The sanctuary at our church, before the early service. The Chrismon tree near the pulpit contains Chrismons, symbols used to represent the Christ throughout the years (the Cross, the Alpha, the Omega, the Fish, etc.)

November 26, 2022 / 0 comments

A Need to Be at Church

How good and pleasant it is
    when God’s people live together in unity!
It is like precious oil poured on the head,
    running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
    down on the collar of his robe.
It is as if the dew of Hermon
    were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
    even life forevermore.

  • Psalm 133:1-3

“The year the Indianapolis Colts won the Super Bowl, we didn’t have our most talented team. Other years we had sustained fewer injuries and probably had more talent, but that 2007 team played so well together. There were plenty of unique personalities, and I’m sure they had their differences at times, but that group was united in thought and purpose like no other team I had had a chance to lead. Even when we were trailing the New England Patriots 21-6 at the end of the first half in the AFC championship game, our guys were unrattled. I saw in their faces that what we had in the locker room—fifty-three players pulling together—was all we needed to make the game better in the second half. We did—and as you probably already know, we won.
“The church is Christ’s bride, and in that role collectively represents Jesus Christ to the world. For those of us who might be tempted to view church involvement as optional and believe that our faith is private and personal, the church is God’s plan. In order for our faith to grow further in a relationship with Christ, we need the fellowship and encouragement of others of like faith to edify and sustain us and our faith. God’s plan is that we have a private, personal relationship and time with Him alongside the collective worship, study, and fellowship with others in unity with Christ and His purpose for the church.”

  • Tony Dungy and Nathan Whitaker, The One Year Uncommon Life (Devotion for 5 October)

I have written about church attendance and membership.  The two things are different.

I recently had a conversation with a friend and their relative had just joined a church where the relative had attended for a few years.  My friend said, “It seems they don’t much care about membership.”

I wanted to say, ‘No, they are comfortable in their own skin.  A church that starts talking about membership when the visitor visits the first time seems to be focused more on membership than on glorifying God.  You glorify yourself with a lot of members.  God only cares about those who know Him personally.  And that might take a few years.

But in those few years, you can get involved.  There are things to do.

We need those people close to us who can help us spiritually, to grow to be more like Jesus every day.  Jesus had people around Him all the time.  Satan loves to attack the loner; they are more easily weakened when they can be culled from the herd.

Visit a church this Sunday if you are not a member at the moment.  Join when the Holy Spirit guides you in that direction.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.

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