Intro to the Church
What the Bible says about the church:
Old Testament
"Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him." -Psalm 95:1-2
"The trumpeters and singers performed together in unison to praise and give thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and other instruments, they raised their voices and praised the Lord with these words: 'He is good! His faithful love endures forever!' At that moment, a thick cloud filled the Temple of the Lord. The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple of God." -2 Chronicles 5:13-14
"All the people assembled with a unified purpose at the square just inside the Water Gate. They asked Ezra the scribe to bring out the Book of the Law of Moses, which the Lord had given for Israel to obey. So on October 8 Ezra the priest brought the Book of the Law before the assembly, which included the men and women and all the children old enough to understand. He faced the square just inside the Water Gate from early morning until noon and read aloud to everyone who could understand. All the people listened closely to the Book of the Law." -Nehemiah 8:1-3
Jesus
"For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them." -Matthew 18:20
"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." -Matthew 28:19-20
"When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures." -Luke 4:16
New Testament
"And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity." -Acts 2:44-46
"Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near." -Hebrews 10:24-25
What’s up with all the denominations?
There are hundreds of different denominations of the Christian church! Why is that?
As the message of Jesus spread across the world, people from different cultures and backgrounds came to embrace it. As they studied the Bible, they interpreted certain teachings differently, leading to the formation of church communities and groups known as denominations.
Different denominations hold unique beliefs on certain aspects of faith, such as church organization, church practice, and other theological matters. The many denominations offer the people of the world diversity in understanding Jesus Christ and participating in a faith community.
Denominations are not the same as different religions all together because despite their being many different denominations, the Christian church believes that the Bible is the Word of God and that Jesus Christ is the only way to God whereas other religions believe in other religious texts, deities or means to salvation.
It can be confusing to see the sheer number of different denominations in the church! This is why it is important to understand that while denominations have differing interpretations on the minor (or secondary) issues of Scripture, the church can still be united on the major issues: The Word of God and the person of Jesus.
Why is going to church such a big deal?
We were created to journey with God and others.
We are made in the image of God; this means we are to reflect the nature of God to the world. Since God is three in one (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), He exists within the community of Himself. Simply put: we cannot live into the image of God all by ourselves. Gathering with other believers gives encouragement for your journey with Christ, challenge when you are off course, and an important reminder that even though you may feel alone in your pursuit of God, you are not.
God tends to show up in the gathering of His people.
Throughout the Bible, God responds when His people are gathered to worship, grow, confess sins, pray, or ministry. God’s response is manifested in a feeling of His transforming presence, new passion to follow Him, miracles, healings, or more subtle things like a deeper understanding of who He is or foundational encouragement to keep living His ways. While we cannot predict the ways in which God will respond, Scripture shows us that He does respond when His people gather together for His sake.
In order to pour out for others, we must also be filled.
We are made to shine God’s light for the world to see. The reality is, loving people like Jesus calls us to love them, sharing His truth with others, and following God’s ways is very challenging! In order to be the people God calls us to be and follow His ways, we need to open ourselves to be filled by Him. When we go to church, we are filled with newfound energy to keep pursuing Him and are reminded of His goodness, mercy, and power that sustains us.
We do not rise to the level of our goals, we fall to the level of our systems
If you are a Christian, you probably have goals for your faith around reading the Bible, loving others, praying, or other Christian practices. Even if these goals are not written down, it’s undeniable that we have a vision of what we want our walk with Christ to look like. Making the decision that you are going to attend church every Sunday is a system for your life that helps you make God your priority. Setting aside one day a week to focus on Him, worship Him, learn from His Word, and be among His people will set you up to make Him a priority in other areas of your life.
SO… How do you go to church?
How to be the church at church
Go to church! Even if your parents don’t make you. Even if it’s not your week to serve. Participate. Learn. Listen. Be among the people of God. You being a worshiper of God motivates those around you to worship Him too.
Bring a cup of coffee to a pastor, staff member, volunteer, or someone else you know could use encouragement.
Say hello to a friend, ask them how they are doing, and really listen.
Make a new friend– introduce yourself to them and make their church experience a warmer one.
Serve the kids of the church! Invest in the next generation of Jesus followers by sitting with them and making their childhood memory of church a positive one.
Three Sunday Morning Commitments to make
I will be present with God instead of just looking the part. When you attend church, bring your whole heart and mind into the experience. Let go of distractions and focus on connecting with God genuinely. Don't just go through the motions; seek to deepen your relationship with Him through worship, prayer, and attentiveness to His Word.
I will worship God instead of critiquing the service. During the church service, choose to be a worshiper of God. Try to stop yourself from being overly critical or judgmental about the elements of the service. Instead, approach worship with humility, remembering that it's about honoring and praising God with your whole heart.
I will bring a spirit of servanthood instead of thinking the church is all about me. Embrace a servant's heart when you participate in church activities. Remember that the church is a community where we support and encourage one another. Instead of seeking attention or personal gain, joyfully contribute your time and talents for the greater good of the church and its mission to show God's love to the world.
Challenge.. next time you go to church.
Bring your Bible & Journal – Being physically present in this way will help you be attentive to what God wants to teach you.
Leave your phone in the car or at home. – Limit the distractions that could keep you from encountering God!
Pray to God beforehand, asking Him to reveal Himself to you during the service – God is alive and moving, so invite Him to move in your heart.
Look out for other people who are in need of a friend and be that for them. – We are called to be attentive to what God wants to speak to us, but we should also consider how we can represent God’s goodness and presence to those who come to church in need of encouragement!
Take the time to consider what God is inviting you to believe or do as a result of the service.-- When you leave church, it can be easy to forget the worship, teaching, prayer time, or important conversation; so try to schedule out some time when you get home from church to take note of what God desires to do in you before you forget!