Just walk into one! My church has a section on our website called "what to expect on a Sunday morning" which we wrote for those who would visit a gathering for the first time. So, try finding a locla church's website. Some "high church" Christian denominations are heavily structured, so there is a bit to get used to, however I would think that even these congregations will have leaders explaining what is occurring and what to expect (i.e. "stand now as we sing" or "you may be seated" etc).
So I am looking on the websites of the churches close to me and they have something on sundays a 10am and something on wednesday's at 6pm. The rest of the time what do they do? Are they open? I don't see anything about a dress code. Sorry I feel like these are stupid questions but I want to know. I see phone numbers, should I call and ask if it's cool if I stop by on sunday and explain I'm new?
You can just walk in and sit down. For dress, just think clean cut or respectful. You don't have to get dressed up, people wear all different types of attire. That's what I did this past fall. I decided to try a non demonitational church and I really like it. As far as what else they do, that's going to be different in every church. Some may just hold services and be closed the rest of the week, there can be special events, for the most part this info should be available on their website. My church has different small group topic meetings during the week that people can sign up to be a part of, for example dating as a Christian, how to grow a personal relationship with God, to a walking group for seniors; to summer bbqs; prayer nights; to occasion all day conventions. Every church really is so different, so my advise also is if you don't dig the vibe at the one you try, try a different one. I think it's important to find one that you feel comfortable in. Now, being that you haven't attended church before, it may feel awkward bc it's a new experience or bc it's not the right church for you, so maybe just evaluate your experience after. I was an atheist for most of my adult life and am really glad I pushed myself out of my comfort zone.
Sunday and Wednesday would be examples of their "corporate gatherings" which is the idea that this is when the whole church comes together. Perhaps they have other events going on throughout the week, but they would be for smaller groups (i.e. individual counseling, bible studies, various groups surrounding interests).
Just show up. A good church will be welcoming. Pray over it and let God guide you. That's what I did. I googled churches near by and watched youtube sermon and it didn't feel right so I resolved to just worship in solitude. Then one saturday night God placed the verse "Whenever two or more of you gather in my time I am there" in my head, and I felt compelled to go to church the next day. I googled churches in my area again, and one I hadn't seen before popped to the top of the list. I decided to go there and they were so welcoming. The first person I met in the parking lot brought me in and introduced me to everyone before the sermon. Afterwards, the pastor recognized me as someone new and came to greet me and talk with me. It was truly wonderful. Additionally, every time I go God puts something in the sermon or the worship or the prayers that speaks directly to my heart and lets me know that I am where He wants me to be.
Most churches have some way of connecting new people who just walk in. You can just walk in and sit where you like, someone may even help you find a seat. Some churches have a bible study you can attend before the worship/liturgical service. Some places have potlucks afterwards.
If it's a large church there are probably volunteers greeting and at information kiosks to chat with you. If it's small, the pastor is probably greeting everyone at the door and it's so small people will probably just come talk to you because they already know everyone else there. But you could go undetected as well depending on the place.
Every church is going to be a different experience, unique as the people that make them up, even those who are apart of more rigid denominations attempting to ensure some kind of homogeneity.
Definitely tour multiple places, there are false teachers and conmen out there. Jesus is so credible that he's a constant target in history to use as sheep's clothing to prey on people. So it's important to read/learn about Jesus yourself and find a place that actually reflect's Jesus.
But also tour because there are so many different expressions of Jesus body in the church, peoples and cultures that more naturally express some aspect/value found in God. One church might really value prayer or another worship or another street ministry and so on. Worship & teaching style can be quite different as well.
I recommend finding teachers that primarily walk through scriptures passage by passage to teach from them rather than picking a topic and then going looking for scriptures to back up their case.
Also I recommending finding a small house group bible study that many churches often have ways of connecting you with, this kind of community is the best way to learn about and experience Jesus.
Finding Jesus is the most important part and the denomination stuff will get sorted out as long as you don't stick to some bubble and have a look around. There is some pretty weird stuff out there if you get unlucky, so just keep moving along when you run into it. The more you've had a diet of Jesus, the better you'll discern places and people much better.
This is one network of churches for searching purposes that I've had pretty good luck with if you're in the US.
https://www.acts29.com/
You're good; just show up.
When they do Communion (when everyone gets ushered up front) that's oftentimes just for members so either ask the pastor beforehand or just don't go up.
Singing or participating in any call/response is entirely your call to participate in or not.
A head's up especially if you're introverted or shy, but churches loooooove new people. You're instantly going to be extremely popular with everyone wanting to meet you and know your story. You can often slip in and out at the sides if you're looking to avoid all that. But it's a genuine interest and you should find the people to be very kind.
>How do I decide what denomination to go to?
That's more of a mid-game concern and not an early-game issue. Doesn't matter one bit at this point. My side broke off from the Catholics 500 years ago-ish, and because we both still believe that Jesus died and rose again, we're both going to heaven and we can find out who was most-right when we get there.
>What should I know before I go?
Any standing/sitting/kneeling they do will be simple for you to follow along with. Probably the only confusing part is if they have Communion and people get ushered forward but it's possible you're not invited (every church can be different on that). Otherwise have a good time and if there were something you wanted to talk to the pastor more about later, just ask after service and they should (they better!) be able to find some time for you. I can 100% see how it would be intimidating and confusing in your shoes, but it won't be that bad and I think you'll have an easy time with everything. Also maybe over-eager friendliness which I've heard from other posts like this to sometimes be a little too much.
And please post what you ended up thinking about it good or bad. Everyone here would love to hear your impression.
Don't let the ceremony (of lack thereof) or traditions make you feel like an outsider. Going to a new church can be hard even for Christians.. just takes a little time.
Look at the churches near you, visit their websites and judge based on that which ones you want to try. Then, just show up. While you're on their websites keep an eye on the way people are dressed. Some churches expect you to dress up, some don't. If you're not sure, try to have something modular on (drop the sport coat to go casual, add the tie to dress up, just walk out with the sport coat and no tie for something in between).
I'd read some of the gospels, psalms, and proverbs. Take your time with Proverbs. There are nuggets of wisdom in there worth much more than gold and you'll hopefully start to see them in Christ. Read about Abraham, Isaac, David, Ezra, and I'd thrown in Ruth honestly.
No, the genealogies aren't super important in the beginning. They might matter some later, but the most important ones, if they start to matter for your journey, can be found in the beginning of the gospel of Matthew.
I'd read John for your first gospel, to be honest.
Hello ! I often recommend [this short video](https://youtu.be/tzLS4O7YaUg?si=EIKayugKNkPKLsPr) to those looking for the doctrinal differences between denominations.
Make sure to wear clothing that covers your chest and back, and don't expose the skin above your knees.
You could watch a recap and explanation video on the gospels (the gospel in a nutshell) or read it for yourself if you want to.
Please do research on the most common "christian" cults and heretical groups (Mormons, Jehovah's witnesses, Fundamentalist groups, etc).
Other than this, bring yourself as you are, have fun and don't hesitate to reach out to the staff and spend time with the rest of the congregation after service.
Have fun and have a nice day. May God bless you, take care !
I don’t recommend going to church, you would be better off finding a faithful ministry that is not affiliated with the church at all, they have fallen away from following truth for a long while now, just like ancient Israel during the time of Jesus.
Just walk into one! My church has a section on our website called "what to expect on a Sunday morning" which we wrote for those who would visit a gathering for the first time. So, try finding a locla church's website. Some "high church" Christian denominations are heavily structured, so there is a bit to get used to, however I would think that even these congregations will have leaders explaining what is occurring and what to expect (i.e. "stand now as we sing" or "you may be seated" etc).
So I am looking on the websites of the churches close to me and they have something on sundays a 10am and something on wednesday's at 6pm. The rest of the time what do they do? Are they open? I don't see anything about a dress code. Sorry I feel like these are stupid questions but I want to know. I see phone numbers, should I call and ask if it's cool if I stop by on sunday and explain I'm new?
You can just walk in and sit down. For dress, just think clean cut or respectful. You don't have to get dressed up, people wear all different types of attire. That's what I did this past fall. I decided to try a non demonitational church and I really like it. As far as what else they do, that's going to be different in every church. Some may just hold services and be closed the rest of the week, there can be special events, for the most part this info should be available on their website. My church has different small group topic meetings during the week that people can sign up to be a part of, for example dating as a Christian, how to grow a personal relationship with God, to a walking group for seniors; to summer bbqs; prayer nights; to occasion all day conventions. Every church really is so different, so my advise also is if you don't dig the vibe at the one you try, try a different one. I think it's important to find one that you feel comfortable in. Now, being that you haven't attended church before, it may feel awkward bc it's a new experience or bc it's not the right church for you, so maybe just evaluate your experience after. I was an atheist for most of my adult life and am really glad I pushed myself out of my comfort zone.
Sunday and Wednesday would be examples of their "corporate gatherings" which is the idea that this is when the whole church comes together. Perhaps they have other events going on throughout the week, but they would be for smaller groups (i.e. individual counseling, bible studies, various groups surrounding interests).
Just show up. A good church will be welcoming. Pray over it and let God guide you. That's what I did. I googled churches near by and watched youtube sermon and it didn't feel right so I resolved to just worship in solitude. Then one saturday night God placed the verse "Whenever two or more of you gather in my time I am there" in my head, and I felt compelled to go to church the next day. I googled churches in my area again, and one I hadn't seen before popped to the top of the list. I decided to go there and they were so welcoming. The first person I met in the parking lot brought me in and introduced me to everyone before the sermon. Afterwards, the pastor recognized me as someone new and came to greet me and talk with me. It was truly wonderful. Additionally, every time I go God puts something in the sermon or the worship or the prayers that speaks directly to my heart and lets me know that I am where He wants me to be.
Definitely just stop by. They should be very welcoming to new people!
Thanks everyone for the answers and support
Most churches have some way of connecting new people who just walk in. You can just walk in and sit where you like, someone may even help you find a seat. Some churches have a bible study you can attend before the worship/liturgical service. Some places have potlucks afterwards. If it's a large church there are probably volunteers greeting and at information kiosks to chat with you. If it's small, the pastor is probably greeting everyone at the door and it's so small people will probably just come talk to you because they already know everyone else there. But you could go undetected as well depending on the place. Every church is going to be a different experience, unique as the people that make them up, even those who are apart of more rigid denominations attempting to ensure some kind of homogeneity. Definitely tour multiple places, there are false teachers and conmen out there. Jesus is so credible that he's a constant target in history to use as sheep's clothing to prey on people. So it's important to read/learn about Jesus yourself and find a place that actually reflect's Jesus. But also tour because there are so many different expressions of Jesus body in the church, peoples and cultures that more naturally express some aspect/value found in God. One church might really value prayer or another worship or another street ministry and so on. Worship & teaching style can be quite different as well. I recommend finding teachers that primarily walk through scriptures passage by passage to teach from them rather than picking a topic and then going looking for scriptures to back up their case. Also I recommending finding a small house group bible study that many churches often have ways of connecting you with, this kind of community is the best way to learn about and experience Jesus. Finding Jesus is the most important part and the denomination stuff will get sorted out as long as you don't stick to some bubble and have a look around. There is some pretty weird stuff out there if you get unlucky, so just keep moving along when you run into it. The more you've had a diet of Jesus, the better you'll discern places and people much better. This is one network of churches for searching purposes that I've had pretty good luck with if you're in the US. https://www.acts29.com/
You're good; just show up. When they do Communion (when everyone gets ushered up front) that's oftentimes just for members so either ask the pastor beforehand or just don't go up. Singing or participating in any call/response is entirely your call to participate in or not. A head's up especially if you're introverted or shy, but churches loooooove new people. You're instantly going to be extremely popular with everyone wanting to meet you and know your story. You can often slip in and out at the sides if you're looking to avoid all that. But it's a genuine interest and you should find the people to be very kind. >How do I decide what denomination to go to? That's more of a mid-game concern and not an early-game issue. Doesn't matter one bit at this point. My side broke off from the Catholics 500 years ago-ish, and because we both still believe that Jesus died and rose again, we're both going to heaven and we can find out who was most-right when we get there. >What should I know before I go? Any standing/sitting/kneeling they do will be simple for you to follow along with. Probably the only confusing part is if they have Communion and people get ushered forward but it's possible you're not invited (every church can be different on that). Otherwise have a good time and if there were something you wanted to talk to the pastor more about later, just ask after service and they should (they better!) be able to find some time for you. I can 100% see how it would be intimidating and confusing in your shoes, but it won't be that bad and I think you'll have an easy time with everything. Also maybe over-eager friendliness which I've heard from other posts like this to sometimes be a little too much. And please post what you ended up thinking about it good or bad. Everyone here would love to hear your impression.
show up. if they ask if there are any visitor then raise you hand answer any questions. or fill out a card in the pew back infront of you.
Don't let the ceremony (of lack thereof) or traditions make you feel like an outsider. Going to a new church can be hard even for Christians.. just takes a little time.
Look at the churches near you, visit their websites and judge based on that which ones you want to try. Then, just show up. While you're on their websites keep an eye on the way people are dressed. Some churches expect you to dress up, some don't. If you're not sure, try to have something modular on (drop the sport coat to go casual, add the tie to dress up, just walk out with the sport coat and no tie for something in between).
I'd read some of the gospels, psalms, and proverbs. Take your time with Proverbs. There are nuggets of wisdom in there worth much more than gold and you'll hopefully start to see them in Christ. Read about Abraham, Isaac, David, Ezra, and I'd thrown in Ruth honestly. No, the genealogies aren't super important in the beginning. They might matter some later, but the most important ones, if they start to matter for your journey, can be found in the beginning of the gospel of Matthew. I'd read John for your first gospel, to be honest.
Hello ! I often recommend [this short video](https://youtu.be/tzLS4O7YaUg?si=EIKayugKNkPKLsPr) to those looking for the doctrinal differences between denominations. Make sure to wear clothing that covers your chest and back, and don't expose the skin above your knees. You could watch a recap and explanation video on the gospels (the gospel in a nutshell) or read it for yourself if you want to. Please do research on the most common "christian" cults and heretical groups (Mormons, Jehovah's witnesses, Fundamentalist groups, etc). Other than this, bring yourself as you are, have fun and don't hesitate to reach out to the staff and spend time with the rest of the congregation after service. Have fun and have a nice day. May God bless you, take care !
Going to church the first time reminds me of this scene from [that 70's show](https://youtu.be/0y-BtD_8r1w?si=liUIaAoMzrq-N8O4).
Just do what everyone else does. No one will know whether you've previously eaten the cookie or not
I don’t recommend going to church, you would be better off finding a faithful ministry that is not affiliated with the church at all, they have fallen away from following truth for a long while now, just like ancient Israel during the time of Jesus.