“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:23-25, ESV).
Many people who say they have a relationship with Jesus are not connected to the local church. In this technological age, some argue that they worship God by watching videos or podcasts of their favorite preachers instead of investing in the ministry of a local church. Others argue that the church is full of hypocrites, so why would I want to join them. We live in a broken and fallen world. The “perfect” church does not exist. If you ever find a perfect church, please do not join it. You will mess it up. The truth is that we all have issues and struggles, but believers need each other.
Why Church Membership Matters
- It is biblical. In reading the book of Acts and the epistles, it is clear that those who received Christ connected with the local church in the community. This is a natural and healthy response to encountering Christ. Jesus regularly attended the synagogue. Luke 4:16 states, “And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read” (NASB). As Christ followers, we need to connected with the body of Christ in a local church.
- Believers need each other. God’s design for the church is for members to be interdependent rather than independent. The great Sequoia redwood trees in California may grow to be 300 feet tall and 40 feet in diameter. However, the root system is only 12 to 14 feet deep and the tree has no tap root. How can trees of this size withstand strong winds, earthquakes, fires, storms, and prolonged flooding? The root system of the Sequoia trees is interwoven with other redwoods, holding each other up in times of stress.[1] Believers need this same kind of interconnectedness with other Christ followers.
- There is a supernatural synergy at work among church members. The sum is greater than the parts. In the context of the church, followers of Christ share in community together. Worship is magnified when shared with other believers.
- Church membership makes your relationship with Christ public. It identifies you as a Christ follower. You put on the team’s jersey.
- The commitment to church membership is a powerful witness in a world that has devalued commitment. In our culture, many people shun commitment, impacting marriages and relationships of all kinds.
- The church is not a building; it is the members. The church is a living organism. The church is the body of Christ in action in our world. All believers are a part of the universal church by virtue of salvation, but commitment to a local church grafts you into a local body of believers who are doing the work of ministry in our communities.
- Iron sharpens iron (Prov. 27:17). Followers of Christ sharpen each other in the community of the local church, honing their skills and putting faith into practice to impact the community.
- Church membership connects you to authentic Christian community. A basic human need is to find a place to belong. A local church meets this need.
- It models faithfulness, commitment, and ministry, particularly for the next generation, to live in obedience and service of Christ.
If you are not connected with a local church, I’ll be glad
to pray with you as you seek a place to share your gifts and talents in
biblical community. If you would like to talk with me about church options in
our area, I would welcome the conversation.
[1]The John Maxwell Team, “What Kind of Root System Do You Have?” https://johnmaxwellteam.com/what-kind-of-root-system-do-you-have/ (accessed October 23, 2019).