Why Do We Have Church?

I grew up going to church. My dad was a pastor, and it was just expected. I didn’t stop to think why. I never had a “come to Jesus” moment. It was a gradual day by day walk with God. There have been moments where I have seen the hand of God at work and there are times that nothing earth-shattering was happening. I always knew that God was there. I have heard hunters and fishermen saying that they can worship God just as well from their deer blinds and boats as they can in a church. We have a men’s study group that is attended by people from many different denominations and non-denominational backgrounds that have said that they find that group more church to them than their own churches. We can pray and study at home, listen to the radio, and even go to church via radio or internet. So, what’s the point of going to church? I can understand that thinking if you think of it as going to church and not going to worship. The country I grew up in spoke of “seeing church”. I think many of those that wonder why they need to go to church are not focused on fellowship with God and with others or joining with other believers in lifting their voice and spirit in praise and worship. We go to worship because God said, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst.” There is a unity in our hearts as we worship together. If I study and worship at home, it is easy to fall into a rut or focus on what I want to hear and not what might need to be said. Even as a pastor, I sometimes find myself going through the motions. When we come together, our conversations can encourage and challenge one another... including the pastor. Hopefully the pastor has good training and theology so that he can open a deeper understanding that we might not find on our own. If we think that we can find everything we need on the internet, we are only half right. The internet is filled with good and bad teaching. If you do not know God's word, you are just as likely to follow the wrong thing as you are to go the right way. The Old Testament talked about false prophets teaching what the people’s itching ears wanted to hear. What we want to hear may not be what God is saying. Father, draw us all into Your house and bind us together by Your love. Amen