What to look for in a church

Faith

You need to find a church where they really believe. A church where the minister isn't actually sure that there's a God is not going to help you—  although, thankfully, those kind of churches are getting rarer. The easiest way to spot whether a church believes or not is to look at their magazine or their publicity. If they have lots of activities but none of them seem to include God, beware! An even better way, though, is if you know a Christian who goes to it. The kind of church where they will do you the most good is where they believe that what the Bible teaches is true, in the same sense that other things in our daily lives are 'true', not in a special religious sense. And, also, where those beliefs have an impact on daily life.

Warmth

Do they welcome you? This doesn't necessarily mean having someone on the door (in fact, not all churches have doors), but if someone makes a point of talking to you before or after a service, this is a good sign.

Life

You should be able to tell fairly quickly if a church is 'lively' or not. This isn't a matter of how loud the music is, or how old the congregation is. In a lively church, people expect God to be doing something in their lives.

Local

City centre churches are very popular, but are not necessarily very helpful in developing a consistent Christian life. If you have to catch two busses and walk twenty minutes, or if losing the car for a couple of days would mean you couldn't go, then you are putting barriers in your own way before you start. More to the point, going to a church which is near you will mean that you are worshipping with people who live near you as well — people who will be more available to talk with you and pray with you when you need it.

Stechford Baptist Church • Victoria Road • Stechford • Birmingham B33 8AH. Map. Stechford is in the Stechford and Yardley North Ward, and is close to Hodge Hill.