Why Attending Church Is So Important

“Don’t let excuses stand in the way of what you know God is calling you to do.”

                                                                             By Matt Brown

A few weeks ago an online post from a major ministry struck a nerve when it stated the necessity of church attendance for your growth as a believer in Christ.

It’s surprising to me how many Christians struggle with the idea of church attendance. We are at a crossroads in our nation on the importance of going to church. According to research, church attendance has remained virtually the same percent of our national population for the past 70 years, however, this still means there are a huge number of American Christians who are not active in a local church—in the tens of millions.

Of course, this isn’t a new problem. Since the beginning of Christianity, the early leaders had to challenge this mindset, saying, “Do not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).

A popular Christian social media catch-phrase is, “You don’t go to church, you are the church.” While I get the sentiment in some ways, this is an unhealthy view, pitting “being the church” and “going to church” against each other.

If we are truly “the church,” then we will surely get together with other believers regularly. We cannot “be” the church, if we don’t “go” to church. Not fully anyways.

The “church” never connotes a single, individual, lone ranger Christian just going about his Christian duties and never gathering together to worship with other believers. The “church” by its very nature means multiple believers: “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20).

This is both the biblical and historical pattern set forth for us by the first followers of Jesus. They would get together weekly to worship God together, and at times even daily. They would also share community together in each other’s homes. Paul and the other Apostle’s letters were actually sent to these church communities that gathered in various cities to be read aloud together. Church means getting together with other believers to worship Jesus Christ, and hear the Scriptures together, and encourage one another in the faith.

Craig Groeschel shared recently, “There is something better. To worship God together and be committed to worship Him together, to hear His Word together. Do not reduce church to listening to a podcast. It’s so much more than that. It’s community. It’s worshiping with other, praying for others, hurting with others, serving others, being involved in the lives of others.”

And here’s the reality of the biblical call to gather with other believers. There are many options for going to church for each of us. You can look for a church that is right for you. I’m not telling you to go to a certain style, type or denomination of church—I’m simply challenging you to gather with other believers regularly to worship and hear the Scriptures.

The biblical pattern for church is this:

• Every Christian should gather together to hear the Scriptures and worship Jesus together with other believers weekly (see Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2; Acts 2:42; Colossians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; Romans 16:5; Acts 20:20; James 2:2; Psalm 84:4; Psalm 37:17; Psalm 92:13).
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• It is also good to meet for smaller groups of Christian community in each other’s homes regularly (see Acts 2:46).
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• It’s good to have leaders overseeing the work and needs of each local church—this is the biblical pattern—not all of us are called to church leadership, and so we should submit to and serve whoever God has called to lead at the place we find ourselves (see Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5; Hebrews 13:7, 17; 1 Timothy 5:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13; Philippians 1:1b; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 1 Peter 5:1-2; Acts 20:17).
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• If there are believers who are unable for physical reasons to attend a church weekly, they should find a church or believers who will gather together with them regularly for worship in their own home (see James 5:14; James 1:27).

Here are four powerful reasons why you should attend church weekly, and why church attendance can change your life:

1. God Said So

God tells us in His Word to “not give up meeting together” (Hebrews 10:25).

The Bible even goes so far as to call the church the “Bride of Christ.” If you love Jesus, you will love the things that He loves, and there is no one a good man loves more than His bride. The church is this important to God, so it should be ever-important to us.

God didn’t call us to gather and worship to burden us, but to bless us. Church attendance can become one of the greatest blessings in you and your family’s life!

2. Worshiping Jesus Together Is Powerful

Jesus lives inside of us by His Spirit when we believe in Him—this is a profoundly incredible truth!

But there is also something biblically powerful about gathering together with other believers to worship. Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20). So He not only lives in us by His Spirit, but He is in the “midst” of us when we gather to worship Him.

3. We Need Christian Community

All of us long for community and connection with others. God has given us this gift in gathering together for church, and in smaller groups in each other’s homes. It fulfills something inside of us to do life with others, encourage each other and be authentically involved in each other’s lives.

Christian TV, podcasts, books and conferences are wonderful additions to our spiritual lives, but nothing can take the place of consistent Christian community through the local church.

4. We Grow More Together Than Alone

It can be messy when we step into each other’s lives. We are all human, and no one is perfect. So it requires effort and intentionality and grace from God to do life together, even as believers.

Gathering regularly with other believers becomes a refining process whereby we help each other, pray for each other and encourage each other to want to follow Christ more wholeheartedly. It is a truly beautiful thing.

Don’t let excuses stand in the way of what you know God is calling you to do. God will strengthen you and empower you to do what He has called you to do. I am praying for you—if you have encountered past wounds from leaders or from church members—that God will bring healing and grace to you, as you seek to follow Him, and love His Church.  

Matt Brown is an evangelist, author of Awakening (2015, Leafwood Publishers), and founder of Think Eternity. He and his wife Michelle are impacting thousands of people with the gospel each year through live events and online. They also minister to more than 400,000 followers on social media daily.

Funny Phobias

In this short animated piece from the series Room 101: Facing Our Greatest Fears, our Creative team takes a light-hearted look at the funnier side of some unusual fears.



Elevation Creative: Funny Phobias from Elevation Church on Vimeo.

A minute with Maxwell - Aging

Recently I was enjoying a day at home and took time to listen to the Daily Minute with Maxwell - a leadership devotional that I follow from my friend and mentor - Dr. John Maxwell.  I have known John for over 35 years.

As I ponder the next step of my ministry journey and realize that a church family just voted to accept my call as a pastor and at 61 years of age I begin my position as Lead Pastor in days ahead.

I think you might appreciate these words of wisdom from John Maxwell about AGING.

Why pray? What is the purpose of prayer?

In some ways prayer is one of the most mysterious aspects of the Christian walk. We wonder if God really hears our prayers, if our prayers have an effect on our lives, what is acceptable to pray about, how we should pray, and on and on.  So why do we even do it? Several reasons.

We pray because it is a privilege. God is far above us, completely holy and only comprehensible inasmuch as He reveals Himself to us. Prayer is His invitation to get to know Him. God allows us to approach Him. In fact, He desires it. Prayer is our way of communing with God. Just as friends and family members spend time talking with one another to deepen their relationships, so prayer deepens our relationship with God.

We can exercise the privilege of prayer because Jesus has made a sacrifice for us – He bridges the gap between us and God. Hebrews 4:15-16 refers to Jesus as our high priest: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Because of Jesus, we are free to pray, and to pray boldly.

We also pray because we are commanded to. Psalm 100:4 says, "Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!" Thanking God, praising Him, and blessing Him are all aspects of prayer. Matthew 7:7-11 records Jesus' instructions to ask, seek, and knock. When we pray, this is what we are doing. Matthew 6:5-13 describes Jesus teaching the disciples how to pray. He begins the discourse by saying, "And when you pray." Prayer is assumed; it's something we will do. In 1 Thessalonians 5:17 Paul writes, "pray without ceasing." Philippians 4:6says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Prayer is to be part of our lives.

Jesus set a great example of prayer for us. The Gospels mention several times that Jesus prayed.John 17 is perhaps one of the best examples. If Jesus – who is God – prayed to the Father, how much more should we?

Prayer draws us closer to God and is a means by which we praise Him, but it also has an effect in our lives. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." Prayer can lead us to wisdom. First Peter 5:6-7 says, "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." Prayer can relieve our anxiety. Matthew 7:7-8 says, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened." When we approach God with the desires of our hearts, He answers us (see also Psalm 37:4; John 14:13-14; and 1 John 5:14-15).

Prayer is both an intimate interaction with God and a corporate event. It brings God glory, gives us insight into who He is, and has a tangible effect on our lives. Prayer is a privilege and a spiritual discipline well worth developing. 

The NFL First Draft Choice in 1955 - a backup to great quarterbacks.

The 2016 NFL Draft has taken place and already football fans are preparing for a great season for their favorite team.  I recently came across some trivia that I found interesting.

The year I was born (1955) The #1 pick was George Shaw, Quarterback for the Baltimore Colts.

At 6 feet and 185 pounds, Shaw was a smart, precise player. At the University of Oregon, he played quarterback, safety and sometimes halfback and receiver. He kicked off, kicked field goals and extra points, punted and returned punts.

He also gained a reputation for sportsmanship. Once, against Southern California, George Timberlake tackled Shaw, stuck an elbow in his face and pushed his nose into the ground. When an official raced over and seemed about to penalize Timberlake, Shaw intervened.

''Let it go,'' he told the official. Then Shaw stared at his tormenter.

''Timberlake,'' he said, ''you're too good a ballplayer to be pulling that kind of stuff. Let's just play the game, shall we?''

They did, and Oregon won, 13-7, in a big upset.

As a senior, Shaw led the nation with 1,536 yards in total offense. He was also a center fielder on the Oregon baseball team. When the Baltimore Colts made him the first choice over all in the 1955 National Football League draft, he turned down a $10,000 signing bonus from the New York Yankees and signed with the Colts for a $17,500 salary.

He was selected by the Baltimore Colts as the first player in the 1955 NFL Draft. Shaw quickly became the starter, but in the early part of the 1956 season, he suffered a broken leg and was replaced by rookie backup Johnny Unitas. As Unitas embarked on his legendary career, Shaw lasted two more years in Baltimore as the backup before being traded to the New York Giants, where he played two seasons.

Shaw asked to be traded, and after the 1958 season the Colts sent him to the New York Giants. As Wellington Mara, the Giants' president and co-owner, recalled: ''In Shaw's first year, Frank Gifford decided he wanted to play quarterback. By the time the regular season started, Gifford was back at halfback and Charlie Conerly was the quarterback again. Shaw was the backup.'' 

Shaw played one season with the Minnesota Vikings, where he started the first game in franchise history but was replaced in the first half by rookie backup Fran Tarkenton who took over the starting job.   He also played one season with the Denver Broncos of the American Football League before retiring from football in 1962.  Shaw passed for 5,829 yards and 41 touchdowns in the NFL.  George Shaw passed away on January 3, 1998 at the age of 64. 

5 Things That Keep a Church Small and How to Overcome Them

By R. Larry Moyer 

Most churches start small. The problem is that some stay small.

The even bigger problem is that sometimes that smallness is due to distorted thinking (although often well intentioned) on the part of the leaders and lay people alike.

What does that thinking look and sound like, and how might it be overcome?

1. Blame it on God

“If God wants our church to grow, it will grow.” What an easy way out. Now the blame shifts from us to Him. If one thinks through such a thought pattern, the folly of such thinking will stand out. For example, does that mean that churches that are growing are the result of God playing favorites? Should believers ask God to allow a church to grow when He may have already decided that is not His plan?

Where is such thinking found in Scripture? It isn’t. If a church is small because few people live within driving distance from the church, that is understandable. But otherwise, God wants a church to grow because it’s winning the lost to Christ and discipling them to reach others.

The answer: Look inward, not upward. Ask the question, “Why is our church not growing?” Human instruments may be standing in the way. Those human instruments may be church leaders who have not trained their people in evangelism. Internal strife may make the church everything but inviting to outsiders who have heard that the church specializes more in fighting than fellowship.

2. Seeing the neighbor but not the neighborhood

“If one person comes to Christ this year, it’s worth it. God may have us here for just one person He wants to bring to Himself.”

No one could or would question the value of one’s soul, but God’s love doesn’t stop with one; it extends to everyone. It’s not the person up the street that needs Jesus; it’s every person on every street.

The answer: vision. Specialize in contacts and let God specialize in conversions. Bring Christ to everyone within driving distance of the church. As the Seed is sown, God in His time will bring forth fruit. God responds to prayer and vision. The issue isn’t the worth of a soul who lives within the community; it is the worth of every soul who lives within the community.

3. Have a church that is spiritually attractive, put physically repulsive

Forgive my frankness, but some churches look like the building needs to be redeemed, not just the people. First Samuel 16:7 says man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart. Both parts of that sentence are true, not just the latter part. God looks at the heart, but man looks at the outward appearance.

I said to a pastor, “Let’s drive by your church as non-Christians.” We did, and he saw my point. The church had a chain length fence around it to prevent burglaries. It made it look like the headquarters of a cult. They took the fence down, and the church started to grow. Another had a sign on the front of the church facing the street. It read, “It is appointed unto man once to die and after this, the judgment.” It made it appear that the two things that church specialized in were death and judgment.

The answer: Do what I encouraged my pastor friend to do. Drive past the church as a non-Christian. Would your church beckon me in or scare me away? It’s amazing what a little paint, a flowerbed, a cleanup crew and a little remodeling might do.

4. Shifting pastors every few years

Anything solid is built on consistent long-term stability. Starting over in any organization every few years is seldom productive. Adjustment and readjusting takes its toll. Try doing five- or 10-year planning when the leadership may change every two or three years.

The answer: Go for long-term leaders—ones who come to stay and develop a reputation that enhances that of the church. That way the community not only becomes part of them, they become part of the community. Since they have developed a spirit of trust about them, people respond with an attitude of “Lead on, and we’ll follow.” Since they have seen him weather good and bad times, they know he’ll be there even if there are roadblocks along the way. Ask a person you hire, “Is this a stopping point or staying point?” The staying point may not be 20 years, but it ought not to be two years either.

5. No prayer, no planning

Planning without prayer doesn’t work nor does prayer without planning. An unbeatable combination is when God does His part and we do ours. Some churches stay small though because they don’t always ask God to do His part and neither do they do theirs.

The answer: Pray as you plan and plan as you pray. For the sake of the lost, ask God to help the church to grow. Pray that He will help you see the essentiality of evangelism. “As we grow, there may be a lot of people we don’t know” is not honoring the Lord. It’s more important that others know Him than that others know you. Then plan—decide how many you are going to contact with the gospel over the next week, month and year.

Conclusion:

God is not hung up on numbers nor should we be. But God is concerned for the lost, and a church that impacts the lost grows by conversion. Numbers ought to be one indicator of His blessing. The church grows when God and His people are in partnership. 

Their focus is so on the Big Kingdom that people are asking God to increase the small kingdom. More people mean more workers, more funds and more giftedness—all things that increase the influence of a church in the community. 

Happy Mother's Day 2016 - read it till the end!

Celebrations of mothers and motherhood can be traced back to the ancient Greeks and Romans, who held festivals in honor of the mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele, but the clearest modern precedent for Mother’s Day is the early Christian festival known as “Mothering Sunday.”

Once a major tradition in the United Kingdom and parts of Europe, this celebration fell on the fourth Sunday in Lent and was originally seen as a time when the faithful would return to their “mother church”—the main church in the vicinity of their home—for a special service. Over time the Mothering Sunday tradition shifted into a more secular holiday, and children would present their mothers with flowers and other tokens of appreciation. This custom eventually faded in popularity before merging with the American Mother’s Day in the 1930s and 1940s.

Did You Know?

More phone calls are made on Mother’s Day than any other day of the year. These holiday chats with Mom often cause phone traffic to spike by as much as 37 percent.

MOTHER’S DAY: EARLY INCARNATIONS

The roots of the modern American Mother’s Day date back to the 19th century. In the years before the Civil War (1861-65), Ann Reeves Jarvis of West Virginia helped start “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” to teach local women how to properly care for their children. These clubs later became a unifying force in a region of the country still divided over the Civil War. In 1868 Jarvis organized “Mothers’ Friendship Day,” at which mothers gathered with former Union and Confederate soldiers to promote reconciliation.

Another precursor to Mother’s Day came from the abolitionist and suffragette Julia Ward Howe. In 1870 Howe wrote the “Mother’s Day Proclamation,” a call to action that asked mothers to unite in promoting world peace. In 1873 Howe campaigned for a “Mother’s Peace Day” to be celebrated every June 2. Other early Mother’s Day pioneers include Juliet Calhoun Blakely, a temperance activist who inspired a local Mother’s Day in Albion, Michigan, in the 1870s. The duo of Mary Towles Sasseen and Frank Hering, meanwhile, both worked to organize a Mothers’ Day in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some have even called Hering “the father of Mothers’ Day.”

MOTHER’S DAY: FOUNDING BY ANNA JARVIS

The official Mother’s Day holiday arose in the 1900s as a result of the efforts of Anna Jarvis, daughter of Ann Reeves Jarvis. Following her mother’s 1905 death, Anna Jarvis conceived of Mother’s Day as a way of honoring the sacrifices mothers made for their children. After gaining financial backing from a Philadelphia department store owner named John Wanamaker, in May 1908 she organized the first official Mother’s Day celebration at a Methodist church in Grafton, West Virginia. That same day also saw thousands of people attend a Mother’s Day event at one of Wanamaker’s retail stores in Philadelphia.

Following the success of her first Mother’s Day, Jarvis—who remained unmarried and childless her whole life—resolved to see her holiday added to the national calendar. Arguing that American holidays were biased toward male achievements, she started a massive letter writing campaign to newspapers and prominent politicians urging the adoption of a special day honoring motherhood. By 1912 many states, towns and churches had adopted Mother’s Day as an annual holiday, and Jarvis had established the Mother’s Day International Association to help promote her cause. Her persistence paid off in 1914 when President Woodrow Wilson signed a measure officially establishing the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.

Anna Jarvis had originally conceived of Mother’s Day as a day of personal celebration between mothers and families. Her version of the day involved wearing a white carnation as a badge and visiting one’s mother or attending church services. But once Mother’s Day became a national holiday, it was not long before florists, card companies and other merchants capitalized on its popularity.

While Jarvis had initially worked with the floral industry to help raise Mother’s Day’s profile, by 1920 she had become disgusted with how the holiday had been commercialized. She outwardly denounced the transformation and urged people to stop buying Mother’s Day flowers, cards and candies. Jarvis eventually resorted to an open campaign against Mother’s Day profiteers, speaking out against confectioners, florists and even charities. She also launched countless lawsuits against groups that had used the name “Mother’s Day,” eventually spending most of her personal wealth in legal fees. By the time of her death in 1948 Jarvis had disowned the holiday altogether, and even actively lobbied the government to see it removed from the American calendar.

What will you do today to honor your mother - or - the mother of your children?

Now - if you stuck with me through the info above - consider this:

When the Good Lord was creating mothers, He was into His sixth day of "overtime" when the angel appeared and said. "You're doing a lot of fiddling around on this one."

And God said, "Have you read the specs on this order?" She has to be completely washable, but not plastic. Have 180 moveable parts...all replaceable. Run on black coffee and leftovers. Have a lap that disappears when she stands up. A kiss that can cure anything from a broken leg to adisappointed love affair. And six pairs of hands."

The angel shook her head slowly and said. "Six pairs of hands.... no way."

It's not the hands that are causing me problems," God remarked, "it's the three pairs of eyes that mothers have to have."

That's on the standard model?" asked the angel. God nodded.

One pair that sees through closed doors when she asks, 'What are you kids doing in there?' when she already knows. Another here in the back of her head that sees what she shouldn't but what she has to know, and of course the ones here in front that can look at a child when he goofs up and say. 'I understand and I love you' without so much as uttering a word."

God," said the angel touching his sleeve gently, "Get some rest tomorrow...."

I can't," said God, "I'm so close to creating something so close to myself. Already I have one who heals herself when she is sick...can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger...and can get a nine year old to stand under a shower."

The angel circled the model of a mother very slowly. "It's too soft," she sighed.

But tough!" said God excitedly. "You can imagine what this mother can do or endure."

Can it think?"

Not only can it think, but it can reason and compromise," said the Creator.

Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek.

There's a leak," she pronounced. "I told You that You were trying to put too much into this model."

It's not a leak," said the Lord, "It's a tear."

What's it for?"

It's for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness, and pride."

You are a genius, " said the angel.

Somberly, God said, "I didn't put it there.”

                                   ― Erma Bombeck, When God Created Mothers