Go To Church

We've all heard it: "I don't GO to church because we ARE the church." I get it. I know the body of Christ is the church. But saying: "I am going to the corporate gathering of believers" is too long so we say "I am going to church". Many now say: "I don't go to church anymore. The church left me wounded. It's full of hypocrites."

Here is my response to that. Everyone is wounded in life. Family wounds us. Friends wound us. Church wounds us. Life wounds us. That doesn't mean we check out of all those things. Being hurt is part of life. Those who grow and mature from it are happier in life than those who "just can't move on". 

Being a pastor's wife the last five years has greatly increased my appreciation for the local church. My appreciation for GOING to church...consistently... week after week has grown. I see a difference in the lives of those who sporadically go and those who come every Sunday giving of themselves and being given to.

There is a "movement" to leave church. To walk away. To "do church in homes like the first believers did". I have not seen the sort of accountability and church government I believe God desires in these home churches. There is almost a sort of pride that I see from people I know who are like this. They look down on us silly Christians that meet in a "building". Um... a home is a building too. Ours is just bigger and functions better for how many people come here. Jesus went to the synagogues often. Once Christianity came on the scene there were no church buildings because it had just begun.

I do see the benefit of meeting in homes. That's why our church has so many home fellowships through out the week. I see how they encourage closer relationships and I am thankful for them, but I also see the benefit of having a place to meet corporately. I see the blessing of having a pastor study all week and present the Word of God to us each week as God feeds His sheep through that man.

No local church body is perfect. Just like you aren't perfect. No local church body lacks in hypocrites but I am pretty sure if I asked those who live with you if you are ever hypocritical there would be a resounding yes. The church exists for Christ and His glory, not you and your feelings. Being plugged into a local church body of believers is a blessing not only for you but those around you! It is such a gift to be part of local body of believers that you can benefit from and that can benefit from the gifts God has given you.

Go to church. Go to a church that says: "Turn with me in your bibles to...." Go to a church where there is an emphasis on destroying sin and rejoicing in your salvation. Get plugged into a local body. It provides accountability and encouragement. It provides a place you can consistently go to and feel like home. It provides a family like you have never known.

One of the biggest gifts I have witnessed for myself and for those in our church is the sense of community that we have! Oh the joy to know that if you go through something tough that your church family will definitely be there for you. Oh the joy of mourning with those who mourn and rejoicing with those who rejoice. Sharing life with brothers and sisters in Christ is how God designed us to live and yet so many forfeit this.... You were not meant to live on an island by yourself. You and your family were designed to be living life with your brothers and sisters in Christ through all the ups and downs. You were meant to have relationships with people that endure and withstand all those conflicts and annoyances. 

Don't buy into the lie that you don't need to be part of a local church body. Don't believe that you are too good for all those churches that just "can't get their act together". You're pretty messed up yourself. Just like me and everyone else. 
Once you get plugged in, expect to be let down. Expect to be hurt. Expect to be disappointed. But also expect to grow and be challenged. Expect to be loved. Look for ways to encourage others and don't go to church with such a critical heart. Look for ways to bless others and don't just sit there waiting to be blessed.

Go to church. 

Top Ten Ways To Be Miserable In Your Local Church Body

#1 Forget that your pastor is a sinner. Yep. Dwell on the fact that he is not perfect as often as possible and make sure to meditate on all his faults.

#2 Forget that the entire leadership is made up of sinners. While you are thinking about all your pastor's weaknesses be sure to look for all the weaknesses in all the leadership. Criticize their every decision and talk to others, but don't ever go to them with your concerns.

#3 Forget that your brothers and sisters in Christ are all sinners. This is a really important one. Go to church expecting everyone to be perfect. Get really upset when someone doesn't notice you or someone offends you. Then leave the church and tell people you don't go to church because it's filled with hypocrites.

#4 Forget you are a sinner.  Like numbers one through three instruct, focus on everyone else's faults, but do your best to forget about anything you do wrong. And since you're perfect nobody should ever wrong you. Expect the most out of everyone except yourself and get really angry when people don't live up to your standards. 

#5 Don't be involved, but then complain that you don't know anybody, and make sure to point out how your church is filled with cliques. This one is SURE to make you miserable! Make sure you are involved in the least amount of activities and events, but then make complaints like, "Nobody ever says hi to me" or "Nobody knows me." Consistently whine about all the cliques in your church and how impossible it is to get to know anyone.

#6 Get upset every Sunday about the music. Church bodies all over the world are divided over music; you can easily use this area to make yourself miserable. Make sure you criticize every song the music leader chooses and make fun of him if he makes a mistake. Bemoan how hard it is for you to listen to the hymns (if you don't like hymns) and whine about how lame the contemporary songs are if you don't like those. Be sure to do this with the leadership constantly. Forget about the fact that there is only one instance of Jesus singing (and even then it was only one song), but make sure the music in your church is one of THEE most important issues.

#7 Don't ever invite people over to your house. Then be sure to get really upset that no one ever invites you over.

#8 Wait around for the leadership to do everything, and complain about all of your ideas that aren't followed immediately. Come up with things your church SHOULD be doing, but don't do it yourself and get really angry when your pastor says, "That sounds like a great idea! Why don't you go ahead and head up that ministry?" Never offer to help serve in the areas you see there is a need.

#9 Only come to Sunday morning service and then get mad because you and your family aren't "growing." Be sure to get angry that your church body (the pastor in particular) is not meeting your family's spiritual needs when you only come to one service a week (maybe less) and are not looking for other ways to grow.

#10 Forget that the local church body is about Jesus and not you. This is THE MOST IMPORTANT AND VITAL WAY TO BE MISERABLE in your local church body. Forget that the church is for Christ and His honor, glory and purposes and make it for your honor, glory and purposes! Make church all about you!