THE BLESSINGS OF BELONGING TO A CHURCH
In church life, you will often hear people refer to their “church family.” Why? Well, it is because the characteristics of belonging to a good church family are like the characteristics of belonging to a good, loving family. A family loves, supports, helps nurture and grow, sends it into the world, spends time together, etc. A strong and healthy church family should do the same. It should be a blessing to belong to a church. What do those blessings look like?
Here at FBC, we teach what it means to belong to the church family. We refer to it as “Body Life.” It is illustrated by three basic expectations. While there are obviously more attributes to belonging to a church family, these three basic expectations will help you engage in a healthy way so you can experience the blessings of belonging. They are:
Participate in corporate worship
Participate in a Lifegroup, or small group
Participate in a ministry
These are not separate items, but occur within the context of engaging and participating in a natural way in the church. In evaluating these commitments, it is important to see two tings. First, this is how the body functions. Second, this is how you experience what happens in the body.
The Bible speaks very clearly about the blessings of the church. In fact, today, I would like to just read you these scriptures. Sometimes we need to be reminded that the Bible is “living and powerful and stronger than a two-edged sword” and is therefore more than capable of speaking and teaching on its own. Hebrews 4:12
Here are some basic truths about our church family.
Our relationships define us.
John 13:34-4
Acts 2:41-47
I John 3:16-18
Philippians 2:1-5
I John 4:20 – 5:2
Our relationships are how we learn and grow (discipleship).
I Thessalonians 2:4-8
II Timothy 2:1-2
II Timothy 3:14-17
Our relationships are how we minister.
Ephesians 4:11-16
Romans 12: 3-15
James 5:13-16
Acts 6:1-7
Galatians 6:1-2
What does this look like today? We engage in relationships in the church and invest in each other’s lives because this is who we are, how we grow and how we minister to each other. These are the blessings of belonging.
