Why should we go to church? Can’t we worship God just as well while admiring His creation?
Welcome with open arms fellow believers who don’t see things the way you do. Romans 14:1a The Message
Honor God. Be gracious to others. We’re only accountable to God.
Be grateful in all things.
Lately, we’ve struggled at our church over programs. We haven’t had a youth group for over a year. Many members of our congregation feel like they need to advise me regarding Elizabeth, since she’s the only child who attends our church regularly who would be youth age.
I am not concerned. Remember that whole adolescent myth?
Many have left our church over doctrinal differences, lack of activities and programs, and church decisions.
The Bible states the only reason to cause a break in the church is if there is false teaching. Yet we’ve had several members who have verbally attacked members of leadership and staff. And I don’t think it was about anything other than personal differences. And then they got real mature and unfriended each other on Facebook.
I’ve always longed to belong, but after years of searching and yearning and crying over loneliness, I realize that I am transient. We are all transient. We are meant to be temporary, visitors, strangers in a strange land. Some of us are nomads in this life, waiting to go home. Others, less fortunate by far, feel at home in their stifling, breath-less togetherness, not realizing there is something better to hope for.
My parents won’t and my husband’s parents didn’t attend church. They say things like “I can talk to God easier and better in my own house, in the woods, in the fields, (insert your own place here) than in a cold building with hypocrites.
We’ve all been hurt by people. Some of us have even been spiritually abused. But we are commanded to gather together in Jesus’ name and worship and fellowship together.
Assemble the people—men, women and children, and the foreigners residing in your towns—so they can listen and learn to fear the Lord your God and follow carefully all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 31:12
If you’re not involved in a church congregation, you’re a crippled Christian. You’re practicing spiritual masturbation. {Tweet this!}
The word ecclesia is in the Bible: 20 times in Acts and 60 times in the epistles. It means “church.” Don’t you think church is important?
The church has five purposes:
1. Edify – discipleship
2. Encourage – fellowship
3. Equip – service
4. Evangelize – outreach
5. Exalt – worship
In too many American churches, the pastor does all five of these. Jesus is the only man who was capable of doing these five jobs well.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25
We as an individual must step up and become the Body of Christ. Teach your children what it means to be a Christian in a church congregation and go into all the world.
I recommend the book Church Zero to learn more about the Acts church and how we can bring it back.
