How to Find a Biblical Church Anywhere
Finding a good church when you’re traveling, on vacation, or moving to a new city can be challenging. I’ve been in that situation many times. That’s why I want to walk you through the exact steps we use when we’re looking for a good congregation in a new area.
Churches today can be wildly different: from tongue-speaking snake handlers to ritualistic Latin masses, from prosperity preachers promising health and wealth to pastors preaching hellfire and damnation. You don’t want to just pick one at random and end up somewhere uncomfortable or, even worse, unbiblical. God cares about His people, how they worship Him, and what His church teaches. That’s the whole reason we’ve been doing this series on how to find a faithful New Testament church.
In this article, I want to give you a practical, step-by-step guide to cut through the confusion and overwhelm.
Step 1: Start with Google Maps
Open Google Maps and zoom in on the area you’re traveling to. Once you’ve found the region you want, go to the search bar and type in “Church of Christ.”
If you haven’t followed the whole series, you might wonder why I suggest searching for “Church of Christ.” Through my personal experience and study, you’ll generally get the best and quickest results in finding a congregation that follows the actual New Testament. The Churches of Christ are not a denomination, trademark, or copyright. Anyone can put “Church of Christ” on a building and teach whatever they want. It’s simply a biblical designation, a phrase Paul used in Romans 16:16 when he wrote, “The churches of Christ greet you.” Read more about the importance of a church’s name in this article.
Using a biblical designation doesn’t guarantee they’re following Scripture, but it’s a good starting point.
Once the map loads, pick a few congregations to evaluate.
Step 2: Look at Their Google Photos
Click the listing, look at the photos, and see what they choose to show. Some congregations upload helpful pictures, others only have a street view. Photos can help you get a good feel for what the congregation is like and identify red flags early on in your search.
Look for pictures of their services. Men leading and a cappella worship are good signs.
Step 3: Visit Their Website
A church’s website can give you a good sense of what kinds of things they are involved in, their demographics, the types of programs they offer, and what is most important to them. When it comes to significant doctrinal concerns, here are a few things to look for:
If they have a leadership page, check whether or not their leadership structure matches Scripture, with male leadership as we see in 1 Corinthians 14 and Paul’s instructions to Timothy.
Look for a page that talks about their beliefs. One of the biggest doctrines churches get wrong is biblical baptism, so we check for that first.
Watch part of the service if it has been uploaded. This will allow you to quickly look for major red flags, such as worship with bands. Instrumental worship is concerning for a few reasons:
The New Testament gives no authority for it under the New Covenant.
Early Christians didn’t use instruments.
Major denominational founders like Luther, Calvin, Spurgeon, and Wesley opposed instruments. It’s a modern innovation, not apostolic worship.
If they have a “What to Expect” page, it may let you know whether they worship a cappella and observe the Lord’s Supper every Sunday, just like the apostles did.
Step 4: Check Their Social Media
If the church’s website lacked good information or you want to confirm that you’re not missing anything, checking their social media is the last step. Worshipping with instrumental music and women preaching or leading worship are red flags that can easily be caught by watching a livestream.
Quick Review of the Steps
Go to Google Maps
Type “Church of Christ” and click on congregations.
Look at their Photos
Identify obvious red flags early.
Visit Their Website
Check for:
What they believe
Their leadership
Their worship practices
Sermons, livestreams, or photo galleries
Check Their Social Media
Livestreams make it easy to see exactly what they do.
This simple process helps us avoid uncomfortable or unbiblical situations and find a congregation where we can faithfully worship while traveling.
For a real-life example, we made this video that thoroughly walks through applying these steps to real churches.
