How the principle of «belonging before faith» undermines the essence of the Church

One of the important discoveries of the modern world is that John Donne was right and Simon and Garfunkel were wrong: I am not a rock, I am not an island.

From my ideas about myself to my beliefs about life and the universe, all of these are socially shaped. This does not mean that I do not make independent decisions. It simply indicates that the social context in which I live largely determines the range of options from which I can choose.

Moreover, culture rewards some choices and punishes others with approval or condemnation. Far more powerful than material rewards are the social, intellectual, and emotional rewards of being considered a normal, healthy, well-adjusted member of society. We are social creatures, so we strive to be part of a group.

This means that regardless of the objective merits of a particular idea, some ideas seem more plausible or appealing than others. It is difficult to believe what everyone else around you thinks is crazy. Conversely, it is easy to believe what everyone else around you thinks is obvious truth. We are not «islands in a stream,» we are «a school of fish,» and it seems natural to go with the flow.

The Church says: "It's not as crazy as you thought"«

What happens when you apply these basic ideas to the local church and its evangelistic mission? You suddenly realize that the local church is more than just a place to preach. You see that the evangelistic mission is no longer limited to the work of professionals.

Instead, the entire church community becomes a key element in the work of spreading the Gospel. This community offers an alternative to unbelief—a cultural space that demonstrates what it looks like to love and follow Jesus, and to love and serve one another. Such a life together not only strengthens a shared faith, but also says to the watching, unbelieving world: «It’s not as crazy as you thought, and if you take the step from unbelief to faith, you will not be alone.».

In other words, the church becomes a structure of plausibility for faith.

One Step Further: Belonging Before Faith

In the last few decades, many churches have taken this a step further. If seeing a compelling alternative world from the outside can help a person move from unbelief to faith, wouldn't it be better if that person saw it from the inside?

The idea is that before they know it, they will not only feel a sense of belonging, but they will also begin to believe in what they belong to, because belonging makes belief plausible.

In practical terms, this means that we should allow non-believers to join in on everything from worship to the extracurricular program. Everyone is involved; everyone has a place to belong, regardless of faith.

Why not let them belong to the church community before they believe? — Three reasons

It's an attractive idea. It seems like an effective idea. But it's also a bad idea. Here are three reasons why.

She confuses Christians

First, it confuses Christians. When a church creates a group of people who have membership status (or are nominal followers of Jesus) but who demonstrate varying levels of commitment (from fervent to completely uninterested), confusion sets in. We are forced to invent additional categories, such as «committed Christians» and «so-so Christians.».

Of course, we should expect a variety of spiritual maturity, but when we deliberately blur the lines, we confuse Christians about what it really means to be a follower of Jesus. Jesus spoke of following Him as a radical break from our previous life pattern: «For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother, and sister, and mother» (Matt. 12:50).

It confuses non-Christians

Second, affiliation before true conversion confuses non-Christians.

In one church, a leader was accused of «living in sin.» The reaction was startling: «I didn’t sign up for this! If I had known this would happen, I would never have joined in the first place.».

Obviously, for this man, being a Christian wasn't about obeying Jesus, and the Gospel wasn't about repentance and faith. Instead, it was about belonging to a family, being accepted, and being able to use your talents. Responsibility was certainly not part of the equation.

When non-Christians are never told that they are non-Christians, but instead are taught to think of themselves as «companions,» «seekers,» or «people on different stages of the same journey,» it is easy for them to become confused about what it really means to be a Christian and what trusting the Gospel looks like. The desire to belong to a wonderful church family can all too easily lead someone to join the community of Jesus, but never truly agree with Jesus’ command to repent and believe.

It fundamentally changes the local Church

Third, pre-conversion affiliation fundamentally changes the local church. The local church is a community defined by people whose lives participate in the new creation of a reality of love and holiness.

This is what Jesus taught: «By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another» (John 13:35). This is what Paul taught: «Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers…» (2 Cor. 6:14).

When the world looks at the church, it sees sinners whose lives are radically changed by the Good News of the Gospel. It sees sinners whose love for one another cannot be explained by anything other than the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Returning to where we started, a church can only be a solid foundation for faith when it is made up of people who truly have faith, people who are truly converted to Christ.

All of this changes when the church becomes a community of those who are simply traveling together. Such a community cannot bear witness to the truth of Jesus Christ and His Gospel if you can belong to it without being a believer. Instead, such a community bears witness only to itself—its warmth, openness, and inclusiveness. The philosophy of belonging before conversion fundamentally changes the church, which in the long run undermines the power of the church’s witness.

A better solution

Belonging before conversion is a bad idea. A better solution is what Jesus described in John 13: a church community that deeply believes the gospel so that its life is marked by love for one another. Such a community, he said, will encourage those on the outside not only to recognize that they are on the outside but also to want to come in.

Imagine a bakery on a cold, snowy day. The smell of freshly baked bread and hot chocolate wafts outside. A child, enchanted by the aromas, presses her nose to the window pane. This glass is a barrier. Without it, the warmth and delicious aromas would quickly dissipate. The barrier allows the child to see all the delights that await her inside and, as it were, invites her to enter. There is a narrow door through which she must pass. Once she enters the door, everything inside becomes available to her.

When unbelievers encounter your church, it should be like standing at that window, not staring aimlessly at a brick wall.

1. They should feel the warmth of your love when you greet them.
2. They need to see the depth of relationships and service.
3. They must experience the richness of the Gospel when the Word of God is preached.
4. They need to hear the inviting sounds of joyful community.

Go beyond the ordinary to create a community that welcomes outsiders. Be intentional in your hospitality. Like a bakery that lets the delicious smell of its bread waft out into the street, publicly celebrate stories of grace and transformation. And then, when you’ve done everything else, clearly explain the Gospel and invite people to respond to it in repentance and faith.

If the church is to demonstrate the good fruits of the Gospel, the barrier of faith must not be removed, for it is this shared faith, put on display, that is the most powerful invitation for people to enter it.