As a young adult I didn’t need to attend church—thank you
very much. I was raised in a church family. Knew it all and didn’t need it.
Fast forward. Mistakes made. Errors in judgment survived.
Then one day, God loved me back to church. Part of that was finding a church that loved me back; that made me feel like I
belonged; that made me want to be a part of a body of people who loved Jesus.
It took a few times attending different places. Then one
day, I sat down and didn’t want to leave. It clicked. Christ’s church is not a
building, a doctrine or a set of rituals. It’s a group of people who love him
and want to learn to love him more. Church was filled with people who felt the
same way I did and were seeking him in a like manner.
A church provides that sense of “home.” Or home base. A
place of renewal, where we feel safe and loved and are encouraged to stretch
outward while also looking inward and upward. Where people know we’re scarred
and hurt and needy—just like them. And love us, like Jesus does.
Moving from milk
Church is also a place of teaching. A school of divine
mystery. I study the Bible every day, read devotionals, write devotionals.
I spend hours immersed in scripture. But I don’t understand it all.
I need help with the learning. With the background. The
context. The definitions and translations. The theology. How one scripture relates
back, explains and enhances another. I need the “head knowledge” that spurs me
toward the “heart understanding” that Jesus loves.
I need to spend six years in seminary.
Fortunately, pastors have already done that. And a pastor
grounded in biblical teaching; who knows and understands God’s Word and is
faithful in his interpretation is one of the most important reasons to attend
church.
Hebrews 5:12-14 says:
In fact, though by this time you
ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of
God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on
milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about
righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have
trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
Church is where we can move from milk to solid food. Where
we can go from being baby Christians to maturity in Christ. As much as you
enjoy a cold glass of milk, solid food is just more satisfying. So is maturity
in our understanding of God’s plan.
Praising God
I also need help with the worshipping. I like to sing at
home while I’m cooking, cleaning or whatever-ing. Worship songs usually.
Singing, dancing, clapping and praising God.
But sometimes it’s extra great to worship God in community.
Me + 100 other worshippers = infinite, divine, eternal
awesomeness.
It’s God’s mysterious, divine mathematics. Me + others =
great worship!
Giving
I might want to serve others, but on my own I don’t have a
clue. Who to ask. What to do. Where to go.
Churches reach outward to the world and inward to other
believers, to the structure and organization itself—with opportunities to be
God’s hands and feet in ways that encourage
our faith.
Churches provide opportunities to give back to God a
portion; a tithe; an offering of what is already His. Church gives us ways to
honor Him with our finances, our worship, our service and our relationship
building with him and others. Not to win God’s brownie points or people’s
approval; but as a way to show our love for Him and for others who also love
him.
+ + +
There are a whole lot of reasons to attend church. As
Christians, we are Jesus’ church. Since we’re already a church, we might as
well attend one. See you there.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for your church and for providing places where your family can gather together to worship and learn about you. Amen.
WHAT ABOUT YOU? What's the best thing about the church you attend?
This article originally ran in the WeUsed2BU.com newsletter.
