For believers in Jesus, the question of which congregation to attend is an important one. After all, the community of Jesus-followers is exactly that: a community. And it is expressed through local groupings in towns and cities across the world.

With so many options out there, it can be hard to know which congregation to become a part of. And for Jewish believers in Jesus, the challenge can be even greater. So, we’ve put together this short guide to help!

What should you look for when finding a congregation, and how should you go about it?

Five Things to Look For in a Congregation

A good congregation is marked by at least these five characteristics:

1. It should be based in the Bible. For followers of Jesus, the Bible is our guide, authority, and source of knowledge about Jesus and salvation. It should be the hub around which the spokes of our lives are attached. If food, salsa dancing, or bike trips are more central than the Scriptures, then that might not be the place for you.
2. It should have worship that enables you to reflect on God and grow in your faith in him. “Worship” is a broad term, but often refers to the components of a service: the music, the preaching, the liturgy (if there is one). Do these lead you to focus on God or on the people up on the platform?
3. It should have good Bible-based teaching. This is a corollary of point one above. Some congregations offer Sunday school classes or other forums where Scripture is regularly taught. Some sermons exposit (or unpack) entire books of the Bible while others use a lectionary, which is a selection of readings for a particular calendar date. However it’s done, Bible reading and learning should be encouraged.
4. It should encourage prayer. In some congregations, prayers are offered through a liturgy and/or by having times of open prayer. Does the congregation believe that prayer makes a difference? Scripture says it does!
5. It should have a good community life. Is the congregation welcoming? Do people seem to want to spend time with one another, whether after the service or at special events? Are there small groups that meet outside of the full congregational gathering that afford time for fellowship and mutual upholding of one another?

Three Ways to Look For a Congregation

1. Ask believing friends which congregation they attend. Word of mouth is a great way to discover a place where you can belong. It can also help to go in the company of someone when you are visiting a congregation for the first time
2. Check out the web sites of congregations in your area. These can be very helpful in learning about the people in leadership, what to expect at a service, and what the congregation believes about matters of faith (often posted online under “What We Believe” or “Statement of Faith”).
3. Visit a few congregations, giving each one a few weeks of attendance. There are many variations in worship style, learning opportunities, music, etc. You may find some congregations better suited to what encourages you to worship and grow in faith.

Nine Tips for Jewish People Navigating Churches

It could be that you find yourself as the only Jewish person in attendance at a church made up mostly of non-Jews. What should you expect, especially if you grew up in a synagogue?

1. Expect that the format will be different from that of a synagogue. Whereas a synagogue uses a lot of liturgy, a church may or may not have liturgy. A synagogue focuses on the Torah readings (on Saturday mornings), while in a church, the high point will be the sermon, or in some churches, Communion (also called the Eucharist or the Lord’s Supper).
2. Expect that the sermon will usually be on passages from the Bible—not on a matter of community interest as in a synagogue.
3. Synagogues can be noisy, with a lot of interaction before the service starts. Some churches are like that, but others are very quiet before the service actually begins.
4. A church may have a worship music team that is more contemporary in look and feel than synagogue music, which is generally based around more traditional sounds. Also, a synagogue will have a cantor and possibly a choir.
5. Synagogues do not receive money at services; they support themselves by selling tickets to the High Holy Day services. Churches receive monetary donations each week, either by passing a plate around or having a box to collect them in the back. You are under absolutely no obligation to contribute unless and until you decide to make that your place of worship. At that time, you should support the church’s salaries and programs by giving something into the offering (and many churches have a way to donate online).
6. One important component of church worship is what is variously called Communion, the Lord’s Supper, or the Eucharist. This is where people partake of bread and wine or juice which for some churches, is a memorial of what Jesus has done in giving up his body and spilling his blood when he was crucified at the atonement for our sins. Other churches believe that in some way Jesus is actually present in or with the bread and wine. This ceremony derives from Passover and especially from Jesus’ final Passover meal. Note that if you are just checking things out but aren’t a believer in Jesus yourself, you actually should let Communion pass you by, since it’s really a statement of faith for followers of Jesus. If you are a believer but have questions about Communion, it’s also okay not to partake; it’s totally voluntary on your part.
7. If you are the only Jewish believer in a non-Jewish church, people may think you are very knowledgeable about the Bible. Unless you really are (which is not true of most Jews today), you can simply inform them that you are not a Bible expert.
8. You may find other preconceived ideas about Jewish people, both positive and negative. You may be able to gently correct misperceptions. It is rare today to encounter explicit antisemitism in churches, though people may repeat stereotypes about Jews. Christians may sometimes say things out of ignorance, not malice. This is an opportunity to gently correct them in a way that assumes they are willing to learn.
9. If you find yourself a bit lost in the service, feel free to ask someone to help you out. Most churches today are informal and welcoming. Check out the church’s web site; many have a section called “What to Expect” or something similar. Remember that even non-Jews who attend who don’t come from a church background may need some orientation to what’s going on.

Seven Tips for Finding a Messianic Congregation

Messianic congregations, which incorporate synagogue liturgy and other Jewish elements to a greater or lesser degree, vary as widely as do churches. Before attending a particular Messianic congregation, it would be helpful to ask the following questions:

1. Does it have a statement of faith that is recognizably orthodox, especially regarding the deity of Jesus, the tri-unity of God (usually called the Trinity), and the authority of the whole of Scripture?
2. Does it advocate keeping the Law of Moses as a means of salvation or as a necessary path to greater spirituality? There can be other legitimate reasons for keeping Jewish traditions, such as affirmation of Jewish identity or identification with the larger Jewish community, etc. However, avoid any congregations that advocate for the two reasons above.
3. Is the leadership trained at a recognized institution or through a reputable course of study? Is the teaching sound and the congregational life healthy?
4. Does it seek to maintain ties with other congregations of believers, or does it isolate itself?
5. Does the congregation have a valid reason for existing, namely providing a context for Jewish believers and interested non-Jews to worship? Or does it seem to be comprised largely of non-Jews who are “acting Jewish” or wish they were Jews?
6. Does it maintain that all Jewish believers should be worshiping in Messianic congregations, claiming that Jewish believers need to “come out of the church?” That is not a good sign—Jewish followers of Jesus can appropriately worship in a wide variety of settings.
7. Does it believe in and encourage congregants to share their faith with others? That’s always a sign of a vibrant faith.

Hopefully, the above will help you as you search for a congregation—a worshipping community—whether it’s a church or a Messianic congregation. And be sure to pray that God will lead you to the best place where you can worship and serve Him!