WHO NEEDS THE CHURCH? (How often do I go to church?)

EPHESIANS 1:22: “And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and made Him head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” NASB

OBSERVATION: Who needs the church? From all appearances, it seems the church has become a relic of the past. There are those today who want to deconstruct the church saying that it needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. There are others who feel the church is no longer relevant to today’s culture and times.

This is not just the opinion of those who don’t hold the Christian faith. This has become the general consensus of those who profess to be Christians. How can I say that? While the average believer may not say this publicly they show it through their attendance and involvement in the church. Currently, most people who call themselves church members, attend church once a month. Those who attend weekly have fallen to only about 20%.

All one has to do to understand this trend is to watch posts on Facebook. One pastor told me that one of his congregants posted a picture of himself at the beach at the same time church was beginning. Now, don’t misunderstand me, there is nothing wrong with taking a weekend off with the family. Yet, when the weekends off become the norm rather than the exception…

HOUSTON…WE HAVE A PROBLEM!

In America, I think one of the reasons people have opted out of church for other activities is due to a misunderstanding of what the church really is. We have come to view the church as a shopping mall to visit and procure the help and blessings that we are currently interested in. Yet, as anyone who has frequented a shopping mall knows, familiarity with the sameness of the mall produces disinterest and the desire to check out other venues.

This consumeristic view has been adopted not only by those who attend church but also by those who are leading churches. We have forgotten what the church is called to be and we have, in an attempt to attract and maintain our attendance, embraced this consumer mindset and now we find churches competing for the saints. We compete with our worship style, our programs, and our message series. We have exchanged the presence of God for a Christianized form of entertainment.

SO WHAT IS THE CHURCH?

Paul writes to the Ephesians and reminds them what the church is meant to be. It is not a building. It is not the repository of programs and activities. It is not the center for exciting worship programs and video presentations. The church is something much more.

THE CHURCH IS THE FULLNESS OF GOD!

• “And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and made Him head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”

The church is the Body of Christ. The church was not created for man it was the outworking of the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. It was the fruit of His sacrifice. It was purchased with His blood. It was the culmination of His will, His desire, His plan, His love. It is not about me. The church is about Jesus. He is the head of the church, the purpose of the church, the center of our worship, and the fulfillment of all things. I don’t need the church because it offers great programs or has the latest trends and styles of worship.

I NEED THE CHURCH BECAUSE I NEED JESUS!

I do not possess the fullness of God. I do not possess the fullness of the Holy Spirit. I do not possess the gifts of the Spirit or all the fruit of the Spirit. I am only a tongue of fire – not the pillar of fire. The pillar of fire did not hover over Moses’ tent. The pillar of fire hovered over the Tabernacle. Likewise, the presence of God does not reside fully in me or any other indvidual.

THE PRESENCE AND FULLNESS OF GOD RESIDE IN HISBODY – THE CHURCH!

I need the church! I need the local church! I need the church in my city! I need the church in my state! I need the church in my country! I need the church in my world!

I NEED THE CHURCH – BECAUSE I NEED JESUS!

Each Sunday, I have a choice to make. I can stay home, go to the beach, tee up at the golf course, go shopping, hang around by the pool, attend a soccer tournament, go to an amusement park, or…

I CAN GATHER WITH HIS BODY – TO BE WITH JESUS!

We all need to take vacations. We all need short trips to recoup and refresh. Yet, more than this – we all need to be in the presence of the living God. We need to gather with the Body of Christ, His church, the called-out saints of God, and focus on one thing and one thing alone.

WE NEED TO WORSHIP JESUS!

So, the real question I must ask myself is – Is Jesus a priority for me and for my family? If I visit church only one time a month I think the answer is obvious. If I visit less there is no question. If I claim to be a Christian, a follower of Christ, and neglect His Body, there is something wrong. I don’t go to church when I have nothing else going on. I go to church first. I seek Jesus first. I seek His Kingdom and His righteousness first.

I ATTEND CHURCH WEEKLY BECAUSE THE CHURCH IS THE FULLNESS OF CHRIST!

• “And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and made Him head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”

Lord, help me not to simply attend church, help me to be a living part of the church. Help me to worship You through my actions, service, and my finances. Help me to extend Your Kingdom, through Your church, and to always put You first!

In Jesus’ Name!