In a sermon of mine awhile back, I mentioned some benefits of church affiliation. That was not the heart of my message. It was just a point I was making during the sermon. But as I thought about it later, I decided to share those benefits in this post.
We know salvation does not require church attendance. You can get from earth to heaven without ever putting your foot in the building of a local church. It is also true that in America, most denominations are seeing a decline in church attendance. So then, what are the benefits of church affiliation that make it worthwhile these days? Let me share four benefits taken from my sermon.
Why Believers Should Value Church Affiliation
First and foremost, church affiliation provides the opportunity for our spiritual growth. This spiritual growth occurs mainly through biblical teaching and preaching. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God,” Jesus says (Matthew 4:4). Furthermore, God gives different spiritual and ministry gifts to each of us. These are for edifying the body as whole. This dynamic occurs only when the people of God gather together in His name. That’s one reason we should not forsake the assembly.
Church affiliation provides opportunities for fellowship. In order for fellowship to occur, a common interest must exist between those involved. When Christians assemble, that criterion is satisfied. They share a common interest because they are all on the Christian journey. Only they really know the uniqueness of that experience. Because they can relate to each other that way, they can effectively minister to each other.
Church affiliation provides opportunities for youths to meet new Christian friends. Christian parents should want their sons and daughters to meet friends that will be positive and/or godly influences in their lives. Our teens and adolescents need to see that others their age also identify with Christ. Some are even radically in love with the Lord. I believe the local church is the best venue for youths to meeting godly friends. I am thinking specifically about those local churches that have established effective youth ministries.
Church affiliation provides opportunities for finding a godly mate for dating and ultimately marriage. Really? Yes! There is nothing wrong with a young man or young woman praying and hoping to find someone in church for dating. What better place to observe a person’s heart for God. Looking in church for a mate is far better than going to the local bar and looking for trouble. Yes, I know, we must keep this looking-for-a-mate-in-church stuff in proper perspective.
A Unique Role for the Church
Neither church attendance nor membership is not required for salvation. But the benefits mentioned above are priceless to people of faith. Local churches are uniquely positioned to provide those benefits to Christians. No secular organization can equally provide them. Hence, to make church affiliation more desirable to people of faith, the church needs to focus on providing the unique benefits mentioned above.
Copyright © 2022 by Frank King. All rights reserved.