Why a Vibrant Church Community is Good For Your Soul: 3 Ways Church Fellowship Helps Us Survive and Thrive

Loneliness is an enemy of the soul.

There are some who attempt to live alone and some who may even appear to succeed in doing so. However, the popular History Channel show Alone gives us a glimpse at the difficulty of isolation.

In the show, well-trained individuals attempt to survive the longest in a secluded location while foraging, hunting, and building shelters. The winner receives $500,000, so there is plenty of motivation to stay there as long as possible. Occasionally, a contestant will have to leave because of animals, injury, malnutrition, or sickness.

Mostly, contestants break due to loneliness.

They miss their friends and families, which is often too much to bear in the wilderness.

We Weren’t Made To Go Through Life Alone

From the very beginning, God made Adam and showed him that people weren’t created to be alone. In Genesis 2:18, God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” So every created creature was brought to Adam, but he never found one that he connected with.

So God formed Eve, another person just like Adam, and in her, Adam found his connection.

This story of Adam and Eve reveals a simple truth…

We Were Created For Community

We find community in various ways, such as at work, in hobbies, and in school. Due to our ever-changing pandemic world, many of us have found a great community online.

Yet, one of the most important ways to find community is by joining a church fellowship near you. It doesn’t matter if the church is Pentecostal, Methodist, Baptist, Catholic, or Non-Denominational; every church has its own community. And its benefits are significant.

No matter where you are on your spiritual journey – or whether you even consider yourself a Christian – joining a church gives you the community you need to get through life with others by your side.

3 Ways Church Community Helps Us Survive and Thrive

1. Friendship

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” - 1 John 1:7

You can and will find friends in church.

You’ll meet all sorts of people, even some you would never have engaged with before attending church. And that is the best and most surprising way to find true community.

Not everyone you find in church may have been your first choice in friends, but you will find yourself fully engaged in loving them for who they are. Jesus will be the One who ties you all together (Ephesians 4:4-6) even if you don’t have anything else in common.

And they will, in turn, love you for who you are. Your church community can offer some of your life’s best and healthiest relationships.

2. Support

“…so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” - 1 Corinthians 12:25-27

We all need help and support.

But our pride can often make it difficult for us to ask. Or we don’t know how to ask.

Having a strong church fellowship by your side will help you to overcome these problems. Once you have a community that loves you, they will help you even when you don’t ask for it. Being in relationship with each other makes it hard to hide your problems and issues when they attack you. Your friends and family in church will know you well enough to step in when needed.

And once the word gets out that you need help, your greater church community will be there to lift you up. It doesn’t matter if they are a Baptist church or a non-denominational church. Your church will encourage you and lift you up.

Knowing you have people by your side gives you the strength and encouragement to survive whatever life throws your way (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).

3. Giving

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” - John 15:12

One of the best parts of church life is giving yourself to your church community.

The verse which follows the one above is even more profound: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jesus did this for us, and he expects we do the same for one another.

This is where you will thrive. - You get to encourage those who need it. - You get to help those who are struggling. - You get to give from the good gifts and favor the Lord has given to you to help your brothers and sisters in Christ through any and everything that comes their way.

Giving doesn’t always include financial resources. Often, our time is just as valuable to those in need. Your presence with a sick, injured, or sad friend speaks louder than whatever is in your bank account.

How Do I Find A Church Community Near Me?

You can try to do it yourself or let Palmly help.

We specialize in finding the right church for you without all of the stress and hassle of going it alone. You have specific needs and a unique personality. There is a church just for you, and we know it.

We’ve helped people like you who know they need a strong church fellowship but don’t know where to start. We’ve done all the leg work for you. All we need is to get to know you better.

Sign up today to find your church community.

You won’t regret a thing.