Want to get the most out of church? Here are three simple steps you can take to be blessed by and grow in the church to which God has called you and your family:
- Be a disciple of Jesus Christ.
- Unite with a God-fearing, Bible-believing church.
- Commit to that church.
Be a Disciple of Jesus Christ
Are you approaching your church as a consumer or as a committed follower of Christ? Our churches are full of the former. We need more of the latter.
Make sure you’ve accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior. In the New Testament era, people got saved first. They accepted Christ first. Then…they were baptized into the church. Thus began their discipleship journey. Want to be a disciple?
- Get saved
- Get baptized
- Get following 🙂 (as in following Jesus)
Unite with a God-fearing, Bible-believing church
In his first epistle to Timothy, Paul lets his young protege he will be coming to him (Timothy) soon, but is sending these instructions (as in this letter) first. He writes:
“These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” (II Timothy 3:14-15, KJV)
I want to call our attention to the last part of that passage: “…the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” Don’t join a local church that isn’t part of the “church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”
How will you know? Look at how the church worships and how they conduct themselves. Look at their “fruit.” Jesus says you will know false teachers by their fruit. And look at the church’s Statement of Faith. It would also be good to meet with the pastor (or, if it’s a larger church, one of the pastors). Ask questions. See if the pastor grounds his answers in the Bible — or if he’s just giving you opinions.
Many churches worship a God of their own making — or of society’s making — as opposed to the One True God. If a local church doesn’t worship God, love Jesus, and stand for biblical truth…it’s not a church you should be a part of.
Commit to that Church
Once you land in a solid Jesus-following, Bible-believing church, you need to commit!
Commitment means you’re all in. Don’t think like a consumer. Don’t fade in and out based on your opinions, preferences, feelings, etc. Don’t approach the church like a critic or a consumer. You’re a follower of Christ, a disciple of Christ…right? That is how you should think and act as a member of your church. And, yes, if your church has formal membership, that’s part of commitment — be all in!
Commitment also means that you will assemble with your church. Don’t just ride the rolls! When your church assembles, you assemble. That’s biblical.
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25, KJV)
You can’t be a part of the assembly if you don’t assemble! And that’s what we’re called to do. We’re called to assemble together, to pray together, to do the ordinances together, to worship together, to learn and grow together, etc.
- “And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” (Acts 2:42)
- “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works…” (Hebrews 10:24, KJV)
- “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” (I Thessalonians 5:11, KJV)
When you assemble for the worship service, be a positive, encouraging part of that worship service. Participate. Encourage. Smile. Be fully present. In fact, you should be this way at all church gatherings – the services, the outreach events, the fellowships, everything!
When it comes to the preaching of the Scriptures, be attentive. Years ago, when I was a teenager, I thought my pastor could sometimes be boring. I decided to move up closer and start taking notes. I was amazed at how much better his sermons got. 🙂
Commitment also includes praying for your church family and serving in your church family. You are doing those things, right? When you pray for others and they pray for you — and you follow up with each other on your prayer needs — it binds you closer into the church family. And when you serve in your church family and alongside your fellow church members, you build relationships and get to know your church family better.
If you feel disconnected, left out, neglected, etc., then (first) pray about that. And (second) reach out and reconnect yourself. Remember…assemble is a verb. So is love. Not only that, but don’t forget the wise exhortation in Proverbs…
A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. (Proverbs 18:24, KJV)
We’re conditioned in our 21st-century American culture to be consumers. We think in terms of “I invest my time and money — and I expect a return.” But…that’s not how you should see your church. When you read the New Testament, the Bible frames the church not in the context of business and customer service but in the context of a family – a family called to discipleship and ministry.
Be the kind of church member God wants you to be. If you do that, you’ll find church to be much more rewarding and fulfilling.
God bless you!
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