Finding Joy in Community
We’ve been emphasizing church membership the past few months as we move toward our Membership Affirmation Celebration on Sunday, September 10. Church membership isn’t just a casual thing. It’s a covenant commitment that God has designed for His glory and our sanctification, which leads to a deep, abiding joy as we engage in biblical community.
While there are churches that don’t have formal membership, and others that take it to the opposite, almost cult-like extreme, I’m not trying in this blog to establish a biblical argument in support of church membership (although, I do believe the NT pattern says we should join a church), but I want to highlight the joy that comes when we’re engaged in biblical community defined as “church membership.”
So how does being an official member of a church bring joy in your Christian walk?
1. You Were Designed for Community
God designed us for community from the beginning when He said, “it is not good for man to be alone” and He created a wife for Adam. There has always been a community of God’s people. God has not designed us to live in isolation, but to live in community with others. There has never been a better expression of that than the local New Testament church.
2. You’ll Receive Genuine Care
The church is where you will receive genuine care for both your soul and your physical needs. In Acts 6, we see from the very beginning of the church a deep commitment to care for each others needs. Hebrews 13 describes church leaders as those who “keep watch over your souls” to your great benefit. Membership brings great joy knowing that there are many in your church who genuinely care for you both spiritually and physically.
3. There is Joy in Belonging
There is comfort, security, and joy in knowing that you’re part of something bigger than you. We truly are better together than the sum of our individual parts. Romans 12:5 – We, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. You’re not alone. You don’t have to do it by yourself. You’re not a Lone Ranger. You have an entire community of brothers and sisters to whom you belong and who are committed to you. 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 tells us us that we belong to one another, share both one another’s joys and pains.
4. There is Joy in Obedience
There is great joy that comes to a believer who is obeying God’s Word. The “One Anothers” in the New Testament aren’t suggestions or helpful hints. They’re commands. The best way to pursue obedience to them is as a member of a local church. The “others” in the “one another” passages are those who have committed to walk together.. Those for whom Christ died. Those that you worship with, take communion with, study the Bible with, and pray with. All of the metaphors for church in the Bible point to a beautiful interconnectedness.
5. Spending Time Together is Joyful
Whether it’s Sunday morning, when the entire Body gathers, or a one-on-one meet up at a coffee shop, there is great joy that comes when we spend time with each other. The underlying principle in Matthew 18:20 – where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst, is that the Lord shows up when believers get together. While this is certainly true of any two genuine believers, when you’re together with those that you’re in covenant community with, it “turns up”, the joy as you grow in those relationships. As time progresses, it continues to increase.
The Bottom Line: While we’re all part of the universal Body of Christ, God places each of us into local churches. As we grow in knowledge, wisdom, understanding, and bear fruit, our love for one another increases, along with our joy.
Philippians 2:1-5 – Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 fulfill my joy, that you think the same way, by maintaining the same love, being united in spirit, thinking on one purpose, 3 doing nothing from selfish ambition or vain glory, but with humility of mind regarding one another as more important than yourselves, 4 not merely looking out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this way of thinking in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
May we all grow together in knowledge, wisdom, discernment, love for Jesus, and love for one another!
Grace & Peace!
Pastor Rob
P.S. – even if you haven’t finished your testimony, go ahead and turn in your application while you finish writing out your testimony. Go to this page and scroll to the bottom.
P.S.S. – Take a couple of minutes to read this article too: https://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/joy-of-church-membership