A relationship with God supercedes religion

Dear Chaplain: I want to get more connected with God and I also want to join a church, but how do I know which religion is the right religion and which church is the right church? There are so many different Christian churches to choose from. Where do I begin? — Signed, Right Religion Dear Right Religion:

Thanks so much for your question. Many people struggle with connecting with God and selecting a church that’s right for them. I commend you for recognizing the internal desire we all have, which is to primarily connect with the Lord. Know that, if we are willing to take the first step and act on this desire, surely God will meet us halfway, because as it says in James 4:8, if we, “Draw near to God he will draw near to us.”

One of the ways we draw close to God is through our religious practices and church affiliations. However, it is more important to have a connection with God, or a right relationship, over a right religion. A right relationship with God begins with, and is maintained by, communication. We communicate with God through prayer, or talking with him, as we would a best friend.

We can tell God all about everything going on in our lives...the good, the bad, and the ugly. He knows it anyway, he’s just waiting for us to share it with him. And in turn, we must be in tune to hearing when he speaks back to us. Some of the ways God speaks to us is by: quietly speaking to our hearts; through his Word (the Bible); through worship or praise music; through his people; and through his preachers.

When God speaks, not only should we be willing to listen, but we should also be willing to do what he says. That’s how he leads and directs our paths (Psalm 23:3 and Proverbs 3:6). It is through prayer, that we ask the Lord to lead us to the right religious denomination or church that he wants us to join. Then, after we pray, we can ask friends and family members we trust to recommend churches to visit. God wants us to be part of a house of worship where we can serve and fellowship with other believers. He tells us in Hebrews 10:25, “Do not neglect meeting together, as is the habit of some, but encourage one another even more as you see the day of the Lord coming nearer.”

Finally, wherever we are led to plant ourselves should be good ground, and the religious beliefs and practices of that congregation should line up with scripture. It should biblically sound in its fundamental beliefs, such as: 1) There is only 1 God; 2) God is eternally existent in 3 persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; 3) Jesus Christ is the Son of God; 4) Jesus died on the cross for our sins; 5) Jesus was buried; 6) Jesus rose from the dead for our salvation; 7) We are saved through faith alone in Jesus Christ. Again, wherever you’re prayerfully led to plant yourself, should be a place with a firm, sound, Christian foundation. Remember, your relationship with God supercedes religion, and the key to the connection is communication.

Dayna Spence Ask the Chaplain