How to Choose a Church in College

Posted On October 02, 2024

Written by Dr. John Tweeddale, vice president of academics and professor of theology

Choosing a church in college is one of the most important decisions you make while at school. Ideally, you should start thinking about which church you will join even before you decide which college you will attend (the same applies if you are considering a new job).

But give yourself some time. While you can often watch services online and learn much about a church from its website, you should get to know a church in person before making up your mind about the best church for you. Set a goal of choosing a church to attend regularly within your first semester at college.

To help you with this decision, here are five questions to consider:

1. Will I be fed a steady diet of biblical preaching and teaching? The most important factor when choosing a church is determining whether it believes and teaches the Bible. Look for the church’s statement of faith. Does it affirm the supreme authority of God’s Word? Does it align with the historic creeds and confessions of the Christian church? At Reformation Bible College, students are expected to attend weekly services in a local church that affirms either the Three Forms of Unity, the Westminster Standards, or the 1689 Baptist Confession of Faith. Then, make sure the church you want to attend teaches the Bible in accordance with its statement of faith. Two things to look for. Does the pastor regularly teach through books of the Bible? Does the church have a plan for giving biblical instruction, sometimes called catechizing, to every member from the youngest to the oldest? This can vary from church to church but often takes the form of Sunday school programs and small group studies. Remember, all of God’s Word is for all of God’s people.

2. Will I regularly participate in the administration of baptism and the Lord’s Supper? This is not the place to discuss the differences between Baptists and Presbyterians in terms of who should be baptized. The point here is that Jesus has given the church only two visible signs and seals, sometimes called sacraments or ordinances, to represent Himself to us: Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Baptism points to our union with Christ, and the Lord’s Supper points to our communion with Christ. Being a part of a church that upholds and regularly practices both sacraments is vital for your Christian growth in grace.

3. Will I receive care and counsel from godly leadership? As head of the church, the Lord Jesus has established two types of leaders for the ongoing care of the church: elders and deacons. Elders—some churches might have full-time pastors and part-time elders—are tasked with overseeing the teaching and shepherding of the congregation. Deacons are responsible for facilitating ministries of “sympathy and service” within the congregation, such as deeds of mercy and providing physical support for those in need. These leaders should reflect the qualifications of elders and deacons in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 3. Additionally, you will find a host of volunteers and ministry staff who assist the ministries of the church. Ask yourself, do all the leaders of the church model Christlike virtue, and are these individuals I can look to for wisdom and support?

4. Will I be able to support, and will I be supported, in the worship and work of the church? If you join a church, as a member of the body of Christ, you will be responsible for participating in the various ministries of the church. This means attending public worship and supporting the variety of discipleship, evangelism, missions, and fellowship opportunities within the church. You do not have to participate in every ministry activity, but you should at least be supportive of every ministry within the church. More fundamentally, your new church will be your church family. Ask yourself, will this new congregation surround me as a church family in the absence of my own family?

5. Will I have occasion to pray with and for God’s people? Maybe the most overlooked aspect of church life when determining which congregation to attend is prayer. Corporate prayer is a barometer of spiritual health in a congregation. It reflects the priorities of a church body even more than the numbers in attendance or the budget. Listen to the pastoral prayers in public worship. Pay attention to prayer requests in the church newsletter. Look for opportunities to gather as a church family for prayer. Do the prayers of the church reflect the priorities of Jesus for His people?

I hope these questions will help you find a healthy, biblical church to attend in college.