I hear many people say that they want or need to get plugged into a local church, but they aren’t sure where to start. Maybe you are one of those people.
There are a variety of reasons why you aren’t in a church today. Maybe COVID kept you home. Maybe the cares and concerns of life drug you away. Perhaps there was a prolonged illness, or you became the care-giver for an aging parent or ailing spouse. You could have moved to a new home or a new city and you just haven’t made the effort to find a church or the idea of meeting all of those new people scares you. Maybe, you realize that you want and need a church, but you’ve never been part of a church, so you just don’t even know where to begin.
Regardless of why you are not engaged in a local church, here are 5 steps you can take to get plugged into a healthy church this week.
- Ask a Christian friend if you can attend their church with them. Hopefully you have Christian friends who have invited you to their church, but if not, just ask them. They will will be thrilled that you are interested and they will save a seat for you. Also, if you ask someone, you have built-in accountability. They will be looking for you to show up on Sunday morning.
- Utilize the internet. Most churches have a website and, because of COVID, most now have some sort of video that you can watch to get a feel for the kind of preaching, worship style, and even dress of the congregants. If you are really interested in getting plugged into a church, then start looking for one you can visit. I would encourage you, as you look for your church home, that you not only look at their online presence, but consider proximity to your home. Is the church close enough to your home that you can see yourself attending there regularly. Pay attention to the style of worship and the dress of the people. Can you see yourself feeling comfortable there? You can also use a church’s website to find out what sorts of ministries exist.
- Begin talking with your family right now. If you have a spouse and/or children, begin talking now with them about your plans to begin attending church. If church attendance is a new thing, involve them in the process. They are more likely to be open to the idea if they feel like they are involved in the process. Who knows, they might be thinking the same thing and have an idea of a great church to visit.
- Lay your clothes out on Saturday night. Trust me. If you plan to attend church this Sunday, there is a good chance that your Sunday morning will be filled with challenges–there are spiritual forces at work that desire to keep you separated from gathering with God’s people on Sunday morning. Do all that you can on Saturday night to make Sunday morning stress-free.
- Arrive 10-15 minutes early. Sometimes, folks uncomfortable attending church try to show up right at the time for service to begin so that they can just blend in. But, if you arrive 3 minutes before service begins, and the worship center is full, then you may actually be made to feel more uncomfortable as a greeter tries to find you a seat. Arrive a few minutes early and find a seat. You’ll be glad you did. Also, this way, if you have little kids that need to get to the nursery, you can get them there easily.
Remember, no one is judging you. Jesus convicts. Satan condemns. Jesus knows our sin, but calls us by our name. Satan knows our name, but calls us by our sin. Does the mere thought of church attendance bring you feelings of dread? That isn’t coming from God. Have you been out of church a long time? Are you afraid you wouldn’t be welcome? Do you think the church will catch fire if you walk in? You’re wrong. We want you. We want to welcome you, and Jesus stands ready to receive you. He knows your name, and he wants you to fellowship with him.
Have you been saying that you need to get into church?
Stop procrastinating. Go find a healthy church. Visit this week. Visit again. Find a small group or LifeGroup or Sunday School Class. Join the church. Then, watch as God works through his word and his people to make your church more than a place you attend once a week–God will transform your church into an extension of your family and a vital community where your life will be changed and where you will have a chance to participate in the change in the lives of others.
Photo by Tom Ramalho on Unsplash
Comfortable? Comfortable? We don’t go to church to feel comfortable and to fit in, but to worship God and be challenged by His Word. Both of which are mighty UNcomfortable.