Today, we talked about belonging to a church--our church. This means that the church isn't just the place I go on Sunday, but a whole community of people living in interdependence by the power of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 2:22 paints a beautiful picture: "And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit." Take a few minutes top reflect on what it means to belong to a church. What do you gain? What do you lose? Why is it so hard? Why does the average Christian in America only attend church 48% of the time? Your thoughts here might help someone else think differently about belonging to church.
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Great kickoff this morning! Can't wait till next Sunday!
Interesting questions. . .My husband and I grew up with very different experiences with church and so we've had many conversations on this topic. He recently read the book "Why Men Hate Going To Church" by David Murrow. Catchy title, yes? And although neither my husband or the author hates going to church it really brings up some great points of slight changes churches might consider to cater to both genders. (We think PBC does a great job with this by the way) You know - video clips, power point . . .the more visual the better. Anyway - some of you out there might be interested in the book. In the very least it might help you pinpoint what qualities you might like in a church if you're searching.
To belong to a church you gain fellowship with other Christians who are going through similar situations than you are. You don't have to feel alone in this world. Why does the average Christian go to church 48 percent of the time? The main reason is we are busy, tired and somewhat lazy. For example, I work 2 jobs...a full-time job and a part time job. I also go to college one-night a week. Plus, with my wife, I am raising a son. Most mornings I have to get up at 5:15a.m. By the weekend, I am tired and want to relax. By Sunday, I want to take the time to sleep late. By the time I wake up, eat breakfast and get moving, it is way too late to go to church.
For me, this is part me being busy during the week. But it is also part laziness. I know with proper discipline and setting the alarm clock, I can wake up early enough to get ready to go to church and actually go to church.
Another thing, even though I know the benefits of going to church, I think there are people like me that don't think going to church is a requirement for salvation. Church is very good, but it doesn't get you to Heaven. What Jesus Christ did on the cross for me is what is getting me to Heaven. To me, having a relationship with God through Jesus Christ is the most important thing, and you don't need church for that. All you need is your heart, The Holy Bible, a willingness to listen to God, and The Holy Spirit indwelling you.
With that in mind, once you have that relationship with God, church can be one of God's tools in teaching us spiritual wisdom to help us grow in our walk with God. God can also use books and church on tv, such as Joyce Meyer or John Hagee to give us spiritual insights.
The moral to this story. The reason that some Christians don't go to church is becausee we are busy, tired and lazy. Church is great, but can be a meaningless ritual if you don't have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
I dont think you lose anything but selfish time for yourself. I find that I gain a boost in my walk. I AM busy and its hard to have quiet time/prayer time and even if I do, its hard to pick a lesson to study. My church gives me a core to start with. I love the combined singing (even though I dont have a singing voice) I love to think of God looking down on a body of people that he created and seeing us worship him, crying out to him in a group. We have placed membership but havent joined a small group. Thats the next step, what are we wating for? Why do we hold out? I dont know...But I do feel like we belong, I feel like something is missing if I miss a Sunday morning. Something is missing in my heart. God made us to worship Him. That's the least we could do!
What a coincidence that the Scrolls' "A Situation to Discuss" pops up this week in conjunction with what I just studied about the Parables of The Sower, Weeds, Mustard Seed, Yeast and the Net (Matthew 13).
I have talked to many "believers" who have expressed similar feelings as in this "A Situation to Discuss". When I hear a "believer" say “I just don’t think I’m getting fed”, it drives me crazy. If anyone could have ever had this complaint, it was Jesus. Is fellowship with the Father and His Word not enough?
I love what Jesus says after he tells these before mentioned parables. He states in Matthew 13:43 “….He who has ears, let him hear” and then in Matthew 13:51 “Have you understood all these things?” The disciples replied “YES” and Jesus said to them “Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.” Please note that Jesus did not say find a Church that does not have cliques, that has great music, does not ask for money and will feed you spiritually.
I’ll never forget one of my bosses at the first firm I worked for in Monterey, California. This guy was the tax partner of the firm and in his free time he organized Christian concerts in Central California. He arranged to bring artists such as Petra (I had the opportunity to be a counselor at this one...awesome), Carmen, Brian Duncan and other Christian musicians to Central California before most people had ever heard of them (except for Petra, of course). Of all the Churches in the area, this guy attended a Church of Christ. I found it interesting that he would go there since he loved music so much. I asked him, “Why do you go to a Church that has no music (no instruments)?” His response has always stuck with me. He said, “I love the people and this is the place God has called me to minister”.
This is what I think Jesus was telling his disciples after he taught them in parables. Now that you have found the TRUTH (the Kingdom of God), continue to search “into” TRUTH and discover more TRUTH (new treasures). You will discover new insight based upon these old truths. “Bring it out of your storeroom” and communicate it to the world. Confirm the TRUTH in one’s life and in the lives of others, enlighten others with the TRUTH and turn them from their selfish ways and guide them in the way of the TRUTH. We (believers) have the awesome responsibility to Share the Gospel with the World and not concern ourselves with cliques, requests for money, pastor’s sermons, music, etc… I love good sermons, music, and wish there were no cliques and that money was a non-issue, but there is nothing greater than discovering “The Kingdom of God”!
I know but a part, but that part exceeds all praise.
Jerry talked about busyness, lazyness and exhaustion as the main reasons why "many" do not attend church. I can see these three as interconnected in many ways. One question that I would ask (not necessarily of Jerry, just to anyone who cares to respond) is "What are we so busy doing?" Another way of asking it is "What drives the busyness? What's the point of all the busyness. At the end of the busyness what have we gained and what have we lost?"
Any thoughts?
Are we really as busy as we think we are? I have no doubt that our lives are crammed full but do they really have to be?
My one and only resolution this year was to learn to be still and quiet more often. I have discovered that what drove much of my "busyness" was a pursuit of what I deemed necessary for that day instead of listening for God's direction.
Food for thought . . .how much time do we spend in front of the TV or computer but yet don't have "time" for church, bible study, etc? And I only say that as one so guilty of it!!!
I had a mentor say to me one time: "the things that are most important to you are the things you make a priority and the things that are a priority are the things that you will ultimately do." To say it differently, none of us lives outside of our priorities. Sometimes, I'd like to think that I am a victim of so many busy things in my life. But, in the end, I do the things which are most important to me. My choices never betray my priorities.
Hello.. I am a Filipino and i live in the phil. of course... just want to share to you my thoughts about your questions... The church for me is a community of believers... I am God's church... It's really a nice feeling when you shares some of your time to God... Like in the US, not all Filipinos are going to church every Church's day... It is simply because they are so busy... You know that majority of the people in our state is poor... so instead of spending some time in the church every sunday, they would just spend their time to make money for their living. people have different priorities and the idea of going to church once a week overshadowed by those. I am a believer of God and i wont deny that I also forget(not actually forget, just lazy perhaps) to go to church every sunday. But if I have free time, I spend some of my time to God through prayer.
My problem was that I was always waiting for God to come find me in my place. I have spent years wondering why I never felt that I belonged to the church that I was attending. Pantego changed a fundamental part of that equation for me. Belonging is not a state of being that finds you, you pursue it by investing yourself in a group of people (your church / community group / home group). To do this, you have to open yourself up to others and make yourself vulnerable. When you seek God in this way, you will find that He has been there all along, waiting patiently for you to be ready. Belonging is not the destination either, it has been the start of a journey that will take me the rest of my life.
Anonymous, your last sentence is rich! BELONGING leads to BECOMING more like Jesus and eventually leads to a life BEYOND our home and church and into our world. That's a lifelong journey, I agree! Thanks for writing.
Amen to anonymous, double d and leilanni. God declared through the prophet Hosea, "I desire mercy and not sacrifice (Hosea 6:6a). God wants our heart; He has always wanted our heart and when God has our heart, our hearts-and everything else that constitutes who we are-will find its way into the body of Christ.
But it is a process; One of letting go (of the world) and taking hold (of the things of God). We must remember that we all begin this journey on wobbly legs- mere infants in Christ (1 Cor 3:1). Now that God has us (we are born again) He wants us grow up to maturity (Eph 4:13,Ja 1:4)in the fullness and likeness of His Son. To remain as infants is to abuse the graces of our Lord.
While we are busy building our castles in the sky the Lord is waiting for us be still and know him (Ps 46). In knowing Him, we begin to allow Him to take possession of us - our thoughts, our affections, and our conduct - and we will find ourselves agreeing with God in many more ways. Our desire to do will be replaced by a desire simply to be. Values will change. Our castles tumble and churhes pop up in their place. In the words of pastor, We BECOME disciples so changed that we change our world.
God Bless. See you in church.
Hey! Do you have a prayer request? I would love to pray for you! If so, you can post your prayer requests under the comments for the prayer request section of my blog at:
http://bornagainchristianforlife.blogspot.com/
God bless you!!!!
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