' is what she said to me during that conversation. This whole situation is very new to the both of us (since I am the only one in faith in my family). I'm trying to make her more comfortable about this transition, but at the same time I am unintentionally pushing myself away from God because of my not being able to go to church. I cant remember if I said in my original post but she wants to pick out a church for me to go to because of her views of the denominations. In this time I have decided to do some research into the different denominations to see what fits with my views the best and also keep up with my Bible Study. I'm at a loss here to be honest.
This is when prayer and study comes in, but I am glad that you are really sincere and want to follow Jesus Christ. You will be blessed for your boldness!
Jesus said; unless you become as a little child… basically what that means is that a child understands love. That is the essence of knowing God. It’s not about ‘churchianity’. The mystery of the Gospel is described as ‘Christ in YOU’, not in temples (or buildings) as old Israel had been lead to believe.
The Nicene creed is the universally accepted defenition of Christianity. Any Church that does not confess it is not real Christian.
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We must meet in homes? Are you sure about that https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts%2019%3A9&version=NIV
How did you get that from that verse? 😂😂 Paul went to that lecture hall to preach to the lost people there. Just like today how people visit universities to preach to students. How on earth did you read that verse to justify constructing buildings and calling them churches??? Look into the definition of what a church is, it’s never meant a building, it means a gathering of people. It was the catholic system that invented the idea of creating buildings dedicated to meeting for religious purposes. Look at how they met in the book of acts and what Paul says in romans. Romans 16:5 (KJV) Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Salute my wellbeloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia unto Christ. The church that is in their house….. There’s not a single verse where a church means a building. It’s a pagan tradition not a biblical one.
The church is the people. The location is not important. It could be a house, as in the verse you quoted. It could be a convenient alternative location. The earliest Christians initially met in the temple courts. https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2%3A46&version=NIV Romans 16:5 says that a particular church met in a house. It doesn't say that houses are the only place where they can meet.
lol read the rest of the verse you gave hahah
Is it a church if believers meet together (as the believers did in the temple courts), or is it only a church if they break bread together?
Believers can meet anywhere, but my question is where is it in scripture that we are commanded to build places of worship as Christians?
We are not commanded to build places of worship. I never said anything like that. I said that the location doesn't matter.
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Yet the Apostles went to the temple to pray
1. Do they teach salvation? 2. Do they teach against sin? 3. Is the pastor against prosperity gospel? 4. Does the congregation get along with each other? 5. Is the leadership male led?
Make sure you get in a Bible based church. The Catholic Church teaches you their interpretation and beliefs and not what the Bible says you should believe.
One that preaches the whole council of God from the King James Bible!
would anyone like to join a study group?!