In a recent podcast, Pastor Trevor Hammack takes mega-church-televangelist Rick Warren to task by comparing Warren's '5 questions to ask a church' with his own set of five questions to ask a church (see Rick Warren: 5 Questions). I wasn't too impressed with Rick Warren's 5 questions. I liked Pastor Hammack's 5 questions, but still, I have 5 questions of my own that I think everyone should ask before joining a church.
First, I want to share with you Rick Warren's 5 questions:
1. Will I be accepted at this church?
2. Will I find friends?
3. How will I make a difference at this church?
4. How will I benefit from joining this church?
5. What will be expected of me at this church?
Now, I want to share with you Pastor Hammack's 5 questions:
1. What do they Believe?
2. What to they Teach?
3. Who is Teaching in this church?
4. What is most important to you?
5. How is baptism, the Lord's Supper, and Church Discipline carried out?
Now, here are my 5 questions that I think everyone should ask before joining a church.
1. Who is Jesus? If their answer is anything short of the orthodox doctrine of the Trinity, as is set forth in the Bible and the Nicean and Athanasian creeds, you need to find another church.
2. What is the Gospel? If they say something like 'The gospel is Jesus died for the sins of the whole world and if you believe that you are going to heaven,' look for another church.(see my post, Calvinism Refuted! And Defended). On the other hand, if their explanation of the gospel falls in line with Charles Spurgeon's, as he preached it in Compel them to Come In, stick around!
3. What is the Bible? (see my post Is the Bible Infallible?)
4. What do you believe concerning missions? (see my posts, Please Don't Send Me to ... America? & From Greenland's Icy Mountains: Introducing SIM.Org)
5. What do you believe concerning baptism, the Lord's Supper and church discipline? I agree with pastor Hammack with question #5. Three marks of a true church are the biblical administration of the sacraments - baptism and the Lord's supper - and the exercise of church discipline.
Recommended reading:
A Better Way: Rediscovering the Drama of Christ Centered Worship, by Dr. Michael Horton
