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According to the Barna Research Group, we aren*t alone. One in seven people will look for a new church this year. In case you*re among that one in seven, here are five important things we learned are critical to a search process.

In Acts, the New Testament church was described as a group who "joined with the other believers in regular attendance at the apostles* teaching sessions and at the Communion services and prayer meetings" (2:42, TLB). And the apostle Paul encouraged his young protégé Timothy simply to "preach the word."

This mandate may sound like a given, but some preachers strive to make the gospel more appealing by watering down its message. According to pastor/church-growth consultant Richard Krejcir, ‘A healthy church will never sacrifice the integrity of the Bible or neuter its message." So first look for a place where truth is preached from the Bible—where God*s Word is seen as living, relevant, changeless, and inerrant, rather than just a "good book" filled with advice on how to be a more loving, moral person. Look for a place you can invite friends to and feel confident they*ll hear the gospel truth directly from Scripture, a place where difficult passages as well as straightforward ones are preached with clarity.

By carefully listening to the pastor*s sermon. Does he continually paraphrase Scripture, or use direct quotes from God*s Word?

By revisiting those passages at home to be sure he*s handling the intent of the verses accurately

Finally at 12:50 P.M., a stone-faced waiting-room attendant ushered us into a private room to await the surgeon*s report. My mother and I stared down at the vacant hall until a glowing face peered around the corner—the face of Ted Olsen, the visitation pastor from the church we*d been visiting. He squeezed our hands and prayed with us as we awaited word about Dad. We knew that a church whose pastor genuinely cared for newcomers as much as for its faithful members was a strong contender in our search.

Worship is a matter of taste—and a major divider among contemporary churchgoers: Do you like high church? Old-time hymns? Gospel songs? Worship choruses? With or without percussion, organ, or live orchestra? Personally, I like blended worship music—the great and meaty hymns melded with catchy and haunting worship tunes. But that*s just me. My friend Lydia (not her real name) is just the opposite. To her, worship isn*t worship without a high-church sound and feel.

But for all our style preferences, in the end it*s the message in the music that counts. In itself, exciting music doesn*t necessarily draw us into God*s presence any more than majestic or brooding music does. Worship isn*t simply about meeting a style preference or eliciting a purely emotional response within the worshiper; its purpose is to focus on and glorify God.

When the worship doesn*t feel forced.

4) IS THE CHURCH*S LOCATION CONVENIENT?

For decades Barb*s clear soprano voice could be head soaring above the choir as part of the praise team. She envisioned her son, Noah, growing up in the same church, alongside cousins, grandparents, and lifelong friends.

But urban sprawl intervened, causing Barb*s young family to move to a home 40 miles from the church. While it*s difficult to make the break, Barb readily admits, ‘As Noah gets older and develops relationships with other children, we want him to have Christian friends in our community We*d like him to go to school with some of the same kids with whom he attends Pioneer Club at church."

Barb*s church search relates to the real-estate principle of "location, location, location." She*s looking for a place closer to home where she can attend daytime Bible study with other young moms, where Noah can make friends, and where her husband, Matt, can find intellectual challenge and a place of service.

Your church needs to be located at a distance that*s convenient enough for you to feel you have the opportunity to get plugged in, to be an active member rather than just an attendee.

You can tell when a church*s location is convenient enough:

When driving to an evening or midweek event doesn*t leave you exhausted (or wishing you*d stayed home).

5) CAN YOU PLUG INTO THIS CHURCH*S SERVING OPPORTUNITIES?

But when you make a church change, you may be in temporary limbo, waiting and watching for opportunities to serve your For example, my friend Barb says that besides missing the family atmosphere of the church where she grew up, she*ll miss her participation in its music ministry While she admits it will take time to find her niche in her new church family—time she*ll spend nurturing her young son, Noah, and deepening her faith through participation in the women*s Bible-study group— she*s confident she*ll once again find areas in which to be an integral part of her new church home.

Sometimes it takes initiative from the pastoral or ministry staff to help a newcomer fit into ministries. My single friend Gail credits her new church*s pastor for helping her become a true serving part of the church. "Currently I*m involved in a weekly Bible study" says Gail. "This is a direct result of my minister specifically e-mailing me and having lunch with me to discuss the Bible study"

But despite the hurdles you*ll leap over in the process, if you pour a great deal of prayer into each step and each visit you make, you can find a place to call home.