Why Joining a Church Community is Key to Growth in Christ

Ever been working on something and all of a sudden you pause and realize everyone’s left, you missed lunch, and there seems to be a hammer pounding against the space between your eyebrows?

It’s usually at this point where you’ll go downstairs to get some fresh air and let out some steam.

Not sure about you, but I can definitely relate this to my thoughts. Many of us spend just as much time trapped in our heads as we do to our computer screens, and there comes a point when we just need to let our thoughts out and give our mind some room to breathe.

One of the best places I found to do this is at my women’s study group.

Sometimes the enemy will try to tell me: “What’s bothering you isn’t even worth mentioning, it’s petty” “They don’t want to hear the same story again” or “Wow! You can’t mention that sin at a bible study. What will they think of you?” but I know these are lies.

No request is too small or big to take to God, nor is any sin beyond God’s unfailing mercy.

The enemy wants us to keep things bottled up so that he can keep us cornered. But when you have the vulnerability to let it out to a group of women who love you–that’s when you allow space in your heart for God’s truth to take root.

A safe space to be vulnerable is just one of the benefits I’ve found since joining a Christ-centered community, and I’ve listed a few more below:

• When I’m down, I know that my spirit sisters will lift me up (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
• When I want TRUSTED counsel on something- I know that I can send a quick prayer request to the group chat or talk about it with one of my spirit sisters. I say trusted counsel because not all of my friends will give me the God-fearing advice that I need.
• The Spirit is present. The bible says that where two or three are gathered in His name-the spirit is there. Sometimes I don’t need to vocally participate, but just being in the midst of the Spirit is uplifting (Matthew 18:20)

Not everyone has the advantage of having family nearby, and oftentimes it’s much easier to be transparent with a group of women going through similar seasons, or who’ve been through the same things and can offer comfort and counsel.

I encourage you to take the first steps to joining a church community and small group if you’re currently trying to tackle life’s problems on your own. It was scary for me at first, but I’ve found it very rewarding! Seek out a church in your community, join a ministry here, or finally go to that bible study potluck you’ve been putting off. Just watch how God uses it for the greater good in your life!