When I was in my early teens I hated going to church, but that didn’t matter to my parents. They forced me to go anyway. Every Sunday.
So I made it work for me. Once we arrived at church, my parents would head to their class and us kids would go to ours. At least we were supposed to. I instead took off for the A&W that was just a short walk away, where I met up with the rest of my “church hating” friends.
At the time, I didn’t know that I needed the church, and that the church needed me.
The church the Bible talks about isn’t buildings. And it’s not an organization. It’s people – the Body of Christ. Who according to the Bible are called to gather and scatter. Both are essential.
So whether you gather with other believers on Sunday mornings in a church building or in a home on Tuesday nights, there are some bottom line truths that we should remember.
We Need the Church
First look to yourself. You need the church as much as I do. That’s why the writer of Hebrews said:
Hebrews 10:25 – Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Early in the history of the church, God’s children needed the encouragement that could come from gathering together with other believers. Encouragement to walk worthy, to stand firm in their faith, to persevere through trials, to demonstrate God’s love in tangible ways to everyone they met, to boldly spread the Gospel to the lost world around them.
We need that encouragement today just as much as they needed it then. Especially in light of the fact that we are getting closer and closer to the Day when Christ will return!
The Church Needs Us
Every child of God is of immense value to the Body of Christ. Even if you feel like you’re just the little toe, you’re needed. You have a purpose and a God-given role to play in the Kingdom of God. Every believer has something to give. Something that will help someone else. Something that will help God’s church accomplish its mission here on earth.
I Corinthians 12:7,11 – “To each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good…the Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”
Yes, We’re Imperfect
Many people have given up on the church because they’ve been hurt by the organized church or other Christians in the past. I know I have a number of scars from past hurts related to a church or church people. But I’ve also come to accept the fact that the church – this side of heaven – is made up of imperfect people… like me and you.
In spite of our imperfections, we still need each other. And God still wants to use us – together – to do His work in the midst of this fallen world.
So if you’re not connecting with a group of believers on a regular basis in some way, I’d encourage you to find some and commit yourself to living life with them. Gather together with a part of “His church” so you can be encouraged in your walk, and so you can encourage others. You need them, and they need you.
by Dave Gudgel
Related Post: What Does the Bible Have to Say About What “Church” Should Be?