Forgetting Our Place: Leaving the Church and Discipling Outside the Church

In the hustle of modern church culture, it’s easy to become consumed by what happens within the walls of the building. We attend services, volunteer for ministries, and dive into Bible studies—valuable and necessary activities. Yet, in doing so, many of us forget a crucial part of our calling: to be the Church in the world. 

The Great Commission calls us to go (Matthew 28:19-20). It doesn’t tell us to stay comfortably within our church buildings or to only disciple those who come to us. Instead, we’re instructed to step into the community, where people live and struggle daily, and be the hands and feet of Jesus. 

We Need to Be in the Community 

Jesus didn’t sit in one place and wait for people to find Him. He traveled to where they were—villages, marketplaces, homes, and wells. Similarly, we need to step into our communities: 

·      Serve the homeless. 

·      Engage with your neighbors. 

·      Show up for school events, town meetings, or local charities. 

The gospel thrives when it is lived out among people who may not yet know Christ. 

We Need to Be Sharing the Love of Jesus 

Love is action. It’s not just saying “Jesus loves you” but demonstrating it through kindness, sacrifice, and presence. 

·      Listen to those who are hurting. 

·      Offer support without judgment. 

·      Pray for others, even when they don’t ask for it. 

Sharing Jesus isn’t always about quoting scripture; it’s about reflecting Him in your actions. People may never step into a church, but they will encounter Jesus when they meet His disciples living out their faith. 

Why We’ve Forgotten Our Place 

Perhaps we’ve confused being busy for God with fulfilling His purpose. We spend so much time serving the Church internally that we leave little energy to disciple externally. We’ve forgotten that our place in the world is not to remain cloistered but to be a light in the darkness (Matthew 5:14-16). 

How to Reclaim Our Place 

1. Step Outside: Find one way each week to serve or connect with someone in your community. 

2. Live Out Loud: Share your testimony with boldness but humility. Show others that the gospel isn’t about perfection but transformation. 

3. Pray for Revival: In your city, workplace, and neighborhood. Revival doesn’t start in a building; it begins in hearts willing to seek God’s will. 

Remember Your Calling 

We are Christ’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20). The church building is a training ground, not the final destination. Let’s leave the pews and take the gospel into the streets, workplaces, parks, and wherever God leads. 

Let’s reclaim our place in the world—for God’s glory and for the sake of the lost.