“I feel closer to God on my boat!”
“Nature and God are one… so I just hang out in the park”
“Who needs church… I can be religious and not be part of
organized religion.”
Maybe you’ve heard someone say things like this before. Maybe you’ve even said them yourself. Who needs church? Why get up every weekend and join a bunch of
other people when it’s far easier to stay home?
Does the church matter?
Do they care that I’m even there?
It’s so tempting sometimes to think that a group of people
coming together on a Sunday doesn’t change much in the grand scheme of
things. After all, the church isn’t what
saves you from Hell. It doesn’t do much
other than take up a Sunday morning that could be otherwise spent cleaning out
gutters or sleeping. Right?
Not quite.
Make no mistake. The
church matters and you matter in it. It
is the hope of the world… God’s plan A to reach those that don’t have a
relationship with Christ. Why do we
believe this?
Three key reasons:
1 1) Christ
established the church.
Matthew 16:18 tells us: “Now I say
to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I
will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.” Jesus
knew the church would be powerful…shining the light of truth into dark
places. Feeding the hungry. Caring for the lost. And He knew that even the devil himself would
be powerless to stop a group of like-minded believers in God from changing the
world. Christ founded the church, and
because of that, He deeply cares about
its well-being and effectiveness.
2 2) Christ
died for the the church
Ephesians 5:25 “For husbands, this
means love your wives, just as Christ
loved the church. He gave up his life for her” Christ gave his life so that we could spend
time together each week praising Him.
Does the church matter? It cost
Jesus his heartbeat.
3) The New
Testament prioritizes the church
Hebrews 10:25 “And let us not
neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another,
especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”
We are reminded by scripture to
get together as a group and worship.. to
not only sing and learn, but encourage and strengthen each other. The local church is far more than just a
building. It’s the people. And when we come together, powerful
life-change happens. If we are going to
become the people we were created to be, we have to keep church attendance a
priority.
But what does the church do
specifically in the hearts of those that attend? How does it make a day-to-day difference?
First, the church is there to
help. Need some guidance? Prayer?
A place to invite friends who lack hope?
The church is available. Many people reach out to us here at Potential
Church for answers and spiritual support… and we are called to help them at
whatever level we can. But it’s not just
the staff that lend a hand… it’s the guests.
People with all kinds of gifts come together to share what God has given
them with others.
Next, the church reaches out to the
world. Scripture tells us in Acts 1:8
that the primary job of the church is to go out and proclaim who Christ is and
why people need to make Him the Lord of their life. It isn’t the goal of the local church for
people to come in and get comfortable… it’s to get equipped. Christ established the church so we would
have a place to come to learn but not just sit on the knowledge. He commands us to take what we know and share
it with a world thirsting for hope and love.
Finally, the church is a place of shepherding. When a group of people come together in the
church, there is both protection and correction. Just like a shepherd leading sheep, the
church helps people stay on the path that God has for their lives and guides
them back if they stray. The front doors
of a church are always open wide… welcoming back those that are ready to enter
(or re-enter) the family of God.
So… does the church matter? Yes.
Coming together each week for a time of rejuvenation, inspiration,
motivation, education, and celebration makes a difference in our lives. Apart
from each other, people have strength.
Together in church they’re collectively stronger. More powerful. And the horsepower that emerges from a
dedicated group of believers in Jesus can be a catalyst for world-change.
I want to challenge you…
prioritize church attendance. Make it
part of your schedule. It will radically
change the way you live, parent, work, and worship. Don’t let the enemy convince you that you don’t
need to be part of the family. Your gifts matter. Using them in the house of God matters. And when you connect with others in the local
church… your life (and theirs) will be better because of it.
