How and When to Switch churches – part 4

Ok, so even if that list is not complete, those are the kind of things I mean with the word “Basics”.

When you are choosing between good options within a community for the first time, you want to look at everything from biblical focus, statement of faith and leadership structure…

But at this stage – the outset of the search, you also get to engage with your own preferences… the personality of those on stage, the tone of the worship experience and the temperature, style and color of the building, and other preference-based traits, etc.

“Preferences”is a word that is already in this discussion. Generally, I want to reserve this to the end of this article since so much has already been written on this topic. So, look for the last part of this article to be “How NOT to make this decision.”

Know now, that these preferences must never trump or excuse the Basics. No matter how cool, comfortable or fun a local church is, the Basics must be non-negotiable. However, if you are reading this article, I bet you know that already.

Obviously, many of these are preferences and would not be as important as others.

However, when you are first looking for a church, it is totally fine, once the Basic are established, to be somewhat led by your preferences… and of course, no matter how carefully you choose a church and no matter how many characteristics you look for and find, a local church is still a gathering of people.

And people change.

That means the leadership may change, the pastors change, the people change, and you change. Sadly, it also means the devotion to the Basics may change within a local church.

This means that for certain your preferred traits will come and go in season… and for most of us, as we age, we can count on the local church – in reaching out to the next generation – to start making choices that are NOT part of our preferences.

If a local church doesn’t make these changes, there are soon no noises of little children in the church. No teens. No young families. No one to pass along what we know to in the next generation.

“So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.” Psalm. 71:18

So, how do you know when it is ok to change from one church to another? What are some principles for making this kind of decision?

What if a church changes at the “Basic, non-negotiable” level? What if it just changes emphasis? What if it lacks resources for the life-stage of your family?

What if the new worship leader wears v-necks?