It seems like every week we get emailed this question, how do I find a good local church?

And we finally address the question today in the form of an email from an anonymous woman.

Dear Pastor John, thanks be to God for your ministry and glory be to Him for your faithfulness

and helpful insight on this podcast.

Here is my situation.

I move to a new city and there are wonderfully a number of doctrinally faithful churches

in my area of town.

It's a great problem to have, I know.

If you were in my situation, how would you narrow down these good options?

I don't want to make a decision based merely on my preferences, but what role do preferences

make in a church decision like mine?

Let's take that last question first.

In general, I would say preferences by which I assume she means tastes that don't have

any direct biblical mandate behind them.

These preferences can be a legitimate part of your decision to the degree that they

are shaped and formed by the Word of God, even if not mandated, shaped and to the degree

that they don't take precedence over more important things.

And by such preferences, I mean things like a small church versus big, meditative versus

exuberant, formal versus casual, traditional versus contemporary, organ versus guitar,

pews versus chairs, 10 o'clock service versus 11, evening service, no evening service,

and on and on and on.

We all have our preferences on such things.

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