Going to Church

Titus 2:1 - "But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine."

Many people who claim to be Christians today refuse to join a church. People point to past church hurt, a lack of time, or a lack of good local churches as a reason why they refuse to join a church. This shift away from the local church has in part been exacerbated by the growing online and megachurch movement. Many of the world's biggest churches now broadcast directly into your home via television, internet, and social media. This is really a good thing, but it should never be a replacement for a Christian belonging to a local church and doing life with the local believers. With this growing phenomenon comes a basic truth that is essential for Christians to grasp; we need to commit to, and submit to, a local church.

The Church is the bride of Christ. The Church exists to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth (Matthew 5). Being in a Bible-teaching church allows believers to be strengthened by the Word and encouraged by other brothers and sisters. It creates an environment for true fellowship to occur and is a place for worshipping God. When it sticks to its main purpose, the local church pleases God and equips believers to live out their faith. When the local church fails to stick to its biblical mandate, problems arise.

What about those suffering from church hurt? As someone who has experienced church hurt, even as a pastor, I understand it can be a big deal. It can cause you to not enjoy church, ministry, and even question why you serve God. If I have experienced this as a pastor, I can only imagine how one must feel who is new to the faith or new to church. But it is important to remember that church hurt is not ever caused by the Church. It is typically caused by one person or a small segment within the church acting in ways that are unbecoming of believers. Woe to them and woe to church leaders who may be the culprit for causing this church hurt. As Christians, we are viewed by the Father as His children. Here is what Jesus teaches about anyone who would cause the children of God to stumble in Matthew 18:6, "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin,  it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." Many churches have answered this issue by altering the physical appearance of the church to be what is known as "seeker sensitive." The problem with this is that churches are not addressing the core of the problem that exists. Eliminating church hurt starts with a church that teaches and preaches sound doctrine. Churches that preach eisegetically, seek to entertain, and are more focused on the appearance of righteousness rather than actually seeking after Christ and His righteousness do not eliminate church hurt. Instead, they inadvertently foster a culture that produces church hurt because they are more concerned with worldly things and not the things of the Kingdom.

What about those professing believers who are simply too busy to spend a couple of hours each week attending a Sunday morning service or a weekly Bible study? I get it. Life gets busy and in many ways it never slows down. As a father of a young child, I understand that struggle. As someone who grew up in a family where my brothers and I played every sport imaginable, I get it. But my parents prioritized church even in the midst of our busiest seasons. Were there weeks when we could not attend church? Yes. Looking ahead, will there be weeks in my life when I will miss church? Yes. But my faith in Jesus Christ is the absolute most important aspect of my life. My relationship with the brothers and sisters I get to do life with from within my local church is also incredibly important. We are a family. We sharpen each other and hold each other accountable in our pursuit of total sanctification by the work of the Holy Spirit. If something is truly important enough, you will prioritize it. If you say you have faith in Jesus Christ, the evidence of your faith will be found in the life you live. Part of that is going to church.

What about those believers who do not attend a church because they cannot find a good one? Church does not exist to make us feel good. Church exists to please God through worshipping Him and learning His word. We must only examine the quality of a local church through the lens of scripture. Doctrine must be taught, the Word of God must be the authority, and the leadership of the church must exist to honor God and reflect His grace to all who belong to that church. The pastor must fulfill the commands of him that are detailed in scripture, particularly in 1 and 2 Timothy and Titus. The worship must seek to please God alone, not the people worshipping Him. The culture must be one that is built on the Word. There are many local churches around you. If you belong to one that does it right, congratulations. If you are in one that does not uphold the commands of scripture, find out why that is, and seek after a church that honors Christ.

The church is comprised of depraved humans pursuing a perfect, loving God. The church will fail in some areas and thrive in others. The main point is that as a Christian, you must be in one. Commit to going to church and making that family your family. After all, they are your eternal family. Submit to the authority in the church and allow God to transform you under good church leadership. Again, it is important to choose wisely which church to commit and submit to. Some churches get it wrong and leadership may not be focused on the right things. Once you find a church that preaches and teaches exegetically, worships God, and stands firm on His word to guide their every decision, you are in the right place. As a man of God, get your family in church.

If you still haven't found one by next Sunday, I invite you to come sit by me next week. You won't be disappointed.