WHY I GO TO CHURCH
- Terry Shishmanian
- Feb 8, 2018
- 4 min read
I know why I go to church.
God tells me to go.
… not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:25, NIV)
Preaching is the method God--not me—not you--but God, has chosen to spread the gospel, which is the good news about Christ, the forgiveness of sin and salvation. He told his disciples, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. (Mark 16:15, NIV)
…God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
(I Cor. 1:21, NIV)
The Body of Christ (my local church and the church universal) is where God’s people are, and He commands a blessing in our unity
How good and pleasant it is when God's people live together in unity!
…For there the Lord bestows his blessing, (Psalm 133:1, NIV)
The Church is where the gifts of God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, operate.
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. (I Cor. 12:4-6, NIV)
Why some people say they don't go to church.
I can’t follow the preacher. It’s boring.
The best way I know how to find a church is to pray about it. There is a church that is good for you and you are good for it. Ask God to show where it is. Train yourself to listen intently in church. It’s a challenge—our world today no longer prepares us for deep, intense thought. If it can’t be said in 30 seconds we lose interest. Don’t let dullness infiltrate your mind. Fight back!
I feel like everyone is judging me.
People might not be as judgmental as you think. Your own feelings of insecurity may give you the impression that you are not wanted. Don’t believe your feelings, instead believe the Word—you are accepted in the Beloved (Eph. 1:6).
One of Satan’s greatest tools is discouragement. How hard he works to make you feel you are not ‘good’ enough and would never be accepted in a church. He is a liar! Jesus Christ is the great equalizer—all sinners are welcomed into the congregation.
My parents went to church, and they’re a mess. Why should I go?
Can you blame your parents forever? Ummm…you can try. But sooner or later, you’ll have to realize that we all stand before God on our own. There will be no finger pointing in eternity.
There are a million other things to do on Sunday morning.
Yes—we all have a million things to do, and Sunday morning may seem like a good time to do them, but we need wisdom for our lives. An anointed preacher will open the Bible and give the congregation what God has given him. There is great wisdom in hearing what God is saying. Let’s be honest, our ‘to-do’ lists never really end, and maybe God will speak to you during the service and energize you for the tasks ahead. For through wisdom your days will be many, and years will be added to your life. (Proverbs 8:11, NIV)
The church is full of hypocrites.
Are there perfect people in church? No. Never have been, never will be. Sorry—perfection is for heaven only. We are not necessarily hypocrites, but we are sinners. I may mean well, but I don’t always do well. Are my failures a good enough reason for you not to come to church? Don’t think so. Again—no finger pointing!
If God is everywhere, why do I have to go into a church to be with Him?
Yes, God is everywhere. And yes, we can have fellowship with Him whenever and wherever we want. God is omnipresent and omnipotent. We, however, are not. We are finite beings searching for a relationship with an infinite God.
That’s why He places us, whenever possible, in a church, where we can hear His Word preached and have fellowship with other believers who know us and will pray with us and for us. Church is also the place where God gives us a vision for the lost. The church is important to God; therefore, it should be important to believers. We are His hands and feet here on the earth. I do have my time with God privately, but remember, God commands a blessing in unity… For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them (Matthew 18:20, NIV).
You cannot let one doctrine usurp another. The doctrine of God’s omnipresence does not cancel out the doctrines of preaching and Body life (fellowship).
None of the above excuses can negate what God says about coming together as a church and hearing the preaching of the Word. These are invaluable to our life of faith. You are not meant to be a ‘baby’ Christian forever. Preaching, praying with others, and fellowship are three very important tools God uses to cause us to ‘grow-up’ in our faith.
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