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How much Church do I need?
- David Brown
- Oct 06, 2011
- Category: Christianity
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Most people go to church as much or as little as they like. For some, that's a lot. For others, it's never...or almost never. Of course it is a personal decision. No one can or should dictate your church attendance. But...just as we encourage our kids to eat their veggies because they're “good” for them...I'd like to encourage you to consider the fact that consistent church attendance is “good” for you as well! We all know that eating what you want, when you want and as much as you want or as little as you want isn't exactly healthy. So...attending church when you feel like it isn't in your best interest spiritually.
The Bible teaches us to have a consistent, habitual experience of “church”.
I offer the following evidence.
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God seems to be saying that a weekly church experience is needed when he made “keeping the sabbath day” one of the Ten Commandments.
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Luke records in the fourth chapter of his Gospel that Jesus...”as his custom was...went into the synagogue (the Jewish form of Church) on the Sabbath day”. So Jesus had a consistent public worship habit. Yeah! Even Jesus thought he needed to go to church.
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Luke tell us again in Acts 2:42 that the first generation of Christians “continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship”. The Good News Translation reads, “They spent their time in learning from the apostles, taking part in the fellowship,”. Another modern translation says, “they didn't miss any of the apostles' teaching sessions”.
All of this happened in church.
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And of course there is the much used classic passage on church attendance found in Hebrews 10:24-25. “And let us consider (discover) one another to provoke unto love and good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting (encouraging) one another: and so much the more as ye see the day (of Jesus' return) approaching.”
So...it is clear that regular and consistent church attendance was commanded by God, exampled by Jesus, practiced by early believers and advised by the apostles!
So why? Why should we make all of the effort to get dressed, corral our kids, drive to the church, find a parking place, get everyone inside, find the right rooms for our kids, enter the sanctuary and sit by a bunch of people you probably don't even know...and then of all things...sing? They always want you to sing first thing don't they? Ha. ha. ha. We go to all that trouble to get to church...and then they treat you like kids! Why? Well, you are kids. You're God's kids!
Everything in church really does have rhyme and reason to it! We sing first because God comes first. We worship him! But very quickly we get to the prayers and the teaching and I believe you can benefit greatly by the inspiration, information and power you receive in God's house!
Here are some more very practical reasons for consistent church attendance.
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Christianity is a community thing. It's not just personal. You can't really do it right if you try to do it alone. Together we are the body of Christ, the Church...and our Father wants us to know one another, encourage one another and help one another.
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Regular church attendance develops discipline in your life. Most of our self inflicted problems are simply the results of our lack of self discipline. This is going to be so good for you. Really!
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You're going to learn. Hosea 4:6 says that God's people are destroyed in life because of a lack of knowledge! You need information, teaching and instruction concerning how to live the victorious, overcoming life that Jesus died to give you. Spiritual success does not happen automatically.
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You're going to make friends...if you do this long enough. Friends who will be like family...because they are. We are the family of God!
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You will get opportunities to use your gifts and talents for God and the cause of Jesus Christ! Purpose is a wonderful and powerful thing. Your purpose emerges as you live your life alongside other people with godly purpose. Your life will “take off”. I promise.
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Finally...and I think this is a big one...You will be challenged and given the opportunity to live for a cause bigger than yourself! We all need something that will challenge us to be bigger, greater, more than we can be in ourselves alone. Greatness can be had through consistent participation in God's Church!
So, if you go to church I encourage you to continue...steadfastly.
If you don't, find a good Bible believing, Spirit filled, Life giving church and become a part of it. Go. Be there. It'll change your life!
How much church do you need?
Enough to change your life!
-Pastor David Brown
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