Why should you get baptized? Christ not only commands believers to get baptized, baptism is also a gift he graciously gives for our benefit and blessing.
Articles on Church Membership
112 results found
10 Things You Should Know about Church Discipline
Church discipline is not man’s idea, but God’s. Learn more about what it is and why it's so purposeful in the Christian life.
10 Key Bible Verses on the Church
And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
7 Good Reasons to Leave a Church
Illegitimate reasons for leaving a church abound, but there are circumstances when it is right to make the painful decision to leave.
Why the Church Is Vitally Important for Every Christian
Mention the church to a group of Christians and you are likely to get a mixed response.
10 Things You Should Know about Church Membership
Local church membership is not the only way we clarify the distinction between the world and the church, but it is one way we make it visible and plain.
10 Reasons to Come Back to Church after COVID-19
Many churches are now resuming our meetings, or will soon. But these new services feel strange. Some believers may feel tempted not to come at all.
Is There a Difference between Pastors and Elders? (1 Timothy 3)
Besides having good character, what qualifications must one meet in order to oversee others in the church?
9 Ways to Guard Your Personal Relationship with God
Like all healthy and satisfying relationships, our relationship with God needs time and energy.
Pray your pastor would love God, and you, so much that he would be willing to disappoint you for God’s glory.
What to Do If You’re Chronically Frustrated at Church
If you're chronically frustrated at church, the primary solution is not to try to fix things but to recenter your focus on God.
4 Ways Paul Encourages Us to Love the Church (Even When It’s Hard)
Like it did for Paul, the truth should shape us, so that belonging to an ordinary gathering of unremarkable people becomes one of the highest joys and greatest privileges of our lives.
I want to conduct a thought experiment by thinking about how some of our behavior can negatively affect our pastors.
10 Ways to Fracture Your Church
You only have to be a Christian for a short time before you realize that churches suffer from disunity and splits after seasons of peace as surely as valleys follow rolling hills.
7 Key Characteristics of the Church
Reformation theology established seven characteristics or identity markers of the church.
7 Tips for Cultivating Deeper Relationships at Church
Belonging is much deeper than fitting in, and it’s much more satisfying than merely having other people around. To belong is one of our deepest human needs.
An Open Letter to the Church Member Hurt by Their Local Church
Local churches hurt people. People hurt people, of course; but since churches are people, churches have the capacity to inflict severe relational pain.
Are You a Healthy Church Member?
A healthy church member is deeply committed to and practices particular disciplines within a local church.
8 Tips for Taking Good Sermon Notes
Consider using these eight tips, and use a notebook or the margins of your ESV Journaling Bible to record thoughts and sermon notes.
7 Bad Reasons to Leave a Church
Before you begin searching for a new church, consider these 7 reasons you shouldn't.
Infographic: What Does Your Church Mean to You?
We asked over 10,000 people to share their views of church. In this infographic, we present some of the interesting results.
10 Things You Should Know about the Church after COVID-19
In all the important ways, nothing has changed about church. We are still the people of God, gathered in the presence of God, to bring glory to God.
7 Tips for Loving “Those” People in Your Church
What do you do with “those” people in your church—the ones who drive you crazy? If love at church were easy, how would that testify to the power of his saving work in our lives?
50 Reasons We Appreciate Our Pastors
We recently invited our readers to finish the following sentence: "In the last year, I have appreciated my pastor because he . . ." Here are 50 of our favorite responses.
3 Causes for Political Tension between Christians
Jonathan Leeman, Andrew David Naselli
What is going on when a disagreements affects your heart’s posture or hinders fellowship with another person in your church?
3 Questions about Small Groups
We should be asking ourselves if we act like family members of the church and whether or not our participation in the church strengthens or weakens it.
10 Things You Should Know about Being Single
God made you and me for far more than marriage. If we miss this, we risk wasting our lives running in wrong directions, pursuing pitiful dreams, and serving tiny gods.
5 Common Ways Church Members Go Astray
How can church elders engage relationally with their local fellowship and keep a watch out for church members who may be straying?
I’m passionate that every Christian display the gospel in their lives, which is why I’m passionate about church membership.
An Open Letter to the Older Women in the Church
Older women, read Titus 2, and be encouraged to embrace your calling to train younger women in the church.
How (and How Not) to Keep the Sabbath
It is tempting to rush into discussions about what to do (and not to do) on the Sabbath. But before we get there, there are a couple of questions that we need to ask.
Help! People at Church Are Driving Me Crazy
Who isn’t discouraged by conflict at church? After all, church should be as close as we get to heaven on earth, right?
Help! I Have a Problem with My Pastor
Don't let your pastor be the only thing that connects you to your church.
A Category You Won't Find in the Bible: The Churchless Christian
The New Testament apostles can't conceive of anything called a Christian that's not connected to Christ's body.
The Awkward and Essential Challenge of Christian Community
This new book calls us to embrace the uncomfortable aspects of Christian community, whether that means believing difficult truths, pursuing difficult holiness, or loving difficult people.
What Is a Healthy Way to Leave a Church?
Leaving the church is painful for Christians and pastors, and we've seen a lot of it over the last couple of years through COVID, election crises, and racial crises.
Should the Church Operate Like a Business?
How we think about the church will affect how we think about our service in the church.
Church Membership Is Not a One-Way Street
What is church membership? It’s the commitment Christians make to keep one another accountable for regularly gathering and centering their lives together on the gospel.
How to Pray for Your Pastor’s Family
Would you like to show your pastor your appreciation but are unsure what might be most helpful to him? More than any other gift you could give your pastor, he will treasure your prayers for his family.
5 Questions about the Local Church
Ultimately, the local church makes visible what is invisible, and reflects in words and deeds the kingdom life that is to come.
Dangers for the Churchless Christian
If you try to grow as a Christian apart from a church, your growth will be misshapen.
An Open Letter to Graduating High School Seniors
Of all the decisions you’ll face this year, the most important one may be whether you get up and go to church on the very first Sunday when no one is there to make sure that you go.
5 Guidelines for Preparing Congregational Prayer
Effective public prayer must be well-prepared prayer. This is the engine that will move all the other principles.
Help! My Kids Don’t Like Going to Church
One of parents’ chief responsibilities is to train our children to be worshippers. And bringing our kids to church, whether they like it or not, is an essential act of discipleship.
What a Church Is . . . and Isn't
The church is not a place. It’s not a building. It’s not a preaching point. It’s not a spiritual service provider. It’s a people—the new-covenant, blood-bought people of God.
3 Important Questions for the Church about the Lord’s Supper
The Lord’ Supper is an ordinance of remembrance, and recipients must turn their minds to the cross as they approach the Table.
Help! I Love Jesus but Not the Church
Have you given up on the church? Shift your gaze from your hurt and disappointment and behold the church through the eyes of Christ.
Tithing in Financially Tight Times
Giving out of scarcity declares in an especially profound way that God is better than money.
7 Checklist Items for Your Next Church Search
Consider these seven key items to look for and prioritize when you embark on your next church search.
How Can I Love People Even When They’re Wrong?
Paul told us in Romans 12:9 to “abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” But what happens when we disagree on what’s “evil” and what’s “good?”
Loving Others through Political Difference
Jonathan Leeman, Andrew David Naselli
What is wisdom? It’s a capacity of mind that combines the fear of the Lord with the skill of living in God’s created but fallen world in a way that yields justice, peace, and flourishing.
Podcast: Is the Church Facing a Discipleship Crisis? (Ajith Fernando)
Has the church neglected one-on-one discipleship? Why should an emphasis on this kind of intensive discipleship be recaptured today?
Men: Don’t Neglect These 4 Key Spiritual Disciplines
Godliness requires discipline. Here are four categories to commit to growing in.
Why the Church Needs Teens and Teens Need the Church
Because they are a part of the body of Christ, teens should be included in the active community of the church.
Learning Money Management from Jesus
We need to teach much more clearly and with far greater boldness the biblical message that we will have to give an account to God, and that the choices we make today have eternal consequences.
Can We Have Jesus without the Church?
Being in fellowship with a church is integral to participating as a part of the body of Christ.
Why You Can’t Be a Christian without the Church
A Christian is someone who, by virtue of his reconciliation with God, has been reconciled to God’s people.
3 Misconceptions about Christian Growth
For the Christian to grow in a healthy way, we must clarify what growth is and is not.
Should I Choose a Church for Its Pastor?
The centrality of the Word coming from the front, from the preacher, the one specially gifted by God and called to that ministry, is the most important thing you can look for in a church.
5 Questions about Church Membership
The local church is the authority on earth that Jesus has instituted to officially affirm and give shape to my Christian life and yours.
Podcast: What If I Don’t Feel Like Going to Church? (Gunner Gundersen)
What do we do when we just don't feel like gathering with God's people in corporate worship, and how has the pandemic affected us in this area?
Before You Gather, Mourn Your Sin
In our avoidance of sadness, we often numb ourselves to death with entertainment. Perhaps what we’re running from is not just sadness; perhaps we’re running from ourselves.
5 Questions about Church Discipline
What is church discipline? Is it biblical? Jonathan Leeman answers five questions about church discipline.
Teens Need Something They Can’t Find Online
It is vitally important today for all of us to prioritize our local church even as the rest of the world moves more of life online. The body of Christ is essential to spiritual growth.
4 Ways to Help Save Your Pastor from Burnout
The reasons for pastoral burnout are deeper and more complex than just how congregations relate to their pastors. Intentional support can help alleviate some of the main causes.
An Open Letter to the Churchless Christian
It is impossible to have a faithful walk with Christ and Christian life—biblically or practically—without committed participation in a local church.
You Don’t Get the Church You Want, but the One You Need
Collin Hansen, Jonathan Leeman
You have many reasons not to go to church. That’s why we see this moment in history as an opportunity to rediscover church.
The Proper Expectation for Pastor’s Wives
It's important to remember our families are members of our churches and not unpaid staff.
Pastor: What Your Wife Wishes You Knew about Being a Pastor’s Wife
Having been a pastor’s wife for many years, let me share with you some of the struggles your wife may be dealing with.
The Importance of the Gathered Church
Love is messy. You know what else? The gospel is messy. It means loving sinners—people like you and me.
Dear Pastor . . . Don’t Undervalue the Sacraments
Many pastors and churches today grant the sacraments a low status in public worship, but the sacraments have played a vital role in nourishing God’s people throughout church history.
Spiritually Hungry? The Church Service Is Your Main Meal
We have a set-apart opportunity to breathe in God’s breathed-out words, to hear, and to believe. I want to encourage you: this matters!
Revival Is a Corporate Blessing
Revival is a work of the Spirit, it is extraordinary, and it comes to a group of people.
The Mission of Your Church Will Shape How You Think
A church’s mission impacts what kind of church you will join. Different churches will shape your conscience, your spiritual life, and your worship differently.
Who’s in Charge at Church? 3 Ways the Answer Is You
The whole congregation has the responsibility for its health, its preaching, and its membership. All the members together are responsible.
An Open Letter to the New Christian
Now that you're a Christian, what do you in the days, weeks, months, and years ahead? Here are a few practical suggestions as you seek to follow the Lord.
What If I Differ with My Pastor on Politics?
You may disagree with your pastor’s approach on a particular issue. He could be wrong. You could be wrong. It may be important enough to leave. It may not.
The Benefits of Honoring Singleness
In God's economy, blessing our spiritual family becomes a blessing to us.
How Is the Church Doing at Caring for One Another?
Are we caring for one another the way the Bible instructs us to do so?
4 Ways to Prepare for Ministry
Perhaps you’re looking for boxes to check, some way to easily measure your progress toward the pastorate. Now you’re left feeling a bit frustrated. So what now?
Observing the Sabbath Starts on Monday Morning
I need to order my life Monday through Saturday so that I can do the work God has given me to do in the six days that he's given me. And if I can't do that, then the problem is on my end.
Carolyn Mahaney, Nicole Mahaney Whitacre
When we come to the house of God—in Solomon’s day, the temple, and in our time, the church—we are coming into the presence of God.
Help! My Small Group Is Not Working
When we say community isn’t working, what we are really saying is that our expectations were not met.
Ask for Grace and Go to Church
The reasons you don’t feel like going to church might be good, bad, or ugly. But, as a fellow sheep loved by the same Shepherd, I’m asking you to trust God, ask for grace, and go.
Why Listening to a Podcast Is Not a Substitute for Going to Church
Going to a church has many benefits. If you are physically able to attend a church, you should make it a priority.
4 Ways Healthy Church Members Cultivate True Growth
How do healthy church members cultivate such growth? The following are some suggestions for continuing to develop godliness or holiness in life.
As much as a church does facilitate and organize relationships and practices, the church is more than a means to an end, a utilitarian resource for an individual Christian’s needs.
Church, State, and the Authority of Jesus
Imperium means supreme power or absolute dominion, and it gets at the idea of where the buck stops in a society.
4 Feasts We Eat Every Week at Church
The primary spiritual meal of our week is before us on Sunday mornings. Through a sumptuous banquet for our hungry souls, God’s word nourishes us. Together.
Don’t Fall for This Misconception about Singleness
The church is family to all of those without brothers and sisters, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters.
When defining the term “missional community,” I often take time to clarify what it’s not.
Podcast: Prayer as an Invitation, Not an Obligation (John Onwuchekwa)
In this episode, John Onwuchekwa discusses how prayer can deepen our relationship with God instead of being a source of guilt.
Why You Should Join an Imperfect Church
We need the body of Christ to grow and to know what it means to be a mature Christian.
Podcast: The Rewarding Risks of Church Membership (Thabiti Anyabwile)
Thabiti Anyabwile reflects on the value and benefits of local church membership, showing what the Bible really teaches about the idea of formal membership.
What Churches Should Look for in a Missionary
Churches should carefully assess the character, fruitfulness, and Bible knowledge of the missionaries they hope to send.
Aim to be mistaken for an elder before you are appointed an elder. All pastors are elders, and every elder is a pastor.
Spiritual Authority in an Anti-Authoritarian Age
God-appointed church leadership is for our good, stability, health, and protection.
3 Questions Leaders Should Ask Themselves about Equipping the Church for Ministry
Here are three questions for church leaders to ask themselves before trying to help their people love each other better.
Foreign Missions in Your Own Hometown
Engaging with your local community can provide numerous opportunities to practice international missions close to home.
The antidote to hypocrisy is humility. What good deeds do you do that are seen by few or none? When did you last volunteer for a menial task?
11 Notable Quotes from A Place to Belong
Though our congregations are made up of ordinary people engaged in predictable practices, we are an outpost of heaven itself.
16 Ways Pastors Can Work for Unity in Politically Divisive Times
Jonathan Leeman, Andrew David Naselli
In an increasingly anti-Christian culture, what’s important is how we respond to those who vote or believe differently, to learn how to make at least some space for them, and to encourage charity and forbearance.
Podcast: What Keeps You from Going to Church? (Jonathan Leeman)
Jonathan Leeman discusses the vital importance of in-person church fellowship, how we can and should prioritize involvement with the people of God in a local church—especially after a year like 2020.
What C. S. Lewis Can Teach Us about Youth Ministry
C. S. Lewis provides a case study of what is missing from most youth ministries in the United States.
You Are Being Changed for the Good of the Church
When we join Jesus, we join his family and his mission. When Jesus Christ is Lord, he integrates disciples into a missional church family.
How Community Helps When Battling Loneliness
Church relationships, fellowship with other believers, and being involved in a local church are crucial.
Podcast: Why Have So Many People Stopped Going to Church? (Paul Tripp)
Paul Tripp reflects on the importance of not just the universal church but the local gathered church, and he responds to many of the reasons that people stop going to church.
Why the Church Can Rest in Christ’s Victory
We’re a part of what the Lord is doing in the world when we’re pastoring a church or even a member of a church. We know that he will accomplish his good end.
5 Ways to Serve Your Pastor's Wife
There are practical ways that we can help and support the women who support our pastoral staff. Here are five.
Podcast: How to Find a New Church (Edward W. Klink III)
Mickey Klink talks about what you should look for in a new church, what factors should impact your decision, and what warning signs to be on the lookout for in your search.
When the Podcast Preacher Isn't Enough
We need more than a podcast to truly grow in our walk of faith.
How to Befriend Your Pastor's Wife
Jen Wilkin offers some practical advice for befriending your pastor's wife.