How Do I Choose a Good Church?

By Dr. Daniel R. Hyde, pastor of Oceanside United Reformed Church and author of Welcome to a Reformed Church: A Guide for Pilgrims

Where can seekers of truth find the authentic Jesus Christ, his authentic gospel, and authentic church? By looking for the three biblical marks of preaching the gospel, the administration of the two sacraments, and the exercise of godly church discipline, the diligent and discerning person may find the genuine article.

What are the marks of a true church?

“The true church can be recognized if it has the following marks: The church engages in the pure preaching of the gospel; it makes use of the pure administration of the sacraments as Christ instituted them; it practices church discipline for correcting faults. In short, it governs itself according to the pure Word of God, rejecting all things contrary to it and holding Jesus Christ as the only Head."—Belgic Confession, Article 29

These are the marks of Christ’s church because these are the means whereby Christ has promised to meet with his people. Where these three marks are found, there is no doubt that Christ is present in saving grace.

The pure preaching of the gospel

The most fundamental of the three marks is the pure preaching of the gospel. Apart from the gospel preached, there is no church. To purely preach the gospel, a minister must preach that sinners are justified by the free grace of God alone, which is received through faith alone, which itself is a gift of God, and that this faith is placed in and rests on nothing except Jesus Christ the Righteous.

The pure administration of the sacraments

The two sacraments that Christ himself instituted are baptism (Matt. 28:18–20) and the Lord’s Supper (Matt. 26:26–29). As the preaching of the gospel creates faith, the sacraments confirm that faith within us (Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 65).

Read more about baptism (and the difference between baby dedication and infant baptism) and why we celebrate the Lord’s Supper every week.

Church discipline

The third mark of a true church, church discipline, has a largely negative connotation in our culture, but the biblical idea is both positive and negative. A person is brought into the church by baptism and is nourished, or disciplined, by the preaching of the gospel and the administration of the Lord’s Supper. By these means, church leaders carry out the positive form of church discipline. It is positive in the sense that members are encouraged, built up, and strengthened through God’s appointed means and appointed messengers.

All true believers need to be discipled by these means until the Lord comes again: they should be baptized, hear the preaching of the Word, partake of the Lord’s Supper, and be shepherd by church elders.

Is choosing a church a matter of preference?

Sadly, we live in an age in which the church is viewed more or less as a smorgasbord. There are all kinds and types of churches, providing consumers multiple options from which to pick and choose what they like.

It is the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, then, that creates the people of God. The gospel not only saves us from our sins and the wrath of God, it places us in vital union with Jesus Christ and other Christians. Thus, the church is the fruit of the gospel; it is not our own creation, but a creation of the triune God of grace.

The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord, She is His new creation by water and the Word.

Samuel J. Stone, “The Church’s One Foundation” (1866)

Do I need to belong to a church?

Christ saves but he does so by means of the church’s ministry of the Word and when he does so it’s into the fellowship of the church.

“By these marks one can be assured of recognizing the true church—and no one ought to be separated from it.”—Belgic Confession, Article 29

The church is the assembly of all believers, in all times, and in all places. It is intimately connected to God’s plan of salvation in Christ and therefore needs to be central to our Christian faith and Christian life.

Where can I read more?

Looking for a good church in North County San Diego?

Come visit Oceanside United Reformed Church. We worship Sundays at 10am and 5pm (12noon June–August) in Carlsbad, California, near the Oceanside border.

If you live in Oceanside, Carlsbad, or Vista, serve at Camp Pendleton, or live anywhere in North County San Diego, we’d love to have you visit.

Learn what to expect when you arrive.

Our doors, arms, and hearts are open to you.

Common questions

  • No. The Confession is not concerned with whether a church has a biblical statement of faith, purpose statement, or even is a member of a federation/denomination with an orthodox Protestant confession, but rather with whether the gospel is actually being preached. Just having a Confession does not make us a true church.

  • Look for the outward marks that the Reformed churches have long regarded as essential to the existence of a true church of God, marks that any Christian may use to judge the soundness of a church. In other words, look for a congregation in which Jesus Christ truly meets with his people in Word and sacrament, and shepherds them by the discipline of his undershepherds, the pastors and elders. The best way to tell is to listen to the preaching and to visit.

  • Yes, we want you to so that you know what we’re all about and are comfortable when you visit us.

    Every sermon is posted in oursermon archive, so you can hear exactly the kind of preaching you’ll get on Sundays before you ever walk through the door.

  • 100% That’s exactly for whom the Lord died and why you need to be here with us sinners!

  • No, that only exists in heaven. We certainly pray that the Holy Spirit will grant us continued resolve to purely preach the gospel, purely administer the sacraments, and exercise church discipline.

  • No. Many visitors come because they are looking for a church that is reverent, historic, and centered on Christ and the Scriptures. If you are curious, you are welcome to visit, ask questions, and even join our Welcome to a Reformed Church class.

Plan Your Visit

Last reviewed 22 October 2026