Is being a church hopper and wanderer a sinful practice? For years I have been going round all the churches in different areas going from one to the other,and never settling anywhere for more than a few weeks at a time and it has now earned me a bad name. I’m known all over the place for being a wanderer and I find I am disliked for it.
What can I do about putting things right as I have recently become a Christian and have confessed of this sin before God, as well as all my others and have asked Jesus Christ into my heart and life to be my Lord and Saviour. I have been told that it is really wrong in Gods eyes to be going from church to church, and back and forth one to another. What are your views on this?
On its face, church-hopping is not a sin, but you should ask yourself why you do it. Your Christian life will become much richer when you find a fellowship you really enjoy and put down roots. No church is perfect, but in your hopping around, you have probably found some you like better than others. Visit the ones you like best again and see if you can choose from among them.
To help make your choice, I believe that there are three major factors to look for in choosing a church home. The first is worship. Our main reason for attending church is to worship God, both in music and in prayer. The second is an emphasis on teaching God’s word. Look for a place whose Pastor preaches straight out of the Bible. And the third is the fellowship of believers. Do people like each other? Do they arrive early and stay after? Are there lots of social events? Are they friendly toward you? Does the place have warmth, does it feel like home? You may not find a church that’s really strong on all of them, but there should at least be a noticeable effort to emphasize these three essentials.
As for your reputation, when you choose a place, give people time to see that you’re settling down, and if they’re friendly folks you’ll find them responding by accepting you.