Pastor JJ ran down the ten most common objections to church, which are just excuses for not going to church. I'll continue now with objection #4:
(4)
“My life situation
changed, and I just never went back.” – Life is busy and we
can get out of the habit of coming to church, if we do not guard our hearts.
The choice to make church a priority is a personal one. It is a matter of
dedication to serve the Lord.
(5)
“I don’t have to go to church to be a good
person.” Good is not defined as “what profits people’. Church is about being
transformed and set apart in holiness for God’s purposes. Being “plugged in”
with God. Why is church important? We need to realize how empty and dry the world really is without the Lord,
and then we will have a thirst for Christ.
(6)
I’m too busy, and Sundays are my only time
to rest.” We all need rest and church is a great place to start. True rest is
spiritual rest and Sabbath rest rejuvenates. Church is a place to focus our life on Him.
(7)
“Church is boring.” – Church is not about
a Pastor rambling. If church is boring then we need to look at ourself for the
reason why. This is where we are starting a revolution against the gates of
hell, fighting for the kingdom of heaven, healing the broken, and filling the
empty.
(8)
“The people tend to have
their own cliques, so I never fit in.” – Church is an inclusive
community that love each other in Christ, bowing together before the Lord,
committed to follow Jesus with their life. Romans 12:9 “Love must be sincere. Hate what is
evil; cling to what is good.” Join that
clique.
(9)
“Christians are judgmental and
hypocritical” – People accuse the church
without knowledge. Their definition is off. They do not allow others to love
them in Christ. Christ’s love is bigger that that. The church is people on an
incredible mission.
(10)
“I don’t think that I’d be welcome anymore,
because I’ve done bad things.” – Church is a place full
of sinners. No one is “good enough” for heaven. None deserve salvation from God
through Christ. We are all people needing forgiveness and a Savior, who came to
save the lost in sin. Knowing Jesus and making Him known. The hospital of the
church is put together by the love and sacrifice of Jesus for us. Welcome.
Matthew 16:16-18 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the
living God.” Jesus replied, “On this rock I will
build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”
Pastor
Bob Coy of Calvary Chapel in Fort Lauderdale, Florida gave a challenge: “If the
churches are feeding people who are hungry, if they are clothing poor people,
if they’re reaching the world for Christ, if the pastor is living in a
reasonable home and drives a reasonable car, stop your criticizing, because
sometimes it’s just an excuse to keep you away form God. Join the team that is
changing the world in Jesus’ name.”
Do not be ashamed of the gospel. Take the message to your
community of relationship with the Lord through his body – the church. What
would happen if every church member invited just one person to church?
In
Christ, Brian
2 comments:
Brian, this is very timely for me. I am a Christian but have never been to a church for a number of reasons. Christianity in America from here in England; it seems it's more common for Americans to go to church than British people in general, and there are many reasons for this, some social and some historical too. Church here can be rather elitist and sometimes nothing more than respectable people being part of a club that confirms their superior status. It seems to have little to do with Jesus and little to do with the Gospel. I could go on here but you get my drift. I am a square peg all my life trying to fit into a round hole and have spent much of my life being misunderstood or being shunned one way or the other. I feel that I would get the same going to some of the churches too. When the church, and Christians in them are meant to be about love and compassion and welcoming as Jesus was, but then they are even more judgemental, backbiting and unpleasant than Atheists and general unbelievers, isn't this why people don't go to church? Sorry for being honest, but sooner or later this whole church question is going to have to be debated in an honest and searching way. For some, church is the place where believers fellowship with other believers, for many others church is just a social club for those who think they are better than other people.
Tim, you bring up excellent points and one's that the Christian church must communicate honesty. The truth is that the church, as Jesus intends it, is right and good and serving the purposes of God in this world, this side of heave. The problem arises when we (humanity) perverts that original intent and purpose. then you see the results that you mention, in England, America and everywhere. The gospel message is about forgiveness of sin and salvation. The church is about equipping people and serving the Lord. Now that's general terms for many facets of what that entails. Worship and praise, study and prayer, fellowship and service, ministry and charity, love and care, et cetera. Now these more specific terms are broken down into specific ways in which they are to happen, but under the commandment in the heart of the Believer to Love God & Love others with God's love and centered on the holy Word of God. Sure, people try to make church about people, but that's not what's God's purposes for us is about. Restoration of the world. Like you, I didn't go to church growing up, but the Lord came and got me at church and now I grow and mature spiritually and relationally to align my will with God's will and purposes to bring the light of truth to a world in the dark, like I was. We never stop learning either, as the Lord reveals more every day in the lives of others that we puts in front of us. Like you, I don't have time for elitist, clubs and the such, but Christ's church when functioning as designed to impacting society and the culture for God's good purposes is exactly where we should be. Jesus said that there would be tares mixed in with the wheat, but he will sort that out. We need to align our own mind, will and emotions we the Lord, then work together as the body of Christ to do the "good' works that God prepared in advance for us to do. I hope that you find a "Bible Believing" church that you can check out there and get involved with. Blessings brother in Christ.
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