I don’t think choosing your local church is a decision that should be taken lightly. Where you are planted determines your spiritual growth. What you receive as spiritual nourishment can either make you grow or reverse. God does nothing by chance; when He places us in a church, it is for a specific purpose.
If you’re not living in fellowship right now, don’t worry, God made us a Bible promise for you, too. Isn’t it wonderful?
Mark 10:29-30: “Jesus answered, Truly I say to you, there is no one who, having left, for My sake and the good news, his house, or his brothers, or his sisters, or his mother, or his father, or his children, or his lands, does not receive a hundredfold, presently in this century, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come, eternal life.”
Not everyone has had to leave family or friends to serve God, some have had to, and some have not. But this promise is for all of God’s children. In these verses, Jesus speaks of the spiritual family of the believer, that is to say, that He reserves for you brothers, sisters, and parents in the faith. This is why in the Bible, we speak of a body, Jesus Christ is the head of this body, and we, His disciples, are its members, and we are united. So we have to work together!
What do you mean by good church?
Beloved, if by “good church” you mean a perfect church, know there is no such place here on earth. Only God is perfect, and although we have become children of God, we are still full of flaws. Don’t look for a perfect place where all Christians are mature, where there will never be strife. I believe such a choice should be made according to the Holy Spirit.
You should know that a good church is Christocentric, biblical, a church where Jesus is at the centre. We do not come to church only for ourselves but also for others because we are a body, and all members are dependent on each other.
So knowing this, you will know that you are not perfect, and you will be able to stay in a state of mind that will allow God to use you. Yes, you read correctly; God wants to use you; you, too, have something to give!
What if you can’t find a church?
It can happen that despite having understood the criteria of a good church in the eyes of God, we cannot find one that corresponds to us. Here is what I recommend:
Cultivate your communion with the Holy Spirit: Since you are alone for a while, you will have to arm yourself with a lot of discipline: daily reading and meditation of the Word, setting aside quality time for prayer, setting reminders on his phone if possible.
Visit the online platforms: There are several online platforms where you can listen to anointed teachings, access the Bible, and even attend online services. It doesn’t replace fellowship, but it’s better than nothing. However, we must be very careful about what we follow on the internet; we must always check if it is in accordance with the Word of God.
In some countries, Christians are persecuted; they cannot live their faith freely. Sometimes these people meet secretly in their homes. Maybe your case is not so extreme, but I know that God has brothers and sisters for you so that you can support each other. But in the meantime, give this problem to God in prayer.
And if you have Christian friends with whom you can chat via social networks and plan times for prayers or Bible studies, do not hesitate to do so. The Bible says that iron sharpens iron; it will help you be patient and stand firm.
Proverbs 27:17: “Iron is sharpened by iron, and a man’s face is sharpened by contact with his neighbour.”
