Depart from the flock. Become lamb chop.

6 reasons to stay in fellowship.

My sister-in-law shared this quote with me recently. It’s equal parts amusing and sobering. It’s amazing to me how many people who ‘follow Jesus’ see participation and commitment to a local fellowship an optional extra. I’m a church planter and a pastor so perhaps my thoughts are biased?! Tell me what you think. I’m so very passionate about creating healthy Christian community. I do talk about this frequently at church, but tend to lean into the encouragement and positive view point rather than the dangers or negatives. I also value people’s freedom to choose and am not into legalism either. I think generally in our culture (myself included!) we are conflict adverse and never want to challenge people, I know I’m reluctant to do it! So here I am, reserving my strongest words from the relative safety of a substack post- Read on if you dare; don’t say I didn’t warn you!
The following is a list (just some!) of the reasons why I think commitment to local fellowship is (or should be), a non negotiable for those serious about their faith and discipleship.

1. Jesus wants us to.

   Surely this is the biggest reason? In john 17 Jesus prayed for his followers to ‘be one, as we are one’. How can we be one if we don’t even see each other once a week? I mean, the once a week thing really is just the base line minimum. The church in the book of Acts met DAILY. Do you think you can do what you are called to as a follower of Jesus by meeting with other believers once a month or less? How can you develop the kind of relationships that look like ‘oneness’ without commitment to seeing other Christians regularly? Relationships take time to build. The family of God is a KEY part of our witness to the world. We represent Jesus as a BODY, not as single parts. This community thing, its the ESSENCE of Christianity. Read the words of Jesus in John 17. HIS prayer and HIS dream is for oneness amongst his people. Our first and most basic step in obedience and response to this is surely meeting with other Christians AT LEAST once a week. If we care about what Jesus cares about, this is a priority for us.

   I can hear the push back to going to church ‘Why do I have to go to church to do this? I see other Christians regulary!’
   Yep that’s great, but every time you gather with other Christians is your goal to worship him? To be in the word together? Encourage, edify, rebuke? or are you just catching up? They are quite different things. To gather with the whole purpose of worshipping and learning about Him. Yes you can re-create this in small groups. That can be legitimate expression of THE church. But I don’t think very many people are ACTUALLY doing this when they gather with other believers socially. It’s hard work to foster and sustain vital faith relationships; to be committed to them, and stay committed in the way that results in ‘Oneness’. Its perhaps just less work to go along to an already existing church and catch up with other believers in ADDITION to this regular commitment. We do need to do both.
   Make a commitment to weekly fellowship a non-negotiable rock in your week to ensure you don’t slip in the centring of your life around Jesus.
   

2. For your own safety.
   If you were a soldier in a physical battlefield, you are unlikely to go out into the firing zone solo. Going rogue into enemy fire is a reckless move! No, in a battle scenario you have structure, training, a team to be a part of and there is a hierarchy of leadership that brings greater strategy, insight and ultimately protection for all. Everyone has a role, clear authority to follow and responsibilities to carry out. You wouldn’t dream of going into war solo, yet countless people take this approach spiritually. We are blase about the nature of the spiritual combat happening around and within us. We can’t see it with our physical eyes and so we get complacent.
   When we meet regularly in worship, in the word and fellowship, when we are in mutual submission with other believers and those called to leadership, we are in a greater place of protection.

   The war is over your mind and whether you will stay in alignment with the truth of God or not. As we meet regularly we remind each other of the truths that can be forgotten so easily. We receive encouragement, accountability and challenge to live according to Gods ways. When we get out of the habit of this, we are more prone to believing our own ideas, or lies of the enemy. We are a smug lot, us humans, we really think we know best and struggle with humility. Humility says ‘I know my own weakness and my need for help to walk the road of discipleship.’

   The world is full of lies, deception and distraction. We aren’t able to stand against these things on our own. We need the backing of the body of Christ, we need each other to help stay the course. Don’t be so arrogant to think you can do it on your own. The enemy is desperate to trip you up and take you out spiritually (as well as every other way too) the first step he takes is to try and isolate you from other believers. This should be a red flag to all of us. When we are tempted to pull away due to hurt, disappointment and frustration, don’t let your pain be the end of fellowship. This is vital! the enemy will use unforgiveness and offense as a snare to take you down! Push against this! Forgiveness is non-negotiable as believers! (Yes there are times we need to leave certain situations, I understand that, but it should not be game over for fellowship. seek God as to where you can be connected to other believers.) Don’t leave the flock, don’t be lamb chop!

3. So others can see Jesus.
   I touched on this already. Our communal life together is the window into the love of God that the world needs to see. I’m not making this up, it’s Jesus’ words;
   “so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
   Our unity as his followers is VITAL for the world to see and understand God’s love. No wonder it is attacked so ferociously by the enemy! Church splits, toxic cultures and rifts in relationships abound. We must fight for the unity that Jesus desires in us so that others can find Jesus in our midst. Love looks like something! We all want to GO to a church where it feels like family. Where every age and stage is represented, where new and old believers can grow and flourish, where kids can grow up in a healthy community and discover who they are in God. Are we willing to help create?
   It takes a tipping-point number of people to create a core group that enables a healthy culture to thrive. Are you willing to be one of those committed core?

   -Someone who recognises the respoinsbility for community also lies with them?
   -One who sacrifices to create an environment so that others can also flourish?
   -That puts others before their own comforts and convenience working for the greater mission?
   We need PILLARS in the house of God, who are there not just for the highs but also in the lows AND the plateaus! Holding and carrying the community so that there is a healthy home for others to land in. THIS is what it’s all about. We all want to be there at the end celebrating, but are we willing to GIVE what is required to get there? So many are ready to talk about how the church is failing, but who is willing to pour their life out to see it thrive?

   
   

4. For the kids! (and everyone else)

   It’s mind boggling to me how many people taper off coming to church when kids arrive… Look I get it. Going to church with babies and toddlers can be difficult! You may not hear anything of the sermon, or participate in worship and it can feel like; ‘whats the point?’I could just watch a sermon on line instead. Let’s skip it for few years and come back when the kids are older…’
   Let’s reframe. Coming to church and the commitment to be there, is not about hearing a sermon every week. We all know we can hear better sermons than our pastor brings on a podcast any day of the week. Thats not why we gather, not primarily anyway. We gather because we are showing, in our commitment with our time and schedule, that gathering to celebrate Jesus weekly is our top priority. When we stop doing this, and we put other things above it, it says something. It says what is really important to us. We make work the things that are important to us. Staying committed to fellowship during challenging seasons is reason in itself! It demonstrates the priority of faith. AND it sends a message to your kids that this is important to your family, it’s a non-negotiable. We celebrate Jesus. Rain or shine, good days or bad. This habit gets into the bones of your little ones. You’d be surprised how much they absorb from weekly time at church in fellowship. Those little years are vital in forming them! Also, don’t under-estimate the beauty and impact bringing babies and toddlers has on others at the church. There is a richness when ALL ages are a part of fellowship. Yep, it can be hard, but the tough days are worth it for the end goal of richer connections forged through regularly times together over many seasons. You can’t short circuit this without losing out. One day when you want to re connect your kids with church it may not be so easy to re-enter when you’ve operated out of a convenience mentality. Don’t rob them and the wider community of the possibility of connection and growth together. I could say SO much more on this topic, but I’ll leave it there!
   

5. He’s worth it.

   who or what gets your first and best? the first and best of your time, attention, money, passion and interest? Look at your bank account- what does it tell you about your priorities? Look at your calendar what insight does that bring about whats most important to you? These things don’t lie. Its not about your good intentions. How much of your time is DEVOTED to Him? Does your job get the first and best of you? Why? Because they give you money? Consider and critque your loyalties. Isn’t Jesus worth getting the first and the best of our time and money? These two things demonstrate where our heart is more than any other. I like to think of church as a ‘time tithe’. Sunday gathering is that chunk i’m giving to Him and i’m going to fight for that. I’m going to treat this commitment with more honour (or at least as much!) than my employment. Yes there are times when I won’t be there, but they will be rare. I won’t not go on a whim or because better invite comes up at the last minute. This priority speaks powerfully to everyone around you and demonstrates the importance you place on faith. It’s a WITNESS to the work Jesus has done and is doing in you and your response to it.

6. You’re needed

   As a pastor of a small church, there are many times I’ve felt the real pain of the absence of other believers. People who love Jesus and have made our church ‘their home’ yet are irregular or patchy in attending. They don’t understand that their absence is felt, the lack of commitment hurts. Hurts the ones who are there consistently, serving, loving, supporting. We are missing something without them. We are a body and every-body has a part to play. When you aren’t present, the church misses out on the gifts you bring. I think, often people just don’t understand how significant they are. It’s one of the many lies of the enemy. But every person brings a powerful contribution, even just by simply being present, even in times where they may feel they have nothing to give… the fact that they are giving their time, that they are THERE, they are worshipping, they are listening… This is a powerful witness to their faith and it honours both God and his community. We come to church not just to receive or get some encouragement we are there because we also have something to give, something that will be missing if we don’t bring it. Your smile, your listening ear, your presence, your gifts is/are significant.
   So many people dip in and then out of church because ‘I didn’t feel connected’. Connection takes time to establish. What if you approached with the question instead of ‘Can I help create connection here’?
   If you are a believer out of fellowship, take responsibility for your part in creating the family of God He desires for us to be. Your family is missing something only you can bring! We need you!