3 Reasons Why YOU Should Prioritize Church This Year

As we kick off another year, sometimes it is good to remind ourselves why we do what we do or why it is important to do something different. With church attendance, participation, and involvement, many of us need a reminder from time to time why it is important to prioritize church. When I mention church, essentially, I mean not just going to a church and attending a service, but intentional involvement inside a church family. There are 3 reasons why you should prioritize church this year.

 

Reasons for NOT prioritizing church

Before some of you need to hear why you should prioritize church this year, you may need to know that I hear your reasons why you shouldn’t. Let’s be honest with each other, engaging in a church family is not always easy. What are some of the reasons people give for NOT prioritizing church?

• Church members are hypocrites. Although I appreciate this sentiment as I have been in and around churches now for over 50 years, I would encourage you to understand the difference between a hypocrite and an inconsistent person. Hypocrites say they believe one thing in order to deceive the listener in an effort to manipulate the listener’s thinking or actions one way or another. Inconsistent people say they believe something and struggle living up to what they say they believe. They may, in fact, seek to get you to believe it as well, even while being inconsistent. The vast majority of people in churches have areas of inconsistency; in my over fifty years of experience, very few are hypocrites. Most Christians believe what the Bible says, but simply struggle living consistent with it in every area. Possibly, you notice it in others and criticize them for it; while at the same time, you give yourself a pass for doing the same thing. The reason for this is because you understand your thinking, efforts, and struggles, you do not understand theirs.
• All they want is my money. Although there are charlatans with media empires who may in fact be hypocrites and simply desire to fleece the flock of God, this is hardly true of the average local church. At Sonrise, similar to many other churches, we do not pass an offering plate at all. We have a place where someone can leave an offering, or people can give online. Although passing an offering plate may increase some individual’s sense of worship, it is not necessary for worship. A heart of worship motivates setting aside an offering; the mode you give that offering in does not determine whether or not you have worshiped. If you are a member of a church that overemphasizes giving, then talk with the leadership about it. Or, if you do not have a church home and get uncomfortable when giving is emphasized, then choose a church with less of an overt emphasis. Two realities exist though for every church: first, it takes money to serve God and a community in a particular location, and, two, as part of a church family, the burden of ministry together must be primarily shared by those who attend together.
• This church does not meet my family’s needs. Every family has a sense of what that family needs a church to help do for them. In today’s world, for many, it is akin to choosing a restaurant, hotel, place to shop, or style of entertainment. Our culture makes church not much different than buying a car or choosing a grocery store. People choose many reasons to come and go. Usually, these reasons are baptized into spiritual lingo and fit under the idea of not meeting a family’s needs. Of course, some cases are legitimate. However, if that is your opinion about a particular church, ask about your role in it. What can you do to help meet that need for another person? How can you help? Are you looking at it as primarily a consumer or a fellow follower of Jesus Christ who can help make a difference in the lives of others? Without any doubt, if it is an issue of teaching, then you may need to find somewhere that fits your learning style. Big picture though – try to make your church better before going somewhere else because your needs are not met.

 

3 Reasons Why YOU Should Prioritize Church This Year

First, You are part of a body that needs you.

Take a moment to read 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 which describes the body of Jesus Christ. Yes, the body of Christ extends to every Christ follower; however, the body of Christ has a very real existence in the local church. The Apostle Paul eloquently describes how a physical body works together as a whole. Some parts are public, like the nose, eyes, mouth, hands, and feet; whereas, other parts of the body are private, like internal organs and reproductive parts. However, all of the parts are necessary. The ear cannot do what the eye does, nor can the eye do what the ear does. Even at the level of one eye cannot function as good as two, just like one ear cannot function as good as two. Whereas the kidneys are not celebrated and discussed, a body cannot live long without functioning kidneys.

The same is true in the body of Jesus Christ. Every member of the body of Christ serves a role. As you participate in your local church, you help that church and the larger body of Jesus Christ function well. In fact, your local church needs you. Just like we do not allow elements of our physical body to choose not to work or be diseased or infected, we must passionately work hard at the church body as well. The body of Christ generally and your local church body needs you in order to function the way God intends for it to function.

 

Second, You help the body get stronger.

The Apostle Paul also helps us understand how the body grows stronger into Jesus Christ. According to Ephesians 4:11-16, Paul describes the necessity of every person participating so that the body grows stronger together as individuals and corporately in the Lord. Consider carefully the way he words this verse: “from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love” (Eph 4:16). Notice these key words: whole body, every joint supplies, every part, of the body. As mentioned above in the first point, you are a member of the body of Jesus Christ which is manifested in the local church. Your local church needs you there and participating because you are part of the whole body, every joint, every part, and the body. You have a role to play in the body.

As you read that long sentence again in Ephesians 4:11-16, notice how Paul emphasizes the learning component. In order for you to fulfill your role in the body, you need to be learning. How do you learn? Not simply on your own. As this passage teaches, God has given you pastor-teachers to teach you, and you are helped by all the other members in the body. As you learn from the pastors and engage other members of the church, you both grow stronger as does your entire church.

 

Third, You need the help of the rest of the body.

The author of Hebrews helps us understand this third reason of you needing the help of the rest of the body of Jesus Christ in order for you to function best as a Christian. Notice what Hebrews teaches: “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb 10:24-25). Did you get that? Maybe jump back up and read it one more time carefully.

We need each other in order to help each other live more consistently for Jesus Christ. I need you to help exhort me, encourage me, help motivate me, and provide help to me in application of the Word of God to everyday living. You need the same. To the same degree that I need your help, you need the help of others.

Why is this so important? Because as the day of Jesus Christ arrives (which is known as the ‘end times’ and leads to eternity), the world will get worse and worse, the devil will be more active than ever, and many people in the church will fall away following false teaching. All of those things will happen and are happening.

Consider this, my friend, how foolish are you or me if we think that we can handle life alone and not need active, intentional participation in a local church? We would be very similar to Peter who told Jesus that he could handle all the temptations without Jesus’ help. Peter thought he did not need to watch and pray. Instead, he had it. But, as you know, none of that was true. Peter denied Jesus three times before he recognized how badly he was doing. You nor I want to formally or functionally deny Jesus.

 

Can you be a Christian and not participate in church?

Simple answer, yes.

Yet, why would you? God has given you clear instruction that you grow in Jesus best in the church and you help others do the same. Therefore, what internal motivation that actually sets the First and Second Great Commandments as priorities in your life would ever choose to function outside of a local church? For someone who loves Jesus, none.

You can be a Christian and not participate in your local church; however, you cannot be a strong one, a healthy one, or a fulfill the function for which God has called you.