5 Ways to Get to know Your Church Members Better
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Central Text:
Psalm 133:1- Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (KJV)
Hello Dear Readers,
As you see in the central text unity among the church is important.
Psalm 133:1 tells us that it is good and pleasant for brethren to dwell together.
But how do we create this unity?
The following are five ways to becoming closer to the members of your church.
1. Create a Spiritual Group Chat
If you don’t really know your church members too well, creating a spiritual encouragement group chat is a perfect way to get closer to them.
As the Church of God it is our responsibility to help our brothers and sisters in Christ (Galatians 6:2).
Who Should You Ask to Be a Part of the Group Chat?
Honestly, you can’t just ask anyone in the church to be a part of the group chat.
Try to find members who have a lot in common with you in terms of age and gender.
If you are a man, ask the other men in the church to be a part of your group chat.
If you are a teen girl, ask the other teenagers in the church to be part of the group chat.
At the end of the day you can ask whoever you want.
But when you have people who you are more likely to relate to it increases the chances that everyone will feel more comfortable to be active and share their struggles and thoughts within the group chat.
What Exactly should You do in the Group Chat?
Just asking members to join a spiritual group chat might not be successful.
You should have a specific purpose for the group.
Let the people that you ask to be part of the group chat know that you want the church members to help each other through this group.
Set guidelines for the chat.
When explaining what this group chat is exactly about, include that:
- It is a safe place for the members to ask for prayer for their situations
- You all can share your testimonies, struggles, and advice on there
If you like being more organized you can set a specific topic or verse everyday for each of the members to share their perspective on the topic or verse that you choose.
How Does this Help You Become Closer to Your Church Members?
Through the sharing of all of your situations, advice, and perspectives in the group chat you get to learn about each of their personalities.
Through this process of getting to know the group chat members more you not only find out how similar you are, but also how different you all are and how to love one another despite your differences.
Making a spiritual group chat will not only help you and your church members become more united, it will also help each of you grow spiritually.
How Will a Spiritual Group Chat Help You Grow?
- Receiving constant encouragement from others who are facing the same journey and struggles as you, helps you to feel like you’re not alone.
Feeling support from people who you can relate to, fuels you to keep going on the Christian path and becoming closer to God.
- You get to learn from everyone else.
I firmly believe that God gives everyone a word to share.
If everyone in the chat contributes about the Word of God, you will be gaining an abundance of knowledge from your brothers and sisters in Christ!
Tip: Make sure that all that is shared in the chat relates to God.
This will help exclude gossip and drama from being created within the group.
2. Invite the Fraternity You Belong To To Your Home or an Outing
This one is pretty simple.
First let me explain what a fraternity is.
A church fraternity is a subgroup in the church based on age and marital status.
For Example: Kids Fraternity: Children ages 0-12
Youth Fraternity: Youth ages 13-30
Men’s Fraternity: Married Men, or Men ages 31 and up
Women’s Fraternity: Married Women, or Women ages 31 and up
As I said before inviting people who you are more likely to relate to helps everyone feel more comfortable.
This is why inviting people who belong in the same fraternity as you is the best choice.
But feel free to invite anyone you want.
What Should You Invite them To Do?
Invite them to a get together in your home.
This doesn’t have to be a huge party.
You can simple make it a movie or game night, or even a small worship service.
Whatever you feel most comfortable with.
The important thing is to create some bonding time with your church members.
You can also invite them to an outing.
Ask your church members to do something like go see a movie, go out to eat, or go bowling.
The are many things you can do to have fun and spend time with one another.
Tip: Invite your church members to go somewhere right after a church service.
This way they are already out and already dressed, which will make it easier for them to accept your invitation.
3. Become More Active In the Church
What better way to know your church members than to become part of a group or team within the church.
What Are Some Ways to Become More Active in the Church?
Join a group.
Search within the church and find a group or function that fits you best.
You can join the worship team, the cleaning committee, or the missions team.
Create a group.
Observe your church and see if there is a need that isn’t being addressed.
Many times there are needs that are being missed within the church.
That is what we are there for: what others may not notice, you will.
An example of this might be a need for childcare personnel to take the kids and give them kids bible study or activities while the service is going on so that the parents can better focus.
Take your concern to the Pastor and ask to create a group of people to take this responsibility.
If you don’t feel comfortable taking leadership in this way, express your observation to a leader within the church.
Being part of a group and sharing responsibilities will help you to grow within the church and become closer with the church members involved in that group/team.
Attend Church More
I’ll be honest, this is something even I need to do.
My church has three services a week.
I have trouble attending all three services every week because of lack of motivation.
However, it is definitely one of my goals this year to practice self-discipline and make it to the House of the Lord everyday I can make it.
He does so much for us, we should show our gratitude by attending His House to worship Him.
Going to church more frequently builds your position within the community.
By that I mean that you become a staple in your church home because you are always there.
Being a faithful church goer brings you closer to others who also attend church faithfully.
Tip: Spend Some Time Figuring Out What You Like To Do.
Find something within the church that you truly love doing.
You’ will feel like a true part of the church and you will be honoring God with your sincere service to him.
4. Simply Go Up To Someone and Start A Conversation
Now this one may sound a bit intimidating.
But let me ask you something:
If someone were to go up to you and start a conversation, would you welcome them or would you try to get away from them/ignore them?
I personally LOVE when people approach me and talk to me.
If you feel that way too, it is very likely that most other people do too.
Don’t be afraid to approach someone who you would like to befriend.
Worse comes to worse, they might not show interest.
But you know what?
There are plenty of other people who would love your company.
You might not get to meet these people unless you just go for it.
Tip: If You Think You’re Too Shy, Start On Social Media. 
If you don’t feel confident enough to personally approach someone, message them on social media.
Simply message them on Facebook or whatever social media you use and ask them how they are doing or how was their day.
I met my best friend Cynthia because she randomly messaged me on Myspace (I know, so old lol).
She told me that I sang her favorite song in youth camp.
Nine years later, here we are still best friends .
You never know who you will meet unless you take a chance to reach out to them.
5. Ask Someone To Be Your Prayer Partner
This is actually something that every single Christian should do.
We all need someone to hold us accountable in our prayer life.
This a great reason to form a friendship with a fellow church member.
Asking someone to be your prayer partner helps to deepen your relationship with them because it is a bond where you build confidentiality and trust with each other.
This also promotes mutual spiritual growth because you begin to have a more consistent prayer life when holding each other accountable.
You don’t have to stop at prayer, you can hold each other accountable in other areas like bible study and fasting.
Tip: Pick Someone Who You Know or Perceive to Be a Serious Christian.
Make sure that your partner will be of real help to you.
Remember that this is not just a strategy for socializing, more importantly it is a strategy for spiritual growth.
Be Genuine
If you decide to use one, some, or all of these strategies, make sure to be genuine in your approach.
Don’t talk to people because you feel obligated to.
Being close to the members of your church should be a sincere desire.
Trust me when I tell you, they will know if you’re not really interested in forming a relationship with them.
If you show sincere interest, they will reciprocate that and reach out to you too.
Remember to just go for it and take the first step in initiating conversation.
I assure you, you will meet many people this way.
It is a great thing to look for friendships within the church.
After all, we are the body of Christ and we need to be united and help each other out.
Moving Forward
Be sure to Join the RTK Newsletter if you liked this post!
I would love for you to join the Reaching The Kingdom family if you have not done so.
Next post coming up is “Three Ways To Incorporate Worship Into Your Daily Routine”
While you wait for that:
Here’s a question:
Which of these five strategies are you most likely to use to form a closer relationship with your church members?
Leave your answers in the comment section below!
My Answer:
I think asking someone to be my prayer partner would work best for me.
I like to get to know people one by one and this strategy definitely allows for that.
Also, it seems like the best way for mutual parties to grow more spiritually.
Until Next Time…
God Bless,
Ashley