"Churches Near Me" - why that's a great search request

Type the word “churches” in google, and it will auto-complete for you the phrase, “Churches Near Me”. Interestingly enough, those keywords are probably what drives most organic traffic to a website. But this isn’t about google keywords or marketing…this is about why “Churches Near Me” are a great place to start when exploring faith in Jesus.

Without going into all the theological implications of the interaction between proximity, community, and discipleship, since the dawn of the new testament church, people engaged in a journey of faith experience GROWTH in increasingly learning to submit all of life to Jesus as Master and Savior when they are connected to a community of people with whom they can share life together. Even though many church conferences and church growth books will try to steer you towards other factors, there isn’t as influential a factor for the possibility of one growing as a disciple of Jesus who makes other disciples than proximity.

This is because - at the end of the day - community with people who are leaning into faith with Jesus as a part of the rhythms of your everyday life (not just Sundays) is the most significant factor in influencing a follower of Jesus’ spiritual maturity.

By the way, when I speak of “community”, I am talking about relationships of transparency, vulnerability, and empathy that engage in the spiritual disciplines of scripture learning, prayer, worship, generosity, service, evangelism, etc. Community isn’t one time a week bible study. That’s a GREAT STARTING POINT, but it is not community.

So…looking for a church near you? Do you live in the Brooklyn Park, Osseo, Maple Grove, or Champlin area? Then, consider yourself invited to belong. Our typical “front door” is our Sunday gatherings, but if you’d rather have coffee, I’d love to meet you and tell you all the good things God is doing in and through the people who call themselves Clarity Church.

-Pastor Phil