How to Treat Church Like Family

The Bible not only says you need to be actively involved in church (see Acts 2:42), but it says you need to treat fellow church members like family.  That's right.  "Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters (Rm 12:10)."  The church is a family.  All Christians have the same Heavenly Father, and that means we're family.  Romans 12:10 is saying that we need to act like it.  We need to treat fellow church members like family.

What would it look if we did this -- if we treated fellow church members like family?  I can think of three things.  

First, acceptance.  We would accept one another despite our differences.  We all have weird family members who are very different from us, but we don't reject them, or abandon them, or criticize them.  We still love them and associate them.  We accept them because they are family.  The same should be true for church family.  In the church you will find people who are very different from you -- in age, race, income, education, style, etc.  But we shouldn't reject or abandon them or criticize them.  We should accept them, associate with them, and love them because they are family.  "Accept one another, then, just as Christ has accepted you, in order to bring praise to God (Rm 15:7)."  

Second, patience.  We would put up with each other in spite of faults and flaws.  We all have family member who are EGRs -- Extra Grace Required.  We have family members who are rude, unreliable, needy, they have all kinds of problems, but we put up with them.  We don't abandon them, reject them, or write them off.  We continue to love them and care for them because they are family.  The same should be true of church family.  When someone in the church fails, or hurts us, or lets us down, we should reject or abandon them.  We should put up with them, forgive them, and continue to love and care for them because they are family.  "Bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another.  Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive (Col 3:13)."  

Third, responsibility.  We would care for each other in times of need.  When a family member is in need, the other family members pitch in to help them, even if it means making sacrifices.  That's what families do.  The same should happen in the church.  We should take responsibility for each other.  When a church member is in need, we should make sacrifices to help them.  When someone is sick, in the hospital, or struggling financially, we should help out.  "Carry one another's burdens; in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ (Gal 6:2)."

So, this Sunday when you go to church, remember that your fellow church members are not mere colleagues, or co-laborers, or associates, or even friends.  They are family.  Start treating them that way.  

People in our society are longing for love.  They are lonely, isolated, and often have broken relationships with their own family members.  If they saw the church as a place where people are treated like family, they would be much more interested in visiting church and investigating the claims of Christianity.