New Identity Magazine

God in focus. World in scope.

  • About
  • Grow
    • Spotlight: In Perspective
    • Growth & Maturity
    • Foundation
    • Practical Application
    • Jargon
  • Connect
    • Community
    • Discovering God
    • God Talk
    • Life Together
  • Live
    • Give Back
    • People
    • Culture & Creativity
    • Careers & Callings
  • Back Issues
  • Write
    • Submit an Article
    • Writer’s Guidelines
    • House Style Guide
    • Content Submissions Agreement
    • Jargon Substitutions
  • Shop
  • Donate
  • Contact

WHY JOIN A CHURCH?

By Délice Williams Leave a Comment

Nowhere in the Bible does it say that Christians have to be church members. Hebrews 10:24-25, verses that are often quoted in discussions of church attendance, does specifically tell us not to “[give] up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing” (NIV). That is a clear direction to gather regularly with other believers, and that instruction is connected to encouragement in our walk with Christ: We meet so that we can “encourage each other toward love and good deeds.” The implication is that community is vital to living the Christian life. But good Christian community can and does take many forms. And if you’re looking for a “thou shalt join a local church” commandment, you won’t find one. Still, I’ve come to believe that there is something important to be said for church membership. I don’t think it’s just a holdover from generations ago. Instead, membership can be one human mechanism to spur us on to greater spiritual maturity.

My beliefs about this topic came out of my own transformative experience of membership. When I was in graduate school, I attended a small Baptist church in St. Louis, Missouri. It was a cozy community, welcoming to newcomers, and generous with love. Families invited me to holiday dinners when I couldn’t go home, and they even bought me groceries on a couple of occasions. Basically, they adopted me. I was a student far away from my family, and people in the church took it upon themselves to make sure I always felt like I had family close by. Almost 20 years later, I still have “St. Louis parents” whom I love dearly.

Although I was an adult when I started there, I felt like I grew up in that church, and one main reason for that was that I became an official member. Honestly, I didn’t want to do it at first. A few things kept me away.

One was that this was a Southern Baptist congregation, and I knew that Southern Baptists had a troubling history on issues of race & gender. I wanted to keep my distance from that history, even though I felt that I could embrace the people and most of the teachings of this local congregation. I consciously resisted becoming a member because I didn’t want that affiliation.

The second reason for not joining was that, on a really basic level, I saw no reason to do it: I mean, I went there nearly every Sunday, gave offerings, volunteered for things, and liked the people. I couldn’t see why having my name on the official church roll would make one bit of difference. Furthermore, I didn’t want to commit to a community because, knowing myself, I figured that I would feel guilty if I ever decided to leave. I wanted to keep my options open.

Soon enough, though, I was so involved, and so many people had mentioned membership to me, that I decided to go ahead and join, even though I still had reservations. Defining my relationship to that group of believers proved to be tremendously meaningful for me, and it taught me a few things that I believe are true for all of us who are interested in being part of a local Christian community.

Here are four things that I learned.

Making a public commitment can shift your mindset. I would guess that many of us find ourselves going to church as consumers and critics. We know our preferences for music, we know what kind of preaching we like. If a church isn’t giving us what we need or want, we don’t think twice about looking elsewhere. I was in a similar mindset, even though I was pretty involved in my church. After I became a member, though, I found myself thinking more like a contributor than a consumer. I wanted to use my talents to help make things work. I wanted to know what the needs were and to offer my input where it could be helpful. In other words, instead of just setting my preferences and following where they led me, I started to take more responsibility for my part in what was happening.

Belonging is more than just a feeling. It definitely feels good to be part of something that you think is good or successful. Most of us love being part of teams, and we like to declare our allegiances by wearing the t-shirts and sporting the bumper stickers. It also feels good to have a place where you can feel recognized, valuable, and cared for. But there’s another dimension to true belonging, and that’s responsibility. The places and groups to which we truly belong have claims on our time and energy. We have a role in making them good and successful. Membership made me “level up” my idea of belonging to my local church. I started to see that I couldn’t just sit back or float in and out anymore. I had a part to play in making it a place of effective ministry, a place that made other people feel like they belonged as well.

The church needs us. When we passively consume and/or actively criticize church instead of contributing our gifts and talents regularly, it is easy to forget that it takes people’s time and energy and money to minister effectively and make church happen. Somebody needs to work in the nursery, play the drums, greet the guests, and mow the lawn—every week. Somebody needs to organize the meal train, clean up after the baby shower, arrange hospital visits, and coordinate service projects. To make that happen, churches rely on people committed to serving. Yes, you can serve without being a member. Thousands of people do. But active members—people who have decided to commit to a community—often do most of that work. Many churches, even those with full pews, are starved for people with that kind of commitment. Membership, I believe, can help nudge us toward a different mindset about our service. Imagine what church could be if the people who sat in the pews every Sunday suddenly started to see themselves as contributing to God’s work in your congregation.

We need the church. The verses from Hebrews that I quoted at the beginning of this piece talk about meeting together to encourage each other. In times of crisis or loss, that need to be with other believers can be particularly acute. If you have ever felt supported by a church community in a situation like that, then you know how precious and life-giving that can be. In fact, that kind of support is another feature of true belonging. Can you have the same supportive belonging and relationship without church membership? Definitely. But I would suggest that when we enter into membership and follow through with the right mindset, we make it more possible to forge those kinds of sustaining connections. My mom put it to me this way: “when you belong to a body, people close ranks around you in times of difficulty, and if you’re going to want that support in times of difficulty, you need to be around in the regular times.” My mom was not suggesting that you cannot expect support unless you “pay up” in some form beforehand. I am not saying that either. I’m only pointing out that communal relationships that are nurtured and sustained by commitment can often be a source of strength in difficult times. This is true in many contexts. It’s especially true in church.

You can certainly be a Christ-following believer who is not a member of a church. And you can definitely serve God faithfully as well without making a public declaration of membership in a local congregation. But in a time and culture where genuine commitment and connection are harder to find, church membership might be one way for us to challenge ourselves to do our part to strengthen bonds and forge connections with one another. We would benefit from that individually, and so would the body of Christ.

Photo Credit: Leandro Mocca | Flickr (Creative Commons)

Share with friendsShare on facebook
Facebook
Share on pinterest
Pinterest
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on reddit
Reddit
Share on google
Google
Share on email
Email

Filed Under: Community, Connect, Featured Tagged With: Issue 37

Related Posts

  • THE GREATEST SHOWMANTHE GREATEST SHOWMAN
  • LIFE IS NOT ABOUT THE JOURNEYLIFE IS NOT ABOUT THE JOURNEY
  • The New Issue Is Out Now!The New Issue Is Out Now!
  • WRESTLING WITH A VIOLENT GODWRESTLING WITH A VIOLENT GOD
  • IDENTIFY: Advice On Life, Faith & RelationshipsIDENTIFY: Advice On Life, Faith & Relationships
  • Who’s Really “Lost”?Who’s Really “Lost”?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Current Issue

Current Issue

Read Now

No Fields Found.

newidentitymag

New Identity | Exploring Faith
We hope you enjoy the new issue! Check out the lin We hope you enjoy the new issue! Check out the link in our bio! Happy Fall/Winter! 🍁
We're looking for volunteer writers to contribute We're looking for volunteer writers to contribute to the next issue! If you're interested in writing on this topic, please leave us a comment! ✨
We're looking for volunteer writers to contribute We're looking for volunteer writers to contribute to the next issue! If you're interested in writing on this topic, please leave us a comment! ✨
How should we be using our money? - We're looking How should we be using our money? - We're looking for volunteer writers to contribute to the next issue! If you're interested in writing on this topic, please leave us a comment!
We're looking for volunteer writers to contribute We're looking for volunteer writers to contribute to the next issue! If you're interested in writing on this topic, please leave us a comment!
We're looking for volunteer writers to contribute We're looking for volunteer writers to contribute to the next issue! If you're interested in writing on the topic of praying continually and what that can look like in our fast-paced society, please leave us a comment! 😊
We're looking for volunteer writers to contribute We're looking for volunteer writers to contribute to the next issue! If you're interested in writing on this topic, please leave us a comment! ✨
Happy Spring! Enjoy the new issue! #linkinbio Happy Spring! Enjoy the new issue! #linkinbio
Our striving to be like Jesus or do his work on ou Our striving to be like Jesus or do his work on our own is in vain. We can never hope to achieve the same level that Jesus was on while we are still here on Earth. We’re like little kids, struggling just to walk. But that’s why Jesus gave us an example of redeemed followers in the form of the Apostles, who were his close group of students here on Earth. He chose a group of broken, sinful men, and ultimately shaped them into the group responsible for continuing his ministry here on Earth. ⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
✍🏽: Tim VanDeWalker in "Running By Example" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
"Do your little bit of good where you are; it's th "Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world." –Desmond Tutu
The Bible tells us to live in the world, but not t The Bible tells us to live in the world, but not to become like it. The New Living Translation puts it this way, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think” (Rom. 12:2a). Some have interpreted this as an instruction to reject anything that isn’t explicitly Christian. But I don’t think that’s what this verse is getting at. I think it means much more.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
✍🏽: Lindsey Beharry in "Choosing Wisely" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
If you desire to serve, seek to form groups withou If you desire to serve, seek to form groups without age distinction. Maybe you want to form a group in your church. Avoid just inviting members from your age group. Seek out people older and younger than you to invite to meet together. Find that person who sits alone and talk to her or him. Instead of a focus on building groups that have the same characteristics to “relate” with one another, you center your discussion in the work of Christ. He will bring the group together. ⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
✍🏽: Russell Almand in "Community and Age Diversity" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
"If we put our faith in temporal things, they will "If we put our faith in temporal things, they will inevitably let us down. They were never meant to be enough for us. Not alone. When Barnum finally does hit bottom, he recognizes that his heart has been led astray, fooled into thinking that fame or fortune could satisfy him."⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
✍🏽: @slimkeman in "The Greatest Showman" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
"Porn. We are only now beginning to realize the ex "Porn. We are only now beginning to realize the extent of its effects on the brain, relationships, and society at a time when sexually explicit content is just a click away. Christians have recognized pornography’s negative impact for decades, yet it is still often considered a “male” problem within the Church. This can leave women who struggle with porn addiction feeling isolated and alone. The organization SheRecovery (formerly Dirty Girls Ministries) aims to change that and has become a resource for women with porn addiction. You can read more about their ministry at the link in our bio. ⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
✍🏽: Lisa Gagnon in "Dirty Girls Ministries" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
"The presence of my sin reminds me of my great nee "The presence of my sin reminds me of my great need for grace, and good works are the outpouring of a grateful heart; being a good child is not a means of earning the favor of God."⁠
⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
✍🏽: Sally Blotzer in "Forgiving Failure" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
"As Christians, we identify ourselves not only by "As Christians, we identify ourselves not only by how we handle our daily lives, much like those around us, but also by an added component: our faith. How we pray and worship and spend time with our fellow followers provides additional meaning to our lives."⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
✍🏽: Matthew Hamilton in "Does Your Form Determine Your Function?" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
📷: Photo by Lum3n from Pexels⁠
Often I picture Jesus telling us to love others an Often I picture Jesus telling us to love others and not to judge. I forget that when he said, “Come follow me,” he wasn’t just inviting us to a strict set of rules but to a real and exciting life whether you turn out to be a pastor, a doctor, designer or simply “Dad.” Sometimes I forget one of his main messages was that he came to give us a better life than we could ever dream of—life to the fullest. Jesus wasn’t locking us down to a vocation or job title. It’s as if he was saying, “Real, vibrant life is available to you now. Following me, loving me and living like me is your real calling…the rest is just there to aid you in following, loving and living.”⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
✍🏽: Wendy Van Eyck in "Living For A Purpose" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
Like Morpheus, I want to “show you how deep the Like Morpheus, I want to “show you how deep the rabbit hole goes.” There is yet another parallel between the Christian story and The Matrix, simultaneously the most foundational and the most captivating. It’s that something which is missing, something which is not quite right with the world. You can’t quite put your finger on it, but you know that it’s there. At the outset of the first film, Neo is searching for it. Trinity asserts that “it’s the question that drives us.” Morpheus claims that “you can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work, when you go to church, when you pay your taxes.” The question is: What if I’ve only ever scratched the surface of all that life has to offer? What if there is a deeper, truer current of reality, ever-present behind all of my life’s experiences, to which I might awaken at any moment?⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
✍🏽: @slimkeman in "Tumbling Down The Rabbit Hole" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
"I’ve always been intrigued by Augustine because "I’ve always been intrigued by Augustine because we all struggle with temptations to sin. And we all struggle to live in a way that honors God. Like Augustine we all feel the tug of our past sins that say, 'Don’t you want to enjoy us?' And Augustine’s story relates to Galatians 5:16-26 where Paul tells us about how the Christian life is like a walk. In a way, walking is a metaphor for the Christian life." ⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
✍🏽: @the_christopherscott in "In Step With the Spirit" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
"The Holy Spirit empowers us for Christ-like livin "The Holy Spirit empowers us for Christ-like living, and for serving others." Where in your life or in what ways has the Spirit enabled you this week? We'd love to hear, tell us in the comments below!⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
.⁠
✍🏽: @the_christopherscott  in "In Step With the Spirit" | Continue reading at newidentitymagazine.com⁠ by visiting the link in our bio and tapping on the image.⁠
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Subscribe

More Articles

FOREVER FORGIVENESS

“Forgive and forget” (Common proverb). “To err is human, to forgive, divine” (Alexander Pope). None of these clichés help the healing when someone is hurting at the … [Read More...]

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO STORE TREASURES IN HEAVEN?

If you’re in credit card debt, please raise your hand... I am right along there with you. When I look at my credit card spending report and see the things that I … [Read More...]

A 30-DAY SEARCH PARTY

Before I even started writing this assignment, I knew that in the last couple of years, I felt like a part of me faded away. Like I had been “off” for half a decade … [Read More...]

Copyright © 2023 New Identity Magazine. All Rights Reserved · Log in