Finding a Church

Image above courtesy Google Maps

In this article, I wanted to go over how to find a church or other place of worship.

Where to Look:

Check Google Maps

One of the first places to look for a church is on Google Maps. I suggest typing in your preferred denomination, church, and city or county name like I did above.

Get a Referral

If you know anyone in the area, or even if you've joined a FB group that is either specific to that area &/or specific to your denomination of choice, ask for a referral.

Check Your Denomination's Directory

If you are hard set on a certain denomination, or even if you would only like to consider between a few different streams of faith, it's not a bad idea to check and see if there is a directory of that denomination(s). Here are some examples from the Christian denominations that make up the top 3 solidified religious groups in the United States by volume:

#1 Catholic Church Map

#2 Southern Baptist

#3 United Methodist Map/Directory

Maps of Church Attendance

Many of the maps out there of churches are pretty incomplete, even among the top 10 on Google. Below I've done better than a number of them by weeding out some of the resources that provide only a low % of churches.

Here's a map of congregations by denomination.

Check this group of population maps, which shows maps (where you can zoom to check on specific data of a city or county) including but not limited to the following within the US:

1. Roman Catholic Church Attendance Population Share

2. Eastern Church Attendance Population Share

Old Protestant Denominations:

1. Congregationalist Church Attendance Population Share

2. Pietist Church Attendance Population Share

3. Methodist Church Attendance

4. Southern Baptist Church Attendance Population Share

5. Other Baptist Church Attendance Population Share

Second Great Awakening Denominations:

1. Adventist Church Attendance Population Share

2. Restorationist Church Attendance Population Share

3. Holiness Movement Church Attendance Population Share

4. Nondenominational Church Attendance Population Share

Charismatic and Pentecostal Churches

1. Oneness Pentecostalism Church Attendance Population Share

2. Other Charismatic or Pentecostal Church Attendance Population Share

Other Religions:

1. Muslim Mosque Attendance Population Share

2. Jewish Synagogue Attendance Population Share

3. Mormon Church Attendance Population Share

4. Jehovah's Witness Church Attendance Population Share

5. Other Non-Trinitarian Abrahamic-Descent Attendance Population Share

6. Hindu Temple Attendance Population Share

7. Buddhist Temple Attendance Population Share

8. Sikhism Temple Attendance Population Share

9. Other Non-Christian Religious Attendance Population Share

What to Do:

Check Out the Church on the Web

Certainly check reviews, but also check things like the following:

1. Statement of Faith

2. Membership Covenant

3. Budget (if available)

4. How long has the church been around?

5. Service Times

6. Volunteering Opportunities

7. Programs Available for Adults (& children if you have kids)

Sunday School & Church Visit Same Day

If a church offers Sunday school and church, and you are considering both, it's a good idea to do both on your 1st visit.

If you have children, and especially if it's a very small church that you're uncertain about, you may want to wait until the 2nd time around before parting ways with your kids. If you do part ways with your kids at church, it's a good idea to check on their protocols and procedures by arriving early and speaking with whoever you'll be passing your kids over to. It's also not a bad idea to check on them halfway through their time there from the hallway if there's a way to look in without causing disruption.

Things to check on with kids include:

1. Is 1 adult ever alone with kids where there would be no visibility without someone opening a door?

2. How clean is the environment?

3. Is anyone who will be working directly with your child showing signs of contagious sickness?

4. Will any type of food be provided (especially if they have allergies, diabetes, or something else that could be detrimental to them but not to other children)?

Look for Opportunities of Welcoming 1st Time Guests & Fellowship After the Service

Some churches have a meal after the service each Sunday. Some churches have an opportunity for 1st time guests to meet the pastor after the service. Whatever the case, it's a good idea if there is an opportunity to take advantage of it if you're considering a church and haven't ruled it out by the time that opportunity becomes available.