Why you Need Church

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It’s almost here. It comes every year on the same day, just like Christmas and Independence Day. Although it’s not an official holiday or even marked on our calendars, millions of people practice the same activity on this day in almost every culture around the world. What is it that people around the world do? Actually, it’s more about what they don’t do. On the Sunday following every Easter, millions of people choose to stay home, sleep in, go to breakfast, play golf, or any other leisure activity they can think of, rather than doing what they were undeniably dedicated to doing last Sunday at the same time of day: go to church. Catholics even have a traditional name for it: Low Sunday, although the Pope officially renamed the day back in 2000 to “Divine Mercy Sunday.” But despite the rebranding attempt, Low Sunday continues to live up to its original name for both Protestant and Catholic churches alike. Statistically speaking, congregations on the Sunday following Easter are approximately 50 percent smaller than they were just seven days prior. Seats and pews that were once teeming with smiling faces dressed in their best pastel colors become hollow vessels echoing the music and words from disappointed worship leaders and pastors everywhere.

Whether you’re planning to be in church on Low Sunday or not, every believer has experienced that familiar longing to just go back to sleep or lounge around all morning rather than making the effort associated with going to church. At one time or another, every single believer wrestles with the desire to either quit going or to avoid making a commitment altogether. After all, there isn’t a church on earth without people… and at least a few of those people — if not many more — drive us crazy, let us down, act like hypocrites, or exhaust us to no end. But if you’re contemplating not going back this Sunday or you don’t think you need to attend regularly to have a strong faith or walk with God, then I invite you to consider it from a fresh point of view for just a few minutes. There may not be anything I can do to change your mind, but I can pray that these words will be carried into the deepest parts of your heart by the Holy Spirit. And if you are a devoted churchgoer and would never think of skipping out, I encourage you to keep reading, because I know from personal experience, that even the most seasoned churchgoers become weary at some point.

First, let’s just acknowledge the things about going to church that aren’t super appealing… to anyone. Here are just a few of the most common ones:

• Giving up outdoor fun when the weather is beautiful.
• Leaving a warm snuggly bed or couch when the weather is lousy.
• Saying no to the early morning workout, kids game, or sporting event.
• Listening to the tone-deaf man sing behind you… loudly
• Being asked to volunteer.
• Being asked to give money.
• Not feeling accepted based on your income, looks, age, clothes, social circle, etc.
• Getting trapped in a conversation with someone too conservative, liberal, or just downright opinionated.
• Seeing the same person that lifted his arm to flip you off on the highway lift his hands in worship in front of you.
• Being reminded that you might not be living right.

Oh and I’m sure you can think of many more potentially uncomfortable or annoying scenarios. Why subject yourself to any of that? I get it. But there’s something that supersedes all of those awkward and uneasy situations. There’s something worth more than our fears or feelings… something more valuable than our time… and far, far more important than our money or our reputation. And it has been true since the day the Holy Spirit rushed into the Upper Room to fill the waiting followers of Jesus (Acts 2:1-13). At that moment, the very presence of God began abiding within every believer. Jesus’ followers became His new body on earth. Take a moment and really contemplate what that means. Regardless of anyone’s weaknesses, flaws, mistakes, demeanor, or behaviors, if they are followers of Jesus, they are set apart to be instruments of His will, love, compassion, mercy, and grace. And here’s the kicker — like it or not — God most often appears, comforts, serves, and blesses us through His instruments.

Yes, we do have personal interactions with the Holy Spirit all by ourselves, but God’s design is for us to experience the most tangible and visible expressions of His love through His body serving each other. So despite the very human and very frustrating ways other people can seem more like obstacles who tarnish His love, we are called to do life with the rest of the body, not visit it occasionally on special holidays or reaching out during times of hardship. Just like a marriage, life with others in the body requires a mutual commitment and hard work. But, as any long-term happy couple can attest, the effort is well-worth the abundant rewards of a deep, abiding love that stands by you in any storm, supports you in times of need, holds you accountable when change would be helpful, and takes you to the pinnacle of friendship. Like it or not, God created us to need each other and science proves that people with strong support networks heal faster, feel happier, and live longer. If that’s not reason enough here are a few more of the many benefits that come from committing to a church family.

Church recharges your soul batteries. Chances are, none of us gets enough encouragement from our spouse, our families, or our jobs. When we are regularly in the habit of meeting with others specifically to pursue God and serve each other, our souls are refreshed as we fan the flames of faith, hope, and trust on a consistent basis. And being together breeds familiarity, which helps us be more comfortable to share our true feelings, ask for help, and receive much-needed hugs. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” If you want to experience God’s touch like never before, commit to being a part of a small group within your church.

Church opens up the mysteries of God and spurs us to maturity. Sure, we can study the Bible on our own, but hearing, talking about, and sharing the Word together opens your heart and mind up to discovering more about God and ignites a hunger to learn more and more. Also, studying the Bible in isolation can lead you to misinterpretation or circular reasoning. When His body meets together, the Holy Spirit moves among His people to provide collective wisdom and sound teaching. Ephesians 4:11-16 makes it clear that God’s design for our walk with Him includes pastoral care, wise instruction, and spiritual oversight. “And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God… Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

Church holds you accountable and helps you be a better person. Let’s face it, human nature makes us lazy about self-improvement. Our brains and our bodies like to maintain the status quo, but the Holy Spirit’s job is to transform us more into the likeness of Christ continually. Being a part of a church and especially a small group or Bible class, helps us establish powerful mentoring and peer accountable relationships. Galatians 6:1-3 says, “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.”

Church provides personal fulfillment. God created every person to worship and serve Him whether he or she recognizes it or not. And until we are serving within the body of Christ according to His calling on our lives, we will never feel completely fulfilled. The age-old question “What on earth am I here for,” is very often answered by a role God has for us in our local church. Of course, He also calls many to serve Him in other ways, both secular and ministerial in nature, but if you haven’t yet found fulfillment, then there’s a good chance you’re not using your gifts and talents in the optimum way. Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Central to the accomplishment of “good things He planned for us,” is the role of the church in our lives. Take a moment to read 1 Corinthians 12, and you’ll see God’s beautiful design for a healthy church body. In verse 7, the passage says, “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” When we have a gift that we’re not using for God’s kingdom, we will always feel as if there is a dull ache or slight emptiness within our souls. “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it,” says Paul in verse 27.

Church is where God wants you to be. Regardless of how we feel about church and what our options are where we live, the Bible makes it clear that God wants each one of us to be an active, contributing member of His body. What that calling looks like and where it plays out varies widely, from small home churches to crowded megachurches, but if you don’t have a church home where you feel comfortable, loved, fed, and inspired to serve, then pray. Pray with a passion for it because you’re missing out on some of the most visible and palatable aspects of God’s love for you. And if you’ve been hurt by a church experience, please know my heart goes out to you. I’ve been there too, and it can be hard to remember that just because people hurt you, it doesn’t mean God wants you to be alone in your walk with Him. There is no perfect church, just as there are no perfect people. In fact, a healthy church can help you heal from a bad experience and move forward. If you’re willing to forgive and trust God to lead you to a local body, He will restore you and your heart in time. Not only that, He will redeem your hurt according to 2 Corinthians 1:3-5. He will use it, alongside your spiritual gifts, to help others who have been hurt too. Colossians 3:13 says, “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”

While trusting in Jesus is the only thing needed to save us from our sins and secure our eternal place in God’s presence, being a part of a church body through fellowship, worship, study, and meaningful service is an integral part of a believer’s path to knowing and growing in his or her faith. That’s why it’s so ironic that one of the lowest attended Sundays of the year is the one immediately following such a grand celebration of the most pivotal act of God throughout human history. As this Low Sunday approaches, why not commit to making it a high point in your relationship with God? You were designed for your local body, and it was designed for you. Together, you make a perfect match.

What do you think of today's message? Comment and share your thoughts below! And if God brought someone to mind as you read or listened, please encourage them by sharing this post today!

For Further Reflection and Daily Spiritual Journaling
The questions and readings below can be used for a single-day study or your daily quiet time throughout the week. This is a new offering for Glimmers in the Fog, so if you like having the questions and readings offered in this format, please let me know by commenting below or in social media.
Day 1 - In John 17:20-23 Jesus prays for unity among all those who will follow Him throughout the ages. Read His plea to the Father and search your heart for how you are and how you are not living out in obedience to Jesus’ heart cry for those He loves. Write down your thoughts and prayers to God about your love for His body and your willingness to encourage unity among your fellow believers.
Day 2 - Take a moment to read the first half of 1 Corinthians 12 (verses 1-11). Pray and ask God what your spiritual gifts are (if you are not aware) or which ones you may not be using to the fullest for His kingdom. Write down what He whispers to your spirit. If you want to know more about spiritual gifts and take a free online assessment, visit this page.
Day 3 -  Read the second half of 1 Corinthians 12 (verses 12-31). Which verse jumps out at you the most in this passage? Journal about why you think it stands out. How do you think you may have not performed the role in the body of Christ the way He expects you to? Is there some way He is calling you to serve? Is there a way you are serving that you shouldn’t be so that you can focus on His primary calling for your life?
Day 4 - Read Ephesians 5:22-33 and pick one verse to meditate on in prayer before the Lord. Praise Him that Jesus is the bridegroom for the church and that He loves us more than you can love your spouse or your closest loved one. What is God whispering to you about His love for you and how He wants you to love Him?
Day 5 - Read Matthew 25:1-13 where Jesus gives the parable of the 10 bridesmaids. How do you see this passage as being instructional for the church? Pray about the two types of bridesmaids and ask God to reveal to you what characteristics you have of each type. What is He asking you to do?

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