Get Involved In Your Local Church

I grew up in church and came to faith at a young age. By the time I hit middle school I was involved with Sunday mornings, weekly youth group, and summer camp. It was the place where I grew spiritually and felt a strong sense of belonging. 

Unfortunately, when my family left our church in my teen years, that habit changed. Mom found a new congregation but my dad and brother never returned to worship. Without a family pattern of church involvement, I, too, drifted. Despite my childhood experience, I began to believe that I did not need a church to be a disciple of Jesus.

Throughout high school I wallowed in my hurt and confusion. I became enamored with the idea that I was a strong, solitary Christian, forging her own path. While I held onto my faith, I did not grow. Instead, I was constantly losing battles with sin and confused about my future. While I was rapidly maturing as an adolescent, I remained spiritually a child, because I thought I could live the Christian life alone.

Entering college I realized I needed Christian fellowship. My number one goal wasn’t to choose a major or make friends, it was to plug in to community. However, I still wasn’t ready to join a church, and did not know how to pick a good one. Instead, I began by  joining my local campus ministry. This was a great steppingstone, and helped provide the spiritual growth I was lacking, but it could never be the local church.

My organization, Cru, is very insistent that it is not a church, and that each believer should be accountable to a local body. I believed this in principle, but did not live it out until after graduating. Even then, it took years to truly experience the benefits of being a committed church member. While the Lord was sovereign over those years of isolation, I can’t help but wonder how different my life would be if I hadn’t wasted so much time separated from Christ’s bride.  Maybe you’re not yet meaningfully involved in your church, or perhaps you don’t have a church at all! Don’t make the same choices I did, instead, consider why and how you can connect to a local fellowship.

Why Get Involved

A Christian’s ultimate authority is God Himself. However, Jesus bestowed that authority to earthly men (Hebrews 13:17, 1 Peter 5:1-6, 1 Tim 5:17). Moreover, God did not give this responsibility to all men, but only to a select few (1 Tim 3:1-7, Titus 1:5-12) in the context of a local group of believers. Church leaders are imperfect, but they are also called and anointed to lead their congregation. They are Christ’s under shepherds, His stewards in charge of the house until the master returns, like the parable in Matthew 24. If you desire to be under Christ’s leadership you must be under the leadership of a local church. Beyond Sunday mornings, this means committing through membership vows and sharing your life with the elders and members.

Active church membership is also a primary means of God’s blessing. My local church has developed my theology, cared for me when I was sick, moved me from one apartment to another, given me homes in which to spend holidays, counseled me through tough decisions, brought me my closest friends, and challenged me to walk more closely with Christ. Do you feel lonely? Do you long for guidance? Have you been asking God for practical help, but have not seen Him provide? Perhaps God has these things waiting for in your local church, but you have not yet availed yourself of it.

Finally, scripture is full of commands that we cannot fulfill in isolation. How can we encourage one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs if we are not in fellowship with other believers (Eph 5:19-20)? How are we to “bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2)? We certainly cannot “... give up meetings together...” (Heb 10:24-25). Active church membership is a mark of Christian obedience. We need to belong to a church because we need serve others. Your local church needs you.

How to Get Involved

If you have been hurt by churches in the past, or you don’t have a history of church membership, getting involved can be intimidating. Here are a few simple steps to help you get started:

First, pray and ask God for courage and guidance. Ask him to show you which churches are faithful to His word, and to lead you to where He wants you to join. 

Second, ask trusted believers to help you. If you don’t yet have a church, ask several people where they go and why. Read statements of faith online. Consider using the 7 marks model (see this summary or read the whole book) as a framework and invite someone to discuss options with you. When you find a church you like, or if you’re already in one nominally, schedule a meeting with a pastor. Ask him about the strengths and weaknesses of the church, what the membership process is, and what the privileges and obligations go with it. Ask about the church’s theology and opportunities to serve. Let the information-gathering process be a social process.

Third, show up. Go to church on Sunday mornings. Show up to optional events. Join a Bible study or a volunteer team. This applies to those who are still choosing a church and those who want to get more involved. The only way to feel more included is to keep participating. And if you haven’t joined the church yet, the best way you can “show up” is to make that commitment. 

Fourth, find a buddy. The thing that helped me integrate most was making friends who were already plugged in. As I observed others loving and serving, involvement became more attractive. I was more likely to volunteer or attend a social event if I knew my friends would be there. If you’re feeling brave, just ask outright: “I am nervous I won’t have anyone to hang out with at this event, could we go together?

Fifth, share your burdens. Do you have a need? Seek out the resources of your church. Are you struggling? Tell trusted church members. The church is not a building or a program, it is a group of people. If you want to be involved, you must be vulnerable with specific individuals. God designed the church to care for herself, but she cannot do that unless people make their needs known. And when opportunities arise, step up to meet the needs of others as well.

Most people I know who gave up on the church also eventually gave up on their faith. We are not saved by our church, but we are saved into the church, and that means being a part of her local expression. I cannot imagine where my life would be if I had continued on my path of isolation. The truth is, there are no “lone ranger” Christians.

We are designed to live in community. If you aren’t a member, or you aren’t meaningfully involved in your local congregation, take steps today. Blessing and growth are waiting for you in Christ’s church.