Joining a church can be a difficult thing. After all, you probably have been looking at several different churches and seeing which one is the best fit for you. While it is not a requirement for salvation, it is good to join a church.
A church will be able to help you build a community as well as help you grow in your relationship with Christ. If you have had a bad experience with a church in the past, try to not allow it to impact your feelings for a church in the future.
There are many great churches out in the world, but you have to find them. Joining a church doesn’t have to be a stressful event, although, for many people, it can be.
Go to God in prayer and ask Him to help you in this decision. He will be able to guide, instruct, and direct you to the church that needs you the most as well as to the church you need the most. With this in mind, here are the five best reasons to join a church.
1. They Help You Grow in Your Relationship with Christ
One of the best reasons to join a church is because the church will be able to help you grow in your relationship with Christ. Growth in your relationship with Christ is crucial to your overall walk with Him.
If you never grow in your relationship with Christ, you will be stunted in your growth. As believers, we need to always be growing in our relationship with Jesus, and a great way to do this is by joining a church.
You should always be active in personal Bible study and prayer, but it is also important to be involved with a church. The body of believers will be able to help you grow in your walk with Christ, and they will be able to point you to Christ when times are hard.
The church will be able to be there for you, teach you more about God, and allow you to help others. The service of the church is not to serve you but rather for everyone in the church to serve God.
In this way, through service in the church, we will also be able to grow more in our relationship with Jesus. Many people have discovered their spiritual gifts by serving in different ministries in the church.
Through being knowledgeable about your own strengths, talents, and gifts, you will be able to cultivate your relationship with Jesus even more, which is only done by the church.
The church can help you in many ways, but by far the best reason is that it can help you grow in your walk with the Lord.
2. Fellowship with Other Believers
A second-best reason to join a church is to have fellowship with other believers. When I was overseas on a mission internship, I was excited to meet every Sunday for fellowship with my fellow believers.
The believers in each of these churches had a heart for God that I have not seen in America. Although these churches were small in numbers, they were mighty in prayer, strong believers, and authentic individuals.
When we go to a church, these are all things to look for. If the church is full of mean-looking people who make you feel bad about yourself, it is probably best not to go to this church. Rather, try another church and get to know the people there.
Once you have joined a church, you will be able to have a strong friendship with other believers and have the opportunity to fellowship with other believers. This is a beautiful gift that has been given and something that should not be overlooked.
3. A Chance to Increase Your Knowledge of the Bible
A third reason to join a church is a chance to increase your knowledge of the Bible. Many people who go to church have no knowledge of the Bible. This is a sad reality but something that needs to be addressed.
The church has a great opportunity to help educate those who attend their meetings; however, not many churches are aware of this. If you are someone involved in the church, keep this in mind.
You have the chance to help individuals increase their knowledge of the Bible, and this is a true blessing.
For individuals who are joining a church, the church you are attending will be able to help you learn more about the Bible. Even if you don’t know a great deal of the Bible, going to a church will be able to help you learn more about theology, God, and the Bible.
Ahead of time, it is best to check the doctrine of the church; however, if you are not equipped with proper doctrine, try joining a church that a trusted friend goes to or a family member attends.
They can help you join the right church in order to help you truly increase your knowledge of the Bible.
4. To Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
The fourth best reason to join a church is to step out of your comfort zone. For many of us, it can be nerve-wracking to take the big step of committing to a church.
If you are someone who struggles to do this, try. While it is hard to step out of your comfort zone, joining a church can be a blessing in many ways.
Through joining the church, you will be able to make lasting connections, build your relationship with God, and serve your community. These are all great reasons to challenge your comfort zone and see what beautiful things come as a result.
Joining a church does not have to be a long process. For those of us who struggle with stepping out of our comfort zones, long wait times can make us feel more prone to back out. If this is a concern for you, know that most churches do not have elaborate joining events.
Rather, there are many churches where you simply just join the church and start attending. There are some churches that ask you to join “in covenant” with them; however, some of these churches are not ideal.
5. Observe the Lord’s Supper
A fifth best reason to join a church is to observe the Lord’s Supper. The Lord’s Supper is something that we have the honor of participating in as believers. While it is not required for salvation, it is an ordinance.
It is a beautiful thing to get to partake in the Lord’s Supper and to be surrounded by our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Some churches take part in the Lord’s Supper every Sunday, whereas others have it quarterly.
Ultimately, it depends on the church, but if you stay at a church long enough, you should be able to participate in the Lord’s Supper.
During the Lord’s Supper, you are normally given a communion wafer and fruit juice; however, some churches use bread or crackers rather than a communion wafer.
The communion wafer, cracker, or bread is supposed to symbolize Christ’s body, and the fruit juice symbolizes the blood Jesus shed for us. It is an honor to take part in this ceremony and to praise the Lord for His great sacrifice on the cross.
For further reading:
Does God Care What Church We Go To?
5 Reminders for the Modern Church and the Body of Christ
7 Pieces of Advice for New Christians Looking for a Church
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Granger Wootz
