Issue 937 – Who Needs Church? December 17, 2022
I was in discussion with a random stranger at a coffee shop. Somehow the conversation turned to faith and church. She told me, “I don’t need to go to church. I know Jesus, and that’s all that matters.”
Knowing Jesus is what matters ultimately, but we are to attend worship with other believers. For those in isolated areas where it’s unsafe to worship, that might not be an option, but for the bulk of the people who read Gleanings, there is no excuse.
Lots of people have plenty of excuses to not attend. Here’s a partial list. I’m sure you’ve heard and likely used at least some of them.
- The preaching is boring.
- The preacher preaches too much/little from the Bible; is too academic/not academic enough; preaches too long/not long enough.
- The music is too fast/slow/loud/old/new.
- They are too formal/informal.
- The people are too friendly/unfriendly.
- They have/don’t have: pews/organs/stained glass/pastoral robes/choirs.
- The service is too long/short, too demonstrative/not demonstrative enough.
- There is too much/not enough emphasis on Holy Spirit.
- They do/don’t ordain women.
- They are too active/not active enough in outreach/missions/politics/social action.
- They talk too much about money/there isn’t enough emphasis on stewardship.
- Services times are too early/too late.
- The pastor is too young/old.
- The congregation is too big/small.
Have I hit a nerve yet? Have I stepped on your sacred cow? It’s time to recognize that these excuses hurt you and the local congregation.
Why attend worship?
Some surveys I’ve read show that more than 90% of professing Christians who attend church regularly go because a given church meets the needs of that individual and their family. Did you know that’s the wrong reason to attend church?
First and foremost, the church is not about you. Did you know that? The church isn’t about going and feeling good or about having your needs met. Those things can and do happen, but they aren’t the reason we go. We go to glorify God and minister to others.
Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
1 Corinthians 12:14-26
When you don’t attend and take an active role, someone else in the body suffers for your absence. That someone might need your ministry. Conversely, that person might be deprived of their ministry to you.
Not attending is a very selfish act. The whole body misses out when parts don’t show up to do their bit.
Will you get to heaven without going to church? Yes! Salvation is by grace and not measured by how often we go. Will the body of Christ be poorer for your absence? Yes? Will you miss out big time?
Absolutely.
Until next time, quit making excuses. It’s time to prioritize regular attendance and actively participate in the local congregation.
Hallelu Yah (Praise God)
Be blessed
Kevin Corbin
Be blessed
Hallelu Yah / Praise God
Kevin
Gleanings From The Word
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (For the glory of God alone)
__________________________________________
Please like and share this post with friends and your circle of influence. Also, feel free to comment.
Subscribe today https://mailchi.mp/f27bbeb09c22/ gleanings-1
______________________________
All contents, “Gleanings From The Word” and “Experience an Extraordinary God in Ordinary Life,” are © 2001, 2022 K.F. “Kevin” Corbin Gleanings From The Word.
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is from the English Standard Version (ESV).
___________________________________________
#Gleanings #theWord #devotional #encouragement #Biblestudy #faith #dailyBible #verseoftheday #GleaningsFromTheword #KevinCorbin #bible #jesus #god #faith #christian #love #Christ #Father #pray #Holyspirit #YHWH #yahweh #Jehovah #bibleverses #jesuschrist #church #prayer #christianity #scripture #gospel #hope #truth #godisgood #worship #believe #blessed #amen #grace #Word #church #localAssembly #localCongregation #localChurch #oneBody #whoNeedsTheChurch #bodyOfChrist #ministry