The Temecula Valley is very fortunate to have a large number of churches. This isn’t the case in all areas. In some areas, you may only have a few churches to choose from, unless you want to drive quite a distance every Sunday.
However, having a lot of options can also make it difficult to find one that best meets the needs of your family. In most cases, you can only visit one church per week, since almost all churches in Temecula meet on Sunday mornings. There are a few churches in the Temecula Valley Saturday services, which would allow you to visit two churches in a weekend, but those are few and far between.
Be Specific in your Requirements When Asking for Referrals
Asking for church recommendations on social media is a common tactic for people looking for churches in Temecula. But in order to get helpful responses, you need to ask for more than just a “good church,” because people’s definitions of what constitutes a good church can vary quite a bit.
Rather than asking for a “good church,” be specific in what you are looking for. Here’s an example: “I’m looking for recommendations of Christian churches in Temecula that have an active high school group, contemporary worship music, and teach the Bible verse by verse.” Or, “I’m hoping to find a traditional church in which all generations are well represented.”
You don’t have to go into a ton of detail, but definitely list the two or three characteristics in a church that are most important to you to help narrow down your options.
Also keep in mind that many people online may recommend their church, even if it doesn’t meet your criteria, so you’ll need to do some further research after getting recommendations.
Watch Sermons Online
After you have a few options to consider, take the time to go to the churches’ websites and see if they post their sermons online. If anything good came out of the COVID lockdowns, it’s that many churches in Temecula now make their sermons available online for anyone to view. If you only watch one sermon from each church, make sure it is one by the church’s lead pastor. Sometimes churches have guest pastors preach, and their sermons may not be a good representation of a typical Sunday-morning sermon for that church.
Check Church Websites for Midweek Offerings
While you’re on a church’s website watching sermons, you should also take a look around to see what types of other groups and activities the church offers that may be of interest to you and your family. Are you looking for a small group with whom you can study the Bible in more depth? Do you want a church with midweek groups for teens? Are you looking for a church that offers support groups for those struggling with grief, addictions, etc.?
A church isn’t just a place where you go on Sunday mornings to listen to sermons. It can also be a place where you grow in your relationship with Jesus with other believers, have some of your practical needs met, and make lifelong friends.
