We know that folks coming out of the Latter-day Saint movement might see all these different Christian churches and think that they are all in conflict with one another, and competing with one another for the title of "the true church". This is not really the case...in fact, if a church or denomination claims to be the one and only true church, you can bet that it's not!

Churches do differ. Some are more formal, while others are informal. Some like traditional worship, others like contemporary worship. After all, the Church is, in its broadest and most basic definition, the people of God...and as we all know, people come in all shapes and sizes, with all kinds of different personalities, quirks, and tastes, and yes, imperfections and disagreements (welcome to the human race.) So we expect nothing different of church organizations. There is no such thing as a perfect church organization, but don't worry--the church is not what saves you. Rather--the church is that which is saved.

Finding a church congregation to attend might seem a little intimidating, but it doesn't have to be. There are many different kinds of churches out there, and while on the surface they may appear quite different from one another, biblically-based churches hold to the same core teachings. We don't recommend any one particular church or denomination; the most important criteria would be:

• That the Bible is central to all teaching.
  
  
• That Jesus Christ is taught as the only means to eternal life, and that His salvation is complete and not dependant upon your performance.

But don't stress over it. Remember to let God in on your search...He knows the right place for you, ask Him to help you find it! Sometimes it takes visiting a few different churches before you find a "fit". If you know any Christians, you might start by visiting their church.

What about Baptism & Communion? Water baptism is a means of publicly identifying with Jesus Christ. As such, it is an important part of our journey as a Christian. Communion, in much the same way, is a regular means of remembering the sacrifice of his body and blood for our eternal life. But neither of these contribute toward, or are required for, salvation. They are not oaths or covenants that we make with God; they are celebrations of the promises and grace that God has already given to us.

Different church organizations have different baptismal and communion practices. If you are consistently attending a church where you believe God is leading you, we encourage you to speak to the leadership of your church about these sacraments. (Just so you know, Christian churches generally do not recognize the baptisms from non-Christian churches. So if you were baptized in the LDS Church, they will probably encourage you to be baptized into the true Jesus.)

It's all about Jesus. Again, and we can't emphasize this enough, it's all about Jesus. All the stuff we're sharing here is not about burdening you or stressing you out. Relax. At the end of the day (and at the beginning!) it's Jesus who lives in you, it's Jesus who does His work of changing you and making you grow, and it's Jesus to whom you belong!

And that, friend, is Good News indeed!