Why Church?

Introduction

2/3rds of Church members do not attend church

Why is attending church so important?

God commanded it

Hebrews 10:25 (CSB)

25 not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.

The entire new testament points to the importance of the church

Jesus preparing the 12 to go and make churches that would glorify him even after he was crucified

Acts which explains the start up story of the local church

Paul’s letters to different local churches

Paul’s letters to different pastors Timothy and Titus about how to lead their church

All of the churches listed in revelations

The new testament first proclaims Christ and then emphasis how the local church can glorify Christ

Why would God put such an emphasis on the local church

America is me centered, Christianity is Christ centered, when we mix the two we get a very self centered, Jesus for myself mindset.

Functions as a body

1 Corinthians 12:12–27 (CSB)

12 For just as the body is one and has many parts, and all the parts of that body, though many, are one body—so also is Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and we were all given one Spirit to drink. 14 Indeed, the body is not one part but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I’m not a hand, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I’m not an eye, I don’t belong to the body,” it is not for that reason any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted. 19 And if they were all the same part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” Or again, the head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that are weaker are indispensable. 23 And those parts of the body that we consider less honorable, we clothe these with greater honor, and our unrespectable parts are treated with greater respect, 24 which our respectable parts do not need. Instead, God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the less honorable, 25 so that there would be no division in the body, but that the members would have the same concern for each other. 26 So if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and individual members of it.

We each have roles within the body

Some are to pastor, some are to serve, some are to greet people, we each have a part in the larger body of Christ.

If we do our part in the body of Christ it will allow him to move throughout our community

Are you being a help or a hindrance to the mission of Christ?

Meant to push each other along in our walks

Coal that falls out of a fire

The new testament in matthew 18 talks about the importance of church discipline.

We each have a role in keeping each other accountable, to make sure we are living a life that is glorifying of Christ and not in abundant sin

We don’t do this for the sake of punishment, but for the sake of making sure our friends are living for Christ.

When we push our fellow believers towards Christ we are helping them become a healed body part