Church: Why do we go to church for?

This message is dedicated to the:-
Christian Reader: Why we MUST come together AS A church
Non-Christian Reader: What is the point of coming together as a church

Ok, you may have heard some of your Christian brothers and sisters say (after going to church for a while and getting sick of it), 'Do we have to go to church?', 'Can't we do church at home', 'Can't we have church at home?' , 'What is the point of going to church?', 'If God is everywhere, why do I have to go and worship Him there?'

So what are the arguments that we commonly encounter?

1. 'Where does it say in the bible we should go to church?'

It does my friend. Read the verses below and you shall see just a few of the passages in the bible where it mentions the people coming together as a church.

• 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. (Hebrews 10:25)

"Let us encourage one another." My fellow Christians, how many of us have actually been doing this, coming together as a church and encouraging and strengthening our brothers/sisters? Church is not just some service where we worship together and then the Pastor starts preaching to us so that they may strengthen and encourage us to grow and live in Christ, but it also involves us strengthening our brothers and sisters. (Let me stress this again!: COMING TOGETHER AS A CHURCH IS NOT A ONE SIDED THING WHERE THE PASTOR DOES EVERYTHING! It isn't some COME AND RECEIVE thing!)

So next time when you go to church, attempt to get to know the people around you and build Godly relationships with them, not gossip! Also join a cell group, a prayer group etc. so that you may have a close knit of friends who will be able to strengthen, encourage, pray for you etc. throughout all seasons of the year.

2. 'Isn't the church just a building?'

"In the first place, I hear that when you COME TOGETHER AS A CHURCH, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it." (1 Corinthians 11:18)

The building itself isn't a church. The greek word 'Ecclesia' is translated 'church' in the bible. An ecclesia is a 'called out assembly'. In the case for us Christians the ecclesia is the gathering of a group of people coming together for the Lord. It is not dependent on a specific venue nor some orderly time(not that these things are wrong in anyway). Practically, church services are made on a set time such that the people can come together with ease and convenience.

3. 'I can do church at home, after all, the venue doesn't matter!'

Gathering together at home(the venue) as a church with your pastor, elders and fellow Christians, encouraging one another in our Lord Jesus Christ and to worship Him together is perfectly fine! There is nothing wrong with using your house as the venue to gather as a church.

In fact take a look at (1 Corinthians 16:19) - "The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings, Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house."

Unfortunately, there are some that say "I can do church at home!" as an excuse just so that they don't have to 'go to church'. My friend, I urge you to reexamine your intent as God knows your heart. If your intent is wrong in any way, may I encourage you to realign yourselves with God and grasp the actual meaning of the word 'church'.

4. 'But I can worship God anywhere, doesn't it say in the bible we can worship God anywhere?'

Yes my friend, you can worship God anywhere. But also let me tell you some of the reasons as to why you should go to church. Worshiping together is just one of the things we should do when we come together as a church. Some of the other reasons we go to church include:- i) the strengthening of your brothers and sisters in Christ, ii) using the gifts/talents/abilities given to us by God for the ministry and growth of the church iii) corporate worship.

• What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. ALL OF THESE MUST BE DONE for the STRENGTHENING OF THE CHURCH. (1 Corinthians 14:26)

This verse encourages us to come together as a church and do such things as stated above, so that we may strengthen the church, ie. strengthen the brothers and sisters in Christ, this includes our leaders and preachers.

• The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free - and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts. (1 Corinthians 12:12-30)

Quite a bit of passage there to digest, I shall only explain this verse in relation to the church for this specific post. This passage was written to the Church at Corinth by the Apostle Paul. What is said here is all of us Christians make up the body of Christ. Each of us have different spiritual gifts and hence have 'different functions' to aid in the ministry of Christ. "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." We all have different functions for the body of Christ. Coming together as a church will allow us to share our gifts for the strengthening and growth of the church (ie the congregation). Christians that do not want to come together as a church, may I encourage you to reconsider, as you and your gifts/talents are essential in the preaching and ministry of Christ. "If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it." If you don't help share your gifts with us, all your brothers and sisters in Christ suffer too! We must not be selfish and keep the gifts that God has given to us to ourselves. Rather, we must use our gifts in the church for the strengthening and growth of our brothers and sisters in Christ. To those Christians that think that their gifts are 'useless', it is stressed clearly here that each piece that makes up the body is equally as important hence why we need each other. We cannot disregard one part of the body of Christ and call them useless, so don't isolate your gifts, my brothers and sisters in Christ!

5. The service is too early OR I have work on Sunday OR I want to go out instead OR some other reason why I'm unable to attend.

Well my friend, you know your intent. You need to examine yourselves as to why you do not want to, or why you have stopped going or why you cannot go. I hope that we have showed you Christians whom have stopped going to church why your brothers and sisters in Christ need you! If you claim that you do not have enough free time, I challenge you dear friend, to earnestly pray and commit your life wholly to God and ask Him to help you find more free time for His kingdom. With the right heart and intent, I can ascertain you that He will grant your request.

• To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ's sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers - not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
  

This verse shows us why we have pastors to shepherd the flock within the church. (ie why we have pastors to help guide God's people that attend their particular church.)

So to all my brothers and sisters in Christ who have so called stopped going to church for whatever reason it may be, remember, God sees your heart. We must go to church with the right intent. To those that go to church for the wrong reasons - if your intent in going is not deemed good in God's eyes, I suggest that you reconsider your course of actions. I hope that this post encourages those Christians who have stopped going to start attending again and understand the importance in doing so!