“Me? Go to church?”
“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) 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) 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. 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.
