Many times people shy away from church, for many different reasons. Reasons from having a bad experience, to feeling like Christians are stuck up to thinking they don't need to go to church to have a relationship with God. I do not doubt that some of these things can be true. However, like with everything and everyone in this world there will be things that you many not totally agree with or like. There are going to be people you encounter that aren't truly acting as Christians and churches that have some bad apples, but that doesn’t mean you cast the whole lot aside.
We have to learn that with every good and blessed thing, there is some bad that is trying to weasel its way in. We can't allow a certain situation or person to stop us from finding a church home to fellowship, worship and strengthen our relationships with God in. We need spiritual guidance from those that God has blessed to preach and teach. It's also an act of obedience to God and keeping the Sabbath day Holy. It's a community of people who are supposed to uplift, encourage and also to hold each other accountable to God's Christian standard.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (VOICE) 24 Let us consider how to inspire each other to greater love and to righteous deeds, 25 not forgetting to gather as a community, as some have forgotten, but encouraging each other, especially as the day of His return approaches.
For the last three years I have attempted to do my best with going to church on a regular basis. I will admit, for most of those three years that mainly consisted of just church on Sunday. Over time I came to a place where I longed for Sunday to roll around so I could be in God's house. To fellowship and praise God among other Christians and to sing and rejoice in His goodness. For most of that time I was attending the same church, but never became a member. There were a few reasons; ultimately God told me that when I started attending there it would not be my church home. That place would come latter when we all attended church as a family with daddy in the lead.
I have a very good friend who would continually tell me that I needed to belong to a church, to be a part of one or more of the ministries and to attend a bible study…something other than just church on Sunday. Now, while I agreed and understood why she kept telling me this, I still waited and was a bit distant in church. Not because of the church, people or the pastor…I would have to say that it was mainly because of self. I allowed my own fears of stepping out of my own personal existence or space to stop me from becoming a part of something that would truly help me grow. However, inside I really started wanting/needing more than just the once a week Sunday worship service to grow.
1 Corinthians 12:12 (NLT) 12 The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.
Over the last couple of months my husband, myself and the kids have been attending a new church and we absolutely love it. Its bible based, filled with the Holy Spirit and the word is brought forth each Sunday with fire and purpose. All three of my children have talked about how powerful the sermons are and how much they like the new church. The growth in my husband has been wonderful and I too have seen changes in myself and my walk with God. Along with Sunday's service and bible study, Brian and I have also started attending a couples/love language class. It is not only blessing us, but causing us to branch out of our normal quite existence. It really is a blessing to be a part of a community that loves the Lord, seeks to learn about Him and that wants to serve Him. They love, encourage and support each other…just like we do with our own families. They are a family!
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