Church why belong

Not quite. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need.

And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favour with all the people.

Website by 'Hand Coded Studio'. Becontree Church. Home About us Sermons Blog Contact. Toggle navigation Becontree Church. What's it mean to 'belong' to a church? The purpose of one joining a Belong Group is to experience spiritual growth, build community, engage with others in a safe environment where people can be themselves, and have fun meeting on a regular basis.

Belong Groups meet on a Semester basis usually 12 weeks with a month break between the Semesters. Groups can meet virtually or in-person. Belong Group Facilitators are volunteer leaders who have applied for the role.

A facilitator completes a volunteer application, a background check, and is approved by the Belong Group Department. Training and support are provided by the Belong Group Department and the upper tiers of leadership Captains and Coaches.

Disclaimer: Belong Group Leaders are volunteers, NOT employees, and if a volunteer leader holds a professional license as a counselor or minister, or happens to be a TC employee, they are NOT operating under those licenses or titles as a volunteer leader when leading a Belong Group at Transformation Church.

The following expectations pertain to Belong Group Leaders:. Please contact belong transformchurch. Likewise, group participants have the following expectations as voluntary participants in a Belong Group:.

By typing my name below, I agree to not hold Transformation Church liable if a Belong Group leader violates an expectation. Belong Groups are the small group ministry of Transformation Church. Whether it is the iconic building that gives the village its identity, or the place where I made my marriage vows, particular locations heighten our awareness of God.

Biblically, we can think of the Temple, of the city of Jerusalem, of the River Jordan, and of the Old Testament shrines. SEVEN years of studying belonging has taught me that a preference for events, people, or places above activity is not a proof of nominal or weak faith - at least, no more than is a preference for Evangelical or Catholic styles of worship. It reflects a different way of engaging with God. To the extent that it can be shallow, then the same is true for regular churchgoing.

Whichever dimension of belonging motivates it, the engagement with God can be real and profound. And it is there in the Bible as much as in the present day. I suspect that the reason why we do not take belonging more seriously is because churches are mostly run by the activity set; so there is a tendency for leaders and councils to assume that good mission is about more and better activities. It is a strategy that makes sense if the purpose of mission is restricted to growing those dimensions of Christian faith that look good as part of attendance statistics, or if we are doing mission primarily to improve levels of regular, direct giving.

But if mission is, as I hope it is, about calling people into a deeper relationship with God through Christ, then to focus exclusively on activity-belonging is to write many of our brothers and sisters out of the script. Put bluntly, if we are serious about being mission-shaped, we should be looking to build fresh expressions of mission, not just of church attendance and finance. TO BE part of the Anglican Communion is to affirm the holistic vision that is captured by the Five Marks of Mission: evangelism, nurture, justice, care for human need, and sustaining creation.

Armed by the marks, it becomes possible to translate them into a programme for mission that reaches out to all four belonging types. Sitting, standing, or walking side by side as mission co-workers in these kinds of engagements, people naturally reflect on why they are doing what they do. When the task is demanding, they are especially drawn to share and deepen each other's faith.

It does not matter that they may belong in different ways. The image that comes to mind is of a bakery on a cold, snowy day.

Whiffs of delicious bread and hot chocolate occasionally waft outside. And a child has his nose pressed against the window pane.

That glass is a barrier. Without it, the warmth and delicious smells would soon disperse in the cold wind, and no one would know there was anything good to be found there.

And there is a way in, a narrow door that he must walk through. When non-Christians encounter your church it should be like standing at that window, not staring blankly at a brick wall. They should feel the warmth of your love, as you welcome them and engage them as people made in the image of God.

They should see the depth of relationships, as they witness people who have no reason to care for one another go out of their way to serve. And they should hear the inviting sounds of a joyful community, as they listen to the praises and prayers of a people who worship our crucified and risen Lord. So go out of your way to create a community that welcomes the outsider.

Give thought to the language you use. Be deliberate in your hospitality. And be strategic in your transparency. Like a bakery that pumps the delicious smell of its bread outside, publicly celebrate the stories of grace and transformation that are happening in your midst. Call them, not to walk an aisle, but to enter through the narrow door, and join with you in the riches of faith in the gospel.

If the church is to display the good things of the gospel, the barrier of belief must not be removed, for it is that shared belief on display that works most powerfully to invite people in. You can find him on Twitter at pdxtml. Purchase a Print Edition. Our work is possible by the generosity of our readers. Give Today. Read Now » Ask a Question ». Resources Donate. Article