The Bible Files.

"Investigating Biblical Truths"

“I believe in God, I just don’t go to church.” I’ve heard this before. It’s important to note that there’s a difference between believing in God and accepting him as Lord over your life, but that’s a topic for another blog. If you would ask the people you encounter in your daily life about their religious identity, the majority would likely identify as Christians. But statistically speaking, the majority of people who identify as Christians aren’t plugged into a local church community. From my research, approximately 20 percent of Americans attend church weekly. I know many people in my own life who identify as Christians but do not attend church. What does the Bible say about attending a physical church?

We know that the “church” in the New Testament refers to the body of Christ as a whole and not a physical church building. However, let’s take a look at Acts 2. Acts is set in the early days of the modern church. At the time of Acts, Jesus was just crucified and resurrected from the dead. He explained to his disciples that he was going to ascend to heaven, but he would send the Holy Spirit to them as a helper. Acts 2:42-46 says, “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. ⁴³ Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. ⁴⁴ All the believers were together and had everything in common. ⁴⁵ They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. ⁴⁶ Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.” The early church was a community of like-minded believers who gathered together in fellowship to glorify God and make disciples for Jesus. The local church is an institution that was established by God, and scripture teaches us that this is the system God designed to advance the kingdom. Hebrews 10:24-25 states, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Gathering at a local church gives you the opportunity to be linked with believers that can encourage you, pray for you, and push you in love.

James 5:14-16 reads, “¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” The local church is two fold. First, it benefits YOU. Second, you benefit others! We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus, and that is what the local church does. As stated before, the church isn’t a building, it is the body of Christ working together to connect people with the newness of life found only in Jesus, and that takes you showing up and doing your part. A body cannot function as well if a part is missing.

It can be concluded just from the few scriptures mentioned above that the idea of a local church is Biblical and is God’s desire for you. It is not something that was man-made. It is not a money gimmick. I know a lot of people who have been hurt by the church. I know people who think that the church is full of hypocrites. They assume that because they’ve had a negative church experience, that excuses them from ever going to church again. This is not the case; Your life experiences do not excuse you from the truth of the word of God. If you notice, most of the excuses that people use to not attend church have to do with themselves. They center around how they feel, rather than what the word of God instructs. You cannot simultaneously serve God and serve your own feelings. If you’ve experienced a situation with a local church that drove you away from gathering together with other believers, then find a different church. (I am not condoning “church hopping”, because I believe that you should be rooted somewhere, but find a place that you belong). Maybe you have used the excuse that you connect with believers in other ways and have your own version of “church.” Maybe you serve your local community in other aspects. That still does not refute the word of God and his design for the local church; (Alexa, play “Truth Hurts” by Lizzo). Just kidding, don’t look that up.

If you have questions about what to look for in a church, please comment or message. All of us come from all different walks of life and lived experiences, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t put ourselves in a position to receive from a local body of believers. This isn’t meant to bash someone for not going to church, but rather to encourage someone to take that step. If you have been thinking about going to a church, the Bible says that none come unless the Spirit of the Lord draws them. The Lord is calling you! He wants a closer relationship with you, and he wants you to have a closer relationship with other believers. Psalm 92:14 says that those are planted in the house of God flourish in the courts of God. My local church quotes this scripture almost every Sunday. If you plant yourself in a local church, your life will flourish. This isn’t my claim, but it’s the word of God. If you believe in the Bible, you should have a desire to be planted.

I am not trying to promote a specific church or denomination. My hope is that you will take the word of God and apply it to your life, because it is for your benefit. I hope this encourages you to find a seat at church this Sunday. I love you, and Jesus does too. Thanks for being here. Grace and peace ✌🏼