Why Belonging to a Church is Important for Christians

Before Dr. Wile E. Coyote and I moved way out to Kentucky from the northern Midwest, we looked online for a church similar to ones we’d been attending. We prayed for seven-ish months before we moved that the first church we went to in Pikeville, KY, would be the church that the Lord had for us to grow, flourish, and get plugged in at.

Why?

Because having a church home is how you grow. True, one can do Bible studies on their own or podcast a sermon. But IT’S NOT THE SAME. The church is VITAL to individual spiritual growth. Did you know that for couples who attend church regularly, the divorce rate goes down, leaving it at 1%? They don’t even have to be born again Christians for that to happen—the Lord uses his bride for that effect on people.

Churches are also important because of FELLOWSHIP. Dr. Coyote and I also prayed that we would find friends right away. We came to Pikeville on a Saturday, so that we could go to church the following day. In church the next morning, we met Jim and Erica, a couple from the northern Midwest, as well! They took us out for supper that week, and told us about gender specific Sunday school classes and the time they met at. So the next week, we began attending Sunday school!

Sunday school (or small groups that can meet anytime during the week) are great to get plugged into for a few reasons:

1. You get to meet people! There aren’t as many people in a small group than there are at church. You will get to know them, and they will get to know you. Friendships may form, if you let them!
2. You get to grow even DEEPER in your spiritual walk. Not only will you cover extra material, but a small group gives a chance for questions or discussions! VERY helpful.

Which leads me to another reason why attending church every week is so great: You develop a church FAMILY. Not only did we get new friends and new opportunities to grow, we could request prayer for something and know without a doubt that there will be prayers petitioned on our behalf. We can greet people we see at church in the store, not only because we recognize them, but they are family!

There are some people that have had bad experiences with church or never feel welcomed. Let me touch on the second point first:

At some bigger churches, especially, where there are multiple services, not everyone is going to know anyone else. They may just think your new face is in their regular service because normally you go to a different one. REACH OUT! Tell somebody that you’re new there. Dr. Coyote and I were lucky—we got to the church we currently attend during a holiday weekend, so EVERYBODY knew that we were new—we weren’t sitting with anybody, and there was a scant crowd that day. But I didn’t instantly recognize people as family after one attendance. “Hi, I don’t know you!” I sometimes say while I’m greeting somebody. Whether I’m simply unfamiliar with a person or they are new—it doesn’t matter.

The first point: Yes, many churches have hurt people. I have heard tales over and over about it. But does that make you want to give up church all together? Not all churches are the same. I’ve attended churches of all sorts of denominations because to me denomination doesn’t matter, as long as the pastor preaches from the Bible and there is a welcoming atmosphere. Those two things are honestly the most attractive first-impressions of a church. (I’ve moved around a little bit in my lifetime, believe it or not.) Why were you hurt? Because of a conviction you received that you didn’t want to hear? Because of something you, nor anybody in the congregation had any control over? I find it sad that after a church has issues with a pastor, many times they disintegrate. Who was that church following? The pastor? A human being, just like you and I? Or Jesus Christ, the God of the universe? Just so you know, Jesus can use ANYBODY. He is able to use a pastor who has committed a crime, he is able to use a homosexual pastor— he used prostitutes in the Bible, for goodness’ sake! And liars and thieves and drunkards and ahh! So many.

Here’s something else: We’re told to.

Hebrews 10:25
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Jesus went to the synagogue regularly (when he goes to Nazareth, he went to the synagogue AS WAS HIS CUSTOM). All over the New Testament, we are told to gather together! Love one another! Serve one another! What better place to do that than the church?

Most of all, friends, I actually love going to church. My weeks get long, but when I go to church, I know I’ll find someone to hug, and I’ll get my “fellowship fill” for the most part. I’ll learn something new, and the Lord will teach me things that GO WITH THE SERMON all week. Seriously, that happens all the time. When I’m down, I receive encouragement. When others are down, I can give it. Life gets monotonous and draining, but the Lord is with us through it all! (And don’t JUST go to church—spend time with God every day! He’s just that fun to hang out with. But…that’s a rant for another post.)

Anna E. Meyer

A Little Encouragement about Encouragement!

Encourage: verb. 1. to inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence: She could hear me from the bleachers as I encouraged the runner with obnoxious shouts.  2. to stimulate by assistance, approval, etc.: Sometimes, I write “happy-fun-notes” to encourage my friends. 3. to promote, advance, or foster: When she is up to no good, laughter only encourages her.

 

So, I’d been feeling down earlier this summer, and my feelings of lowness keep trying to come back.  But stealthily, God has been encouraging me in so many different ways, as he has this wonderful tendency to do when we need it.  Last night (at an hour I so should have been asleep), I looked up “encourage” in the Bible.  It was awesome!  Here are some of the things I learned:

God has given us eternal encouragement by grace (2 Thessalonians 2:16), and continues to supply us with endurance and encouragement (Rom 15:5)!  He grants us this encouragement that we might be toward each other how Christ is toward us.  Because, if you remember, the goal, as a Christian, is to be more like Christ (duh).  But don’t worry, if you feel like you just can’t, God is right there to pick you up, wrap his arm around your shoulders, and encourage you!

When we find a community of believers, we are to be encouraged by each other’s faith (Romans 1:12).  This does not mean go to church and look at the cool shoes your neighbor is wearing or talk about the latest Olympic gold the US brought in.  It’s about finding a community and talking about God with each other, what he’s been doing in your life and what he’s been doing in theirs.  These communities don’t have to be just church or Christian organizations on your campus, but authentic friendships.  And yes, it is so encouraging!

In Paul’s letters to the churches, he continues to encourage them and tells them to encourage each other and build each other up (1 Thessalonians 5:11).  In conjunction to the one before, you may build someone up by seeing other things that God is doing in them and through them that they may not see.  Or you may have found a Word that pertains to another person’s life at the given moment.  When you share it with them, God uses it to encourage!  It’s awesome how all these bolded statements tie together.  But I’m not done yet!

God uses OTHERS to encourage us and uses US to encourage them!  All through the book of Acts, the apostles traveled, visiting churches they had at one time planted or found and ENCOURAGED them.  Paul does this in his letters, as well.  Others encourage us all the time, whether it’s a compliment for practicing that week (which encourages practicing next week) or applause at the end of a performance (encouraging the conductor to take too many bows to acknowledge his orchestra or band or just encouraging the players that they really did a great job).  The audience cheers during sporting events and friends in the back seat encourage you to try and make a light as it’s turning yellow.  This is kind of a no-brainer, but it still needs to be said.  =)

Encouragement is a spiritual gift (Romans 12:8).  That doesn’t mean that you can’t encourage if you don’t have this gift.  It just means that some do it more than others effectively?  Not quite sure how to say that nicely.  This website has a spiritual gifts test and explains the different spiritual gifts there are.  They explain encouragement:

Encouragement (Speaking Gift) – The special ability God gives some to offer comfort, words of encouragement, hope, and reassurance to discouraged, weak, or troubled Christians in such a way that they are consoled. People with this gift: – come to the side of those who are discouraged to reassure them and give them hope – emphasize God’s promises and confidence in his will.

And lastly, the Word encourages (2 Timothy 4:2)!  This is really awesome, and God uses this LOTS.  My personal encouraging verses/passages right now include: Joshua1:9, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, Jeremiah 29:11-14a, and Philippians 4:13.  Any verse cam speak words of encouragement to me if the timing is right (which, thanks to God, the timing’s usually perfect)!

God never ceases to encourage us.  He sent Christ, his only Son to die for us, that we may have eternal life!  What is more encouraging to live this life than the promise we’ll be with God in paradise eternally?  His riches and promises as we live in this world are encouraging and never-ceasing.  His wondrous deeds and the way he works so mysteriously are encouraging!  You just have to see it sometimes.  How has God encouraged you recently?  Are there any encouraging Bible verses that would go on your list of encouragement to look back on?

 

Smiling and being encouraged by all God’s encouragement, Anna =)^2