In our continued sharing on the topic of church membership, I think you’ll enjoy a fresh perspective from long time family friend, Rebekah Inman. Wisdom beyond her years is provided to us from this newlywed in her early twenties.

Imagine a firefighter trying to do it all alone. While attempting to single-handedly man the fire truck, prepare the hoses, and find a working water supply, he wonders whether this was the wisest choice. He didn’t like the rigidity of working with a fire crew or the mandatory meeting times. There was even disagreement about the most effective ways to put out fires. But now that he’s facing a burning building and terrified victims, all those differences seem pretty insignificant.

Now imagine a Christian trying to do it all alone. Organizing outreach events, preparing food boxes, and witnessing in a large community are daunting tasks for one individual to undertake. Many Christians struggle with church politics, inconvenient service times, and various evangelism strategies, so they refuse to collaborate with other congregations in their area. Others will even opt out of local church membership altogether. When faced with countless individuals who simply need to meet Jesus, however, all those differences seem much less significant.

Chuck Colson wisely noted, “Membership in a confessing body is fundamental to the faithful Christian life… The ‘saved’ one can’t fulfill what it means to be a Christian apart from the church.” Just like the lone ranger fireman, we are unable to fulfill God’s call to his mission field without partnering with others. Membership in a local congregation is so important because it offers accountability and opportunity for ministry. Striving for Christian service in an isolated environment works against our Savior’s call to be a unified Body and it greatly diminishes our impact in neighboring cities and around the world.

Let’s put aside our differences and rally around our common call: to introduce Jesus to those who don’t know Him. Join a church, serve a ministry, and tell somebody about Jesus! After all, we’re always better when we’re together!