Church selection advice: evaluate a church by both its statement of faith and whether it actually lives out those beliefs

Mike acknowledges the difficulty of recommending specific churches because denominations vary widely by region and even congregation. He uses Methodist churches and Calvary Chapel as examples of wide internal variation. His practical advice: check the church's website for a statement of faith, but more importantly observe whether the congregation actually lives out those stated beliefs — many churches have copy-pasted statements they do not genuinely hold. He counsels being cautious and slow in committing to a church.