Seek Association: The Necessity of Inter-Church Communion

We counsel young ministers to be associational. In a time when ministry is increasingly privatised, isolated, and self-contained, this counsel may seem almost counterintuitive. But it’s not optional. It’s necessary. If you want to endure in gospel ministry—and help your church do the same—then seek association. When you enter gospel ministry, you are called to a particular local church. Yes, but that calling only makes sense in light of the universal church. Your flock is part of something much bigger, and your people need to see that from day one. Help them lift their eyes beyond their own walls. Show them what it means to care about the health of other congregations, to pray for sister churches, to weep with them in trial and rejoice with them in blessing. Pastors that lead their church in association cause peace, increase of love, and mutual edification. These are wondrous blessings for the people of God. If you’re in the ministry, you must not be found withholding such things from the flock. It is your task to teach, pursue and carefully foster association between your local church and other churches of like-mind.

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