>>5608839 pb

I would keep my hopes low about any modern church, but it's still worth a try. Probably the best outcome will be meeting a few other genuine seekers who turn out to be longtime friends.

Start by reading the statements of belief on the church websites. See if they claim to be based on specific scriptural principles, the commands of Jesus, and service to the community. That won't mean they actually operate according to that, but it's a bad sign if they don't even claim to.

Visit one each week and listen to the sermon. If they are giving safe, comfortable messages about being nice, successful, and positive, then it's probably more of a feel-good social club than anything.

Meet and talk with the leaders there and see if they seem like soulless shells, fake-smiley salespeople, or ambitious power grabbers.

As far as I understand, in the New Testament the "church" simply meant a group of believers, not a sacred building with stained glass. People who believed in Jesus spent time together at each other's houses discussing the teachings of Jesus and the history of the faith. They didn't put on suits and go to a million-dollar building to chant oaths or perform rituals led by a man in fancy robes, or dance to a band on the bigscreen or plan basketball tournaments.