Church Shopping

A thirsty Samaritan woman brought a bucket to the well. Jesus supplied the water, and lives were changed.

If you ever moved to a new town, you know the routine. You find the grocery store, bank, a new doctor — and if you are a person of faith, you start church shopping.

That term can sound a little consumeristic, but it reflects a painful reality. In a culture of choice, we get to choose the bank we patronize, the restaurant at which we dine and where we buy groceries. We choose gardeners, piano teachers, friends — and our pastor.

All these choices can be fraught with hesitation and frustrating delays, but it is especially true when searching for a church home. Let’s hope you don’t live in Indianapolis, because according to some studies, this midwestern home to the Colts, Pacers and Fever has more houses of worship per capita than any city in the United States, one for every 289 people! If you’re church shopping in Indianapolis — or anywhere for that matter — you quickly learn that the process is incredibly complex.

If you decide on Baptist,...