A question often asked is, “Why
Church?”
This can be another way of asking,
“Can a person be a Christian without going to church?”
There are, of course, a
number of ways to look at this.
Perhaps the best place to
start is by asking another question.
What exactly is church?
When some people think of
church, they think of the church building.
It is important to
understand that the church and the church building are not the same thing.
The word church is far more
about the body of believers and whom they choose to worship.
Last Sunday when I arrived
for worship I discovered that the neighborhood was without electricity.
We could have chosen to
worship outdoors and still have been a church.
Matthew 18:20 (NET) - For where
two or three are assembled in my name, I am there among them.
Some people move around, trying
one church then another.
If asked why, they might
tell you that they are looking for “the perfect church”.
Frankly, that is something
they will never find because it does not exist.
The church on this earth is
imperfect because it is composed of imperfect people.
People like me.
Even on my best day, I am
anything but perfect.
The church can help us with
that.
Philippians 3:12 (NE) - Not that
I have already attained this—that is, I have not already been perfected—but I
strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me.
A church must be about
worship.
It must help point people
toward God and strengthen their relationship with Him.
Now it goes without saying
that there are a number of different churches out there.
Just last week, I attended a wedding at a church that was not
my own.
They do things differently than we do them.
That’s okay.
It does not matter that we each do things differently.
What matters is that we each, in our own way, strive to bring
glory to God.
Another question asked is: “Can someone attend church and not
be a Christian?”
Absolutely!
Being a Christian means having a relationship with God.
A relationship made possible through Jesus Christ and the
Holy Spirit.
This relationship has a profound impact on how we choose to
treat others.
Without this relationship where we are at any given time is
not the issue.
The church can help, but it is the state of a person’s heart
that matters most.
Mark 12:29-31 (NET) - Jesus answered, “The most important is: ‘Listen,
Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your
heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The
second is: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment
greater than these.”
The church experience provides the Christian with a number of
things.
It gives us a small taste of what heaven will be like.
It connects us with a body of believers who are united in
spirit.
It provides us with opportunities to serve in ways that would
not be possible on our own.
There are other things as well.
So, the next time someone asks me the question, “Why church?”
I just might ask in return, “Why not?”
I wonder where that might lead.
Blessings,
Jim Pokorny
The Other Brother Jim
Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on
Friday, July 7, 2017.
I will be back here on Friday, July 14, 2017
