“I give and give all week. I just want to come to church to be ministered to and fed.” Perhaps you’ve heard a friend who works in a parachurch ministry say something like this. Perhaps you’ve said it yourself. Those who work for a parachurch ministry, like me, are often inclined to believe that their (Christian) vocation exempts them from meaningful involvement in a church. We must resist this temptation.

If you work for a parachurch, let me persuade you that your work doesn’t replace meaningful membership in a local body. If you have a friend who works for a parachurch yet remains uncommitted to a church, use what follows to encourage him or her.

The gospel is the good news that sinners like us can be reconciled to God through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ (Eph. 2:1-10). Being reconciled to God also means we’re reconciled to God’s people (Eph. 2:11-22). Becoming a Christian means being adopted into God’s family, and joining a local church is like showing up at the family dinner table.

Working for a parachurch ministry, on the other hand, is more like playing for a soccer team. Team members are selected, and then they gather to play soccer. They don’t gather to receive math tutoring, to brush their teeth, or to care for the elderly. They gather for one purpose and for a limited season: to play soccer.

But a family is different. It’s broader and deeper. Whether you’re adopted or born into one, your family is responsible for your entire nurture, growth, and education. Your family is the group of people you live with and learn to love. The relationships are permanent and all-defining. Though you might be disappointed if your soccer league dissolved, you’d be devastated if your family disappeared.

10 Reasons Parachurch Staff Should Be Active Church Members

With this comparison in mind, let me offer several reasons why parachurch staff should be deeply invested members of churches.

1. I’m guessing your organization’s leadership requires or expects you to formally associate with a local congregation after beginning your assignment. At least they should.

2. Church membership allows you to cast vision among your fellow members for how the gospel is at work in the world through your ministry. You have opportunities to see what others can’t because you get a firsthand look at your organization’s strategic mission efforts or large-scale projects. You can uniquely refresh or encourage your congregation through updates on how the gospel is advancing outside their immediate area.

3. Church membership allows you to invite members of your local body to participate in your work and be strengthened by it. It enables you to invite others to join in the work of your ministry. Other church members can pray, give, help strategize, or volunteer to help you in your work.

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