{"id":861280,"date":"2025-12-22T05:00:21","date_gmt":"2025-12-22T11:00:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/?p=861280"},"modified":"2025-12-19T12:38:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-19T18:38:36","slug":"the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/","title":{"rendered":"The Twelve Best Questions to Ask Before Going to a New Church"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s assume the best. Someone is deciding on a new church for <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/five-good-reasons-to-accept-transfer-growth\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">all the right reasons<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Maybe it\u2019s you. Finding a new church can be both exciting and intimidating. Whether you\u2019re moving to a new area or starting a new season of life, it\u2019s wise to ask good questions before committing to a local congregation. The goal isn\u2019t to \u201cshop\u201d for a perfect church (because none exists), but to discern where you can worship, grow, and serve faithfully. These questions aren\u2019t about consumer preferences. They\u2019re about discovering a healthy, biblical church.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>1. What does the church believe about the Bible?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A church\u2019s view of the Bible determines everything else. Ask if the church affirms the authority, inspiration, and sufficiency of God\u2019s Word. Leaders who trust Scripture will preach it faithfully and apply it consistently.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>2. How does the church define and teach the gospel?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Listen for clarity about salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone. A healthy church consistently points people back to the grace of God rather than human effort or tradition. Does the church emphasize repentance, faith, and discipleship\u2014or just attendance and activity?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>3. What theological convictions shape this church?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every congregation has a doctrinal backbone. Find out about the core beliefs and where they allow freedom in secondary matters. Ask how theology shapes their ministries, not just what\u2019s printed in the statement of faith.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>4. What is a typical worship service like?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t just make conclusions about what you see online. Visit in person. Pay attention to whether the worship is focused on glorifying God or entertaining an audience.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>5. How can I connect beyond Sunday morning?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A church isn\u2019t just a weekly event; it\u2019s a family. Ask about small groups, classes, or service opportunities that help people build friendships and grow in faith together.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>6. How does the church care for hurting people?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Healthy churches have a plan for pastoral care: visiting the sick, supporting the grieving, and walking with people through crisis. The way a church loves the broken reveals much about its heart.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>7. What does church membership mean here?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Membership should involve more than attending or giving. It\u2019s a covenant relationship. Membership should carry mutual expectations: commitment, accountability, and participation. A straightforward membership process signals organizational health and biblical seriousness.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>8. Who leads the church, and how are decisions made?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Understanding the leadership structure and governance helps you see how the church maintains integrity. Ask about pastors, elders, and deacons, and how they\u2019re held accountable. Ask for a copy of the bylaws, and be cautious about any church that refuses to provide them. Also consider how the church maintains financial transparency with the congregation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>9. What is the church\u2019s mission?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A healthy church knows why it exists. Ask how the church reaches its community and supports global missions. Look for an evident passion to share the gospel. The healthiest churches inwardly are the ones most focused outwardly.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>10. How does the church help me and my family grow spiritually?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From children\u2019s ministry to adult discipleship, ask how the church helps people at every stage of life know and follow Jesus. Healthy churches have intentional discipleship strategies for all ages.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>11. How does the church approach safety and security?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Churches are designed to be welcoming places, but wise leaders also ensure they are safe places. Ask how the church protects children, manages emergencies, and screens volunteers. A thoughtful safety plan demonstrates both stewardship and care for people. When a church takes safety seriously, it sends a clear message: We care about people enough to protect them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>12. What are the church\u2019s denominational connections or affiliations?<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every church is connected to something\u2014either a denomination, a network, or an independent tradition\u2014that shapes its doctrine and ministry. Ask about those relationships. Denominational ties often reveal accountability structures, theological distinctives, and mission partnerships that extend beyond the local congregation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember, you\u2019re not asking, \u201cDoes this church meet my needs?\u201d but rather, \u201cCan I join the mission here and glorify Christ?\u201d The right questions reveal whether a church\u2019s priorities align with God\u2019s Word and your calling to live it out. Don\u2019t rush the process. Pray, visit, and listen. The right church won\u2019t be perfect, but it will help you become more like Christ.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Let\u2019s assume the best. Someone is deciding on a new church for all the right reasons. Maybe it\u2019s you. Finding a new church can be both exciting and intimidating. Whether you\u2019re moving to a new area or starting a new season of life, it\u2019s wise to ask good questions before committing to a local congregation&#8230;.","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":861283,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"publish_to_discourse":"0","publish_post_category":"1","wpdc_auto_publish_overridden":"","wpdc_topic_tags":"","wpdc_pin_topic":"","wpdc_pin_until":"","discourse_post_id":"","discourse_permalink":"","wpdc_publishing_response":"","wpdc_publishing_error":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,183,184,182,179,175,177,178,191,14796,180,194,185],"tags":[19235,104,21551,21550,21552],"class_list":["post-861280","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-church-answers","category-communications","category-discipleship","category-facilities","category-first-impressions","category-grow","category-lead","category-membership-and-assimilation","category-mind-body-and-spirit","category-monday-wednesday-featured","category-outreach-and-evangelism","category-preaching","category-worship","tag-bible","tag-church-membership","tag-finding-a-new-church","tag-the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church","tag-worship-service"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The Twelve Best Questions to Ask Before Going to a New Church | Church Answers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Let\u2019s assume the best. Someone is deciding on a new church for all the right reasons. Maybe it\u2019s you. Finding a new church can be both exciting and intimidating. Whether you\u2019re moving to a new area or starting a new season of life, it\u2019s wise to ask good questions before committing to a local congregation. The goal isn\u2019t to \u201cshop\u201d for a perfect church (because none exists), but to discern where you can worship, grow, and serve faithfully. These questions aren\u2019t about consumer preferences. They\u2019re about discovering a healthy, biblical church.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Twelve Best Questions to Ask Before Going to a New Church | Church Answers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Let\u2019s assume the best. Someone is deciding on a new church for all the right reasons. Maybe it\u2019s you. Finding a new church can be both exciting and intimidating. Whether you\u2019re moving to a new area or starting a new season of life, it\u2019s wise to ask good questions before committing to a local congregation. The goal isn\u2019t to \u201cshop\u201d for a perfect church (because none exists), but to discern where you can worship, grow, and serve faithfully. These questions aren\u2019t about consumer preferences. They\u2019re about discovering a healthy, biblical church.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Church Answers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-12-22T11:00:21+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Man-Holding-a-Bible.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"628\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Sam Rainer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Sam Rainer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Sam Rainer\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/#\/schema\/person\/2f0912bee8a19725429a51e837b0b4bd\"},\"headline\":\"The Twelve Best Questions to Ask Before Going to a New Church\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-22T11:00:21+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/\"},\"wordCount\":730,\"commentCount\":2,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Man-Holding-a-Bible.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Bible\",\"Church Membership\",\"Finding a New Church\",\"The Twelve Best Questions to Ask Before Going to a New Church\",\"Worship Service\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Church Answers\",\"Communications\",\"Discipleship\",\"Facilities\",\"First Impressions\",\"Grow\",\"Lead\",\"Membership &amp; Assimilation\",\"Mind, Body, &amp; Spirit\",\"Monday\/Wednesday Featured\",\"Outreach &amp; Evangelism\",\"Preaching\",\"Worship\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/\",\"name\":\"The Twelve Best Questions to Ask Before Going to a New Church | Church Answers\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Man-Holding-a-Bible.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-22T11:00:21+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/#\/schema\/person\/2f0912bee8a19725429a51e837b0b4bd\"},\"description\":\"Let\u2019s assume the best. Someone is deciding on a new church for all the right reasons. Maybe it\u2019s you. Finding a new church can be both exciting and intimidating. Whether you\u2019re moving to a new area or starting a new season of life, it\u2019s wise to ask good questions before committing to a local congregation. The goal isn\u2019t to \u201cshop\u201d for a perfect church (because none exists), but to discern where you can worship, grow, and serve faithfully. These questions aren\u2019t about consumer preferences. They\u2019re about discovering a healthy, biblical church.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Man-Holding-a-Bible.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Man-Holding-a-Bible.png\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":628,\"caption\":\"Man Holding a Bible\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Twelve Best Questions to Ask Before Going to a New Church\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/\",\"name\":\"Church Answers\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/#\/schema\/person\/2f0912bee8a19725429a51e837b0b4bd\",\"name\":\"Sam Rainer\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8911395b33b01cf015954e64ffa6595812addf41f7aa42dad5156c5438379dc3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8911395b33b01cf015954e64ffa6595812addf41f7aa42dad5156c5438379dc3?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Sam Rainer\"},\"description\":\"As President of Church Answers, Sam Rainer wears many hats. From podcast co-host to full-time Pastor at West Bradenton Baptist Church, Sam\u2019s heart for ministry and revitalization are evident in all he does.\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/author\/samrainer\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Twelve Best Questions to Ask Before Going to a New Church | Church Answers","description":"Let\u2019s assume the best. Someone is deciding on a new church for all the right reasons. Maybe it\u2019s you. Finding a new church can be both exciting and intimidating. Whether you\u2019re moving to a new area or starting a new season of life, it\u2019s wise to ask good questions before committing to a local congregation. The goal isn\u2019t to \u201cshop\u201d for a perfect church (because none exists), but to discern where you can worship, grow, and serve faithfully. These questions aren\u2019t about consumer preferences. They\u2019re about discovering a healthy, biblical church.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Twelve Best Questions to Ask Before Going to a New Church | Church Answers","og_description":"Let\u2019s assume the best. Someone is deciding on a new church for all the right reasons. Maybe it\u2019s you. Finding a new church can be both exciting and intimidating. Whether you\u2019re moving to a new area or starting a new season of life, it\u2019s wise to ask good questions before committing to a local congregation. The goal isn\u2019t to \u201cshop\u201d for a perfect church (because none exists), but to discern where you can worship, grow, and serve faithfully. These questions aren\u2019t about consumer preferences. They\u2019re about discovering a healthy, biblical church.","og_url":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/","og_site_name":"Church Answers","article_published_time":"2025-12-22T11:00:21+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":628,"url":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Man-Holding-a-Bible.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Sam Rainer","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Sam Rainer","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/"},"author":{"name":"Sam Rainer","@id":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/#\/schema\/person\/2f0912bee8a19725429a51e837b0b4bd"},"headline":"The Twelve Best Questions to Ask Before Going to a New Church","datePublished":"2025-12-22T11:00:21+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/"},"wordCount":730,"commentCount":2,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Man-Holding-a-Bible.png","keywords":["Bible","Church Membership","Finding a New Church","The Twelve Best Questions to Ask Before Going to a New Church","Worship Service"],"articleSection":["Church Answers","Communications","Discipleship","Facilities","First Impressions","Grow","Lead","Membership &amp; Assimilation","Mind, Body, &amp; Spirit","Monday\/Wednesday Featured","Outreach &amp; Evangelism","Preaching","Worship"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/","url":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/","name":"The Twelve Best Questions to Ask Before Going to a New Church | Church Answers","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Man-Holding-a-Bible.png","datePublished":"2025-12-22T11:00:21+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/#\/schema\/person\/2f0912bee8a19725429a51e837b0b4bd"},"description":"Let\u2019s assume the best. Someone is deciding on a new church for all the right reasons. Maybe it\u2019s you. Finding a new church can be both exciting and intimidating. Whether you\u2019re moving to a new area or starting a new season of life, it\u2019s wise to ask good questions before committing to a local congregation. The goal isn\u2019t to \u201cshop\u201d for a perfect church (because none exists), but to discern where you can worship, grow, and serve faithfully. These questions aren\u2019t about consumer preferences. They\u2019re about discovering a healthy, biblical church.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Man-Holding-a-Bible.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Man-Holding-a-Bible.png","width":1200,"height":628,"caption":"Man Holding a Bible"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/the-twelve-best-questions-to-ask-before-going-to-a-new-church\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Twelve Best Questions to Ask Before Going to a New Church"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/","name":"Church Answers","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/#\/schema\/person\/2f0912bee8a19725429a51e837b0b4bd","name":"Sam Rainer","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8911395b33b01cf015954e64ffa6595812addf41f7aa42dad5156c5438379dc3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8911395b33b01cf015954e64ffa6595812addf41f7aa42dad5156c5438379dc3?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Sam Rainer"},"description":"As President of Church Answers, Sam Rainer wears many hats. From podcast co-host to full-time Pastor at West Bradenton Baptist Church, Sam\u2019s heart for ministry and revitalization are evident in all he does.","url":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/author\/samrainer\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/861280","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=861280"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/861280\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":861285,"href":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/861280\/revisions\/861285"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/861283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=861280"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=861280"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=861280"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}