Do you feel connected?

The feeling of being connected is one we all long for. We desire to feel connected to family, to friends, and yes, even our church family.

There are times, however, when things happen and we no longer feel connected. This can happen when there is a disagreement and it can happen with not really understanding why.

I want to show you something about feeling connected to your church family. Often people will stop going to church because they just don’t feel connected there anymore. There can be many reasons for this, but the main reason comes down to the person.

I was listening to another pastor at a conference years ago and he was sharing about those coming to him saying that they were going to go to another church because they did not feel connected with the rest of the church body.

He asked them, “Did you go to Sunday School?” “Did you go to life group?” “Did you go to the midweek Bible study?”

The answer to these questions were almost always no. How can you get connected with a body when you are only there one hour a week? The simple truth is you can’t.

Friend, if you want to feel connected to your church, then go to your church. Be an active part in it and go to Bible study. I have found repeatedly that when people start slipping out of their church, it is because they have stopped going and being an active part.

Another reason you may be feeling disconnected from your church is because you have stopped using your gifts there. I know people who have stopped going to their church, they would come up with some excuse as to why they could not be there as often. Then the next thing I know, they are active in another church.

At first, as a Pastor, I start to think, is it something that I have done? It’s not. When I begin to look back, I see this person/family, slow their attendance and quietly slip out of church.

Looking back, I can see that when they stopped using their talents, their gifts at the church, they stopped being active, and then stopped coming. Why then are they active at their new church? Because they are using their gifts and talents there.

Friends, God calls you to a specific church to use your talents and gifts there. When you stop, you are out of God’s will and you feel uncomfortable. So, you go to another body, and you become active, because you are once again using what God has given you.

The point of all of this is to say, if you are feeling unconnected at your church, take a look and see how active you are there. Maybe you have stopped using your gifts and just need to feel needed again. Then friend, go to your church, use your gifts, and be active. You will find yourself feeling connected. You will find yourself feeling like you are doing what God called you to do.

The church is a body, and it needs all its parts to be working together for the good of the body. So, whatever gift God has given you, your church needs that gift to be used. Don’t let things get in the way of you using those gifts.

We all want to feel connected. We all desire to feel a part of something bigger than ourselves. We long for a church family where we can be loved and where we can love. We long for a church family that we can grow with.

Friends, your church feels the same way. You need each other. So, bless your church, allow them to bless you, and be an active participant.

That is how you feel connected. That is how you become a church family.