What are your thoughts on the church? Many people view it as irrelevant or belonging to an antiquarian age.
Other people relegate it to nothing more than a country club or a social gathering. Perhaps a day in which to wash the car or cut the grass.
But far and away the most common reasons for not attending church are that the church is seen as boring and full of hypocrites.
There may be a measure of truth in these last two assertions. Some preachers will preach boring sermons if God is not factored into the equation. But the sheer fact remains church should not be boring because God is not boring.
Jesus, who is God in the flesh said, “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” (John 10)
As to the second statement, “The church is full of hypocrites.” Well join the club. We are all hypocrites in some things at some times. There is no church this side of heaven that is perfect except Christ.
The disconcerting fact about non-attending church is this growing trend amongst Christians. They would say, “The church is a building. It is people.” That is true as far as it goes. The church is an assembly of believers who first met in homes, then as they expanded they joined Synagogues and Temples.
WHAT ARE THE MARKS OF A HEALTHY CHURCH? Acts 2:42 answers that question for us.
Do you sit under a gifted teacher? God has called Preachers to feed the flock.
Do you have fellowship with other believers? We need each other as the analogy of the body makes plain.
Do you break bread in Communion, which stresses the unity of the body with Christ as the head?
Do you have corporate prayer in the church as the family of God?
The test is Acts 2:42 “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
Granted this blog will not convince those who sit on the fence, as prolonged absence makes it harder to return. You may have been hurt by the very church people who should have loved you. Or a myriad of other things. But do not tar every church with the same wide brush.
We at Wainfleet Congregational Church have recently moved to our new location, Portal Village Plaza on Killaly Street in Port Colborne.
We aim God helping us to be a light in this community. We guarantee that we will purpose and resolve to be a Bible saturated, Christ centered, Spirit led church.
We welcome all.
“And I tell you that you are Peter and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.” (Matthew 16:18)
Blessings in Christ.
Pastor Gary Tomiuck
