How many memberships do you have? Which ones come to mind? If you’re like me, you probably thought about things like the gym, Costco, Amazon Prime, Auto Club, Sea World/The Zoo, maybe a professional organization or a political party, etc.
When we think about our memberships, how many of us immediately think about our church?
Yet, this is one of the main ways that the Bible describes us as Christians. 1 Corinthians 12:1 says, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” The chapter goes on to refer to Christians as members or parts of the body 36 times in just 16 verses.
The reality is that we’ve been conditioned to think about church more as an event we attend than a body we commit to as members. We tend to church shop and church hop. As a result, we are actually reluctant to become members of a local church.
There are lots of reasons we hesitate to commit to a local church. We’re indecisive and don’t want to be stuck with a decision we may regret. We’re individualistic and have a hard time finding a church that fully resonates with “me.” We’re immature and, like an 18-year-old, just don’t feel ready for a committed relationship. We’re indifferent and just don’t see the point in joining a local church.
But designed us to work out our faith in the context of a community. A local church family is where we get to care for one another. It’s where we encourage and build each other up. It’s where we hold each other accountable to live like Jesus. It’s where we get to pool our resources in order to fulfill the Great Commission in our city better.
So what about you? Have you let your membership in the church lapse? Is it time to renew?
When we think about our memberships, how many of us immediately think about our church?
Yet, this is one of the main ways that the Bible describes us as Christians. 1 Corinthians 12:1 says, “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” The chapter goes on to refer to Christians as members or parts of the body 36 times in just 16 verses.
The reality is that we’ve been conditioned to think about church more as an event we attend than a body we commit to as members. We tend to church shop and church hop. As a result, we are actually reluctant to become members of a local church.
There are lots of reasons we hesitate to commit to a local church. We’re indecisive and don’t want to be stuck with a decision we may regret. We’re individualistic and have a hard time finding a church that fully resonates with “me.” We’re immature and, like an 18-year-old, just don’t feel ready for a committed relationship. We’re indifferent and just don’t see the point in joining a local church.
But designed us to work out our faith in the context of a community. A local church family is where we get to care for one another. It’s where we encourage and build each other up. It’s where we hold each other accountable to live like Jesus. It’s where we get to pool our resources in order to fulfill the Great Commission in our city better.
So what about you? Have you let your membership in the church lapse? Is it time to renew?