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Church Life

We believe belonging to the local church is vital in your life with Christ. However, choosing a church can be a journey. We’re here to support you in connecting to a local church by offering opportunities for you to meet them and be equipped in how to choose a home church.

If you have questions about how to get connected to a church, how to choose a church, or anything else regarding church life, you are welcome to email us at church.connect@biola.edu.

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” — Hebrews 10:24-25

Students speaking to church leaders

Connect to Church

Every Fall, Spiritual Development hosts a Church Fair for students to meet and connect with local churches. Throughout the school year, there are opportunities for churches to visit campus in order to continue connecting with students. They may also share more about potential mission trips and internship opportunities during their visit.

Local Church Directory

The churches listed do not reflect a direct endorsement from Biola University. Please be prayerful and discerning when selecting a local church. Feel free to check out our resources below when connecting and choosing to commit to a church.

View Church Directory

    Connecting to Church Resources

    If you are struggling in your connection or experience with a church, we invite you to meet with a staff member at Pastoral Care. They would be happy to meet with you.

      How to Choose a Church

      No church is perfect; however, there are helpful questions to discern which one is a good place to call home. Talk to others in your community and invite them to go to church with you. You want to be excited to invite your friends and neighbors to church.

      Dr. Charlie Trimm asks good questions to consider when choosing a church. Review these after your visit, and look over the church’s website for some information.

      1. Church: What initially drew you to look at this church?

      2. Doctrine: Find the statement of faith of the church and read it. Is the church aligned with Scripture? Did you find any areas surprising? Did you disagree with any of it? Is the church connected with a denomination or group of churches?

      3. Transportation: About how far away is the church from where you live? How did you get there? Was it easy to go there? Would distance be a hindrance to getting involved in the church outside Sunday morning service?

      4. Relationships: Does the church offer small groups? If so, find out how you would join one and discuss the process. How long would it take to join a small group? If it does not have small groups, in what ways does the church encourage deep relationships among Christians?

      5. Service: Does the church prioritize a serving congregation? Are there options to serve within the church, the local community, and internationally? What is the church’s missional vision?

      6. Preaching: How often is the Gospel preached? Is the preaching focused more on God or people? Are the sermons arranged expositionally (preaching through books of the Bible) or topically? About what percentage of the sermon is usually given to explaining the biblical text?

      7. Music: Does the musical worship invite you to worship the Lord? Does the worship leader model a posture of presence with God over performance?

      8. Diversity: Is the church diverse in age, gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic class?

      9. Opportunities: What kind of opportunities does the church have for its people? Pretend you go to this church with a seven-year-old and your grandmother. Discuss the options available for each of them and for you as a college student.

      10. Size: Approximately how many people attended the church on an average weekend? Did you find this size helpful or a hindrance? Why

      11. Leadership: What kind of leadership does the church have (pastors and elders, or elders, or deacons, or only a senior pastor, or congregational, or some other arrangement)? Did the leaders seem like the kind of people you could go to when you were struggling? Would you trust them?

      Preparing For Church

      When you prepare for church service, consider these tips:

      1. Plan ahead: The night before, consider allowing for a full night of sleep. Say a prayer to prepare your heart for worship as you drift off. Set as many alarms as you need to ensure you wake up with enough time to get ready.

      2. Before the service: Get there 10 minutes early. Find a seat. Pray for the Holy Spirit to move through the community, envision God’s presence filling the room. When people begin to enter, glance around and choose someone you can pray for. If someone engages you in conversation, let this happen. Think about how you might build them up in your interaction.

      3. During the worship service: Engage in worship, in every aspect of the service.

        1. Let go of inner distractions so you can participate.

        2. Absorb external distractions with gratitude. Bless any children or crying babies that might otherwise distract you, for example.

        3. Let go of your agenda.

        4. “Lift into the light of Christ the pastor and others leading the service. Picture God’s radiance surrounding them. Inwardly release them to speak the truth boldly in the power of the Lord” (Foster).

        5. If you don’t “feel” like worshiping, offer a “sacrifice of worship.” Maybe you have a low sense of the power or presence of God. Show up anyway. Be with God’s people and say, “These are my people. As sinful as we may be, together we come to God.”

      4. What are other ways you can creatively prepare for a time of worship?

        More Church Resources