All In At Church

Pastor DaronCrossLife Blog

While church membership across denominational lines, as a whole, is decreasing, researchers have discovered a bright spot:

Higher commitment among core church members.

If that’s you, thank you! If that’s not you, and either you’ve drifted from church or yet to discover church, please know that the church has a place for you. You can connect or reconnect with church and still be uncertain about your commitment level. That develops over time.

For today, I want to share what that looks like. Here are five reasons that committed, core church members are “all in.”

ONE: Commitment to a church is thoroughly biblical. 

The New Testament, from Acts 2 through Revelation 3, is about the local church, or at least it was written in the context of the local church. Jesus himself loves organized religion, and God has organized the church as one body with many members.

TWO: Commitment to a church engenders accountability. 

After the first church started in Jerusalem, the Bible describes their initial activity: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42). These first church members understood that their Christian life was communal, not a solo act. They thus devoted themselves to “fellowship,” a term that meant more than potluck meals. It meant taking care of one another and holding one another accountable.

THREE: Commitment to a church creates a pathway to fully and deeply study Scripture. 

Committed church members enjoy their own personal study and devotion time. Second, they are active in a church small group where Bible study takes place. Third, they hear the Word in weekly sermons. Many say that the digital church they moved to during the pandemic was insufficient for a robust study of God’s Word. For them, it has to take place in person.

FOUR: Commitment to a church is necessary for Great Commission obedience.

Research shows an incipient but growing evangelistic movement in churches, and God is using committed members as the catalyst. They thrive evangelistically when the church as a whole commits to proclaiming Christ together. It gives them a plan and a system of accountability.

FIVE: Commitment to a church is good for families. 

It’s common to hear that a healthy church benefits marriages and children. 

These five reasons and their explanations were presented by Thom Rainer and posted by The Gospel Coalition at https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/5-reasons-all-in-church/. 

PRAYER: O Holy Spirit, lover of the church and creator of faith, pour out your love, your power, and your mysterious movement on the church today. Encourage core members, and embrace the curious or the concerned. Inspire a new level of commitment in us all. Amen.

FURTHER MEDITATION: Slow down, and use the PRAY acronym. Go ahead and set a time for at least 3 minutes and spend time talking to God:

  • Praise (tell God what you appreciate about church)
  • Repent (tell God about your sins of neglect and laziness when it comes to church commitment, trust in the saving work of Jesus who loves you and the church)
  • Ask (for a new level of commitment, and for the church to represent Christ)
  • Yield (talk to God about the next step after you say “Amen,” how you want faith to lead the way, how you are willing to be part of his answer and see it develop for your good)