Blooming Where You Are (Newly) Planted: Integrating into A New Church Community

So, you honourably left your church community (heavy on the honourably). You have found a new church community and it's going well. The Lord has led you faithfully to a community that fears Him and embraces you as part of them. You feel His peace as the service continues and the sermon hits all the right notes (in spirit and delivery). But is that it?

This is me saying, "Not. At. All"

What Has God Called You To?

Ephesians 3:3-6 NKJV: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He [a]made us accepted in the Beloved."

(Emphasis own)

From scripture, each one of us has a divinely arranged purpose. We all have unique assignments given to us from the beginning of time. This means that God had allocated for it even before you planned to follow that inkling in your heart. Is that not good news? 😫

There is an expectation from God that you will do what He has put in your heart wherever He plants you. This includes your new church community. This does not take away from due process in your new church. Engage with the community and the church's beliefs before you jump into service. Be faithful, but seek the Lord. Ask Him to show you how best you can serve Him in the things He has blessed you with in your new community.

...In the meantime, Lean In

As you wait for God to speak and create room for you in your new community to serve, attend discipleship classes that are offered. Understand the culture of the church. Stick around after service (yes, even you!) and see what the church needs. Does the church need people to clean up after service? Does the children's ministry need snacks (that you can afford to supply regularly)? How can you be a blessing to the place God has planted you?

Many times people join church communities intending to be continuously fed. This is a selfish approach. God calls us to consider others beyond ourselves in Philippians 2:3 AMP: "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit [through factional motives, or strife], but with [an attitude of] humility [being neither arrogant nor self-righteous], regard others as more important than yourselves." He calls us to pour into people and places. He promises refreshing for givers in Proverbs 11:25 NKJV: "The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed." So, serve wholeheartedly in the church departments that are there as God speaks to you concerning your giftings and how He wants you to use them. God will bless you!

Also, attend the weekly services wholeheartedly and be fed.

Hebrews 10: 25-26 NKJV: "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." (Emphasis own)

Be faithful in the community, not being one foot in and one foot out. God will increase you in the place He has planted you.

Your new community will be a blessing in many ways. Lean in wholeheartedly and see God grow you and the people around you!

I pray God keeps you as you journey with Him!

In love,

J ❤️