FINDING A CHURCH YOU CALL 'HOME' 

by Roy Todd

When you find a church community that you can truly call ‘home’, cherish it deeply. It will prove a massive blessing to your life. Our heart for people who come to the Junction Church is that we would be a family where they feel loved, appreciated and where they can play their part. 

If you’re checking out the Junction Church, then here are 10 practical tips to think about on your journey:

1) Don’t search for perfection

Sounds obvious, right? But it’s important to remind ourselves that there’s no such thing as a perfect church. Because people are involved, there will always be flaws. So it is wise to settle in your heart that there will be plenty of imperfections.

2) Test the waters

We’re really relaxed about people checking us out. Many people have done this and ended up staying around because they love it. However, we totally recognise that we won’t be the right church for everybody. The important thing is to find a community where you can feel at home. Give yourself some breathing space and ‘test the waters’ to see if it’s right for you.

3) Have a heart to serve

Every church needs people who are willing to get their hands dirty and get stuck in. This requires our ego to be put aside. Serving is incredibly helpful in this regard. The great thing is that serving is by far the best way to forge friendships – and it’s REALLY good for us.

4) Make Sunday a priority 

Sunday gatherings are important. Think about it….there are only 52 Sundays in a year – which means just 52 opportunities to gather as a church community for corporate worship. So it’s wise to make Sunday a priority since there aren’t that many of them. At the Junction Church, we deeply respect people and so work hard to make Sunday’s meaningful, helpful and relevant to people’s lives.

5) Be part of a life group

Of course, there’s more to church than Sunday’s. That’s why mid-week life groups are so good. They are smaller gatherings where you can grow in community and do life with other people of faith.

6) Join the ‘planted in the house’ course

Four times a year, we host ‘planted in the house’. This is held over four Tuesday nights and is an opportunity to find out more about the vision of the Junction Church. It’s also a great way of catching the heart of who we are.

7) Be a contributor, not a consumer

It was President John F Kennedy who said ‘Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country‘. Well, maybe we could apply this to church too? Actually, it’s when we contribute that we get blessed.

8) Remember, friendships take time

We totally ‘get it’ that people are looking for meaningful friendships. So we work hard to create an environment that is friendly, welcoming and conducive to them. But it’s important not to try and force them. Truth is, developing authentic relationships takes time and commitment. So be patient, stay gracious and then watch what happens.

9) Church is not the answer to your needs

Say what? Yup, this might sound like a strange thing for a pastor to write – but it’s true. GOD is the answer, not church. Church is simply a community where we journey with others who follow Jesus, study the bible together, capture God’s heart and do life with others. God is our source for everything. Wise people manage their expectations.

10) Be open to a new experience

The Junction Church is a community that seeks to be biblical and contemporary. We are who we are. Our worship is current. Our teaching deals with everyday issues. We love Jesus with an uncompromising passion and we are committed to reaching those who don’t know him yet. So be open to a new expression of church. It will probably be different to anything you’ve ever experienced before. Avoid comparing it to previous churches (whether positive or negative) as this is never helpful. The point is…you’re on a new adventure in a new season. So enjoy the journey!

These are 10 tips that will hopefully help you find a church you can call ‘home’. If that’s the Junction Church, we’d love that. If not, we pray that you will find a community where your faith will grow and your relationship with Christ develop. Whatever happens, we pray that God will bless your life, your family and your future. #TheBestIsYetToCome 

CHECK OUT THE JUNCTION CHURCH LOUGHBOROUGH HERE AND THE JUNCTION CHURCH LEICESTER HERE.