Finding a Church Home

Our desire is not to give you a sales pitch for Holly Ridge, but to truly help you and your family find a church within God's will and that you can call home.

When looking for a church home:

1. Realize the importance and priority of church membership and participation.

• It is important because of the church's Master (Matthew 16.18).
• It is important because of the church's Majesty (Ephesians 3.10,21; 4.12; 5.25-32).
• It is important because of the church's Message (1 Timothy 3.15).
• It is important because of the church's Ministry.
  • Teaching (Colossians 3.16, 2 Timothy 2.2)
  • Loving (Galatians 5.13, Ephesians 4.2)
  • Praying (James 5.16)
  • Serving (1 Corinthians 12.7)
  • Encouraging (Hebrews 10.24-25)
  • Protecting (1 Corinthians 5.1-5)       

2. Make sure you are seeking and joining a particular church for the appropriate reasons.

• Remember that there are no perfect churches.
• Make sure that there are no unresolved issues before leaving your current church.
• Approach the decision as a committed servant of Jesus Christ rather than as a consumer.
• Submit to God's will and guidance through prayer.
• Consider only one church at a time.
• Find a church that is close enough to your home for you to be actively involved.
• Examine the prospective church's doctrine, principles, priorities, and leadership.
• Act as soon as the Lord reveals His will and do not procrastinate.

The above excerpts have been taken from our Inquirer's Class.  This one session, one hour study is written and taught by Pastor J.T. It is offered each Sunday morning at 9:00 am in his office.  While we hope that these few tips will help you initially, we would love for you to join us for the study so that you may receive its full benefit.  Please contact Pastor J.T. at jtcromer@hollyridge.net for more information.

Master

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." (Matthew 16.18) return.

Majesty

to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by he church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 3.10) return.

to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.  Amen.        (Ephesians 3.21) return.

for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,                     (Ephesians 4.12) return.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.  So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.  For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.  For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh". This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.  (Ephesians 5.25-32) return.

Message 

but if I am delayed, I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.                                                (1 Timothy 3.15) return.

Ministry                                    

• Teaching

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.  (Colossians 3.16) return.

And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.              
(2 Timothy 2.2) return.

• Loving

For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do no use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.            (Galatians 5.13) return.

with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,  (Ephesians 4.2) return.

• Praying

Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.  The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5.16) return.

• Serving

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.     (1 Corinthians 12.7) return.

• Encouraging

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking  the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.  (Hebrews 10.24-25) return.

• Protecting

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such  sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles - that a man has his father's wife!  And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you.  For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed.  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (1 Corinthians 5.1-5) return.