Community Christian Church
  • Home
  • About
    • We Believe
  • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Prayer Requests
    • Assistance Resources
  • Events
  • Sermons
    • Current Series
    • Guest Sermons
    • Sermon Archives
    • Live
  • From Tyler's Desk
  • Links
  • Donate
Picture

What It Means To Be A Christian In The Church

9/1/2014

0 Comments

 
Sometimes a person will say to me, “I’m a Christian, but I don’t believe you have to belong to a church to be one.” Or they will ask, “Can I be a Christian without being a church member?” In short, the answer is “no.” One hundred percent of the time when a person has said such things to me it is because they are not really committed to following Christ and being a part of His purpose—I’m not being judgmental, but you can tell. The Bible is clear that to be a Christian IS to belong to the Church, and the way one does that is to belong to a local congregation wherein they can grow in their understanding of Christ and mature in their service on behalf of His Kingdom. Such things do not happen outside of involvement with other Christians in the church.

In Romans 12:5 the Apostle Paul indicates that in Christ’s body “each member belongs to all the others.” He is talking about the church, and this goes deeper than the modern concept of being a “member” of some club. Paul is saying that we are profoundly interdependent with one another, much like the various parts of our body are interdependent with each other.

Throughout the New Testament there are a number of “one another” verses that show Christians what it means to be a responsible church member. There are no less than nine different ways illustrated by which the church interacted with “one another.” As you read through the practices of a responsible member of Christ’s community, the church, see how you’re doing in your service to “one another.”

Practice 1 – Affirm one another’s strengths, abilities, and gifts by honoring one another (Romans 12:10), not grumbling against each other (James 5:9), and confirming the gifts of one another (Rom. 12:3-8).

Practice 2 – Affirm one another’s equal importance in Christ by accepting one another just as Christ accepted you (Rom. 15:7), having equal concern for each other (1 Cor. 12:25), and not showing favoritism (James 2:1).

Practice 3 – Affirm one another through visible affection by being quick to listen and slow to speak (James 1:19), and by being kind and compassionate to one another (Eph. 4:32). See also Romans 16:16 and 1 Thessalonians 3:12.

Practice 4 – Share one another’s space, goods, and time by being devoted to one another in brotherly love (Rom. 12:10), by offering hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9), and by doing good as you have opportunity (Gal. 6:10).

Practice 5 – Share one another’s needs and problems by carrying each other’s burdens (Gal. 6:2), and encouraging one another (1 Thess. 5:11).

Practice 6 – Share one another’s beliefs, thinking, and spirituality by teaching and admonishing one another (Col. 3:16), speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19), and by living in harmony with one another (Rom. 12:16).

Practice 7 – Serve one another through accountability by confessing your sins to each other and praying for each other (James 5:16), instructing one another (Rom. 15:14), and by speaking truthfully (Eph. 4:25).

Practice 8 – Serve one another through forgiveness and reconciliation by being completely humble and gentle, patient, and bearing with one another in love (Eph. 4:2). Don’t provoke or envy one another (Gal. 5:26), don’t slander one another (James 4:11), and reestablish broken relationships with one another (Matt. 5:23-24; 18:15).

Practice 9 – Serve one another’s interests rather than your own by spurring one another on toward love and good deeds (Heb. 10:24), not pleasing yourself but pleasing others (Rom. 15:1-2), and by serving one another (Gal. 5:13).

As you can see, it is impossible to be a Christian by yourself outside of the community called “the church.” In this fall season, I want to encourage you to be committed to Jesus by being faithful and responsible as a member of His body and the community He established—the church.

Blessings to you!
Tyler

0 Comments

    Archives

    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

​Facebook

Contact

​Subscribe

Watch

Blog


VISIT 400 E. State Street (M-21), St. Johns
CALL (989) 224-6421

JOIN US!

SUNDAY
​

9:00 am
​1st Worship Gathering
10:00 am
Adult & Children's Bible Study
​11:00 am
2nd Worship Gathering
WEDNESDAY

6:00 pm
Kingdom Kids  (K-5th)
​& Adult Bible Study
SUNDAY

5:00 pm
Journey

(​6th-12th)
​Youth Group
  • Home
  • About
    • We Believe
  • Contact
    • Subscribe
    • Prayer Requests
    • Assistance Resources
  • Events
  • Sermons
    • Current Series
    • Guest Sermons
    • Sermon Archives
    • Live
  • From Tyler's Desk
  • Links
  • Donate