Church, the place where people go to sing songs, pray, give an offering and listen to a good sermon. From time to time you may hear someone say “why don’t you come and go to church with me”. Have you even been asked this? If so, how did you reply? I’ve often heard the religious folk say, “You should really come, It will make you feel better” Or “Our pastor is really a good guy” Or, “We have a really good choir.” Is this the mentality of believers? Come and go to church with me this Sunday, It will make you feel better.
Has the Church building, been reduced to a place, in which people go, for a reprieve from their problems, only to feel better? I can feel just as good at a ball game or concert. If its entertainment I’m after, there is cable, I can watch some reality TV shows and successfully mask the problems in my life. The Church is not the place to go to in order to feel better, fell better about your self, feel better about your sin or to feel better about going. Although, believers can draw from the strength of other believers and the place where the believers gather can indeed be a source of strength and encouragement. I guess you can call this an online beginners tip for those contemplating, going to church with a friend this Sunday. There is nothing wrong with inviting someone to church, but its better to share Christ with them, its better to spend time with them, pray with them, encourage them, do some ministry! Inviting folks to church is not the great commission, its not serving God. We should introduce people to the savior. Many pastors will say, you get them here and I will preach to them. In this time, the world has more than enough preachers and teachers, the problem is, they are all warehoused in a building we call church. Fighting solders belong on a battlefield, not in the peace and quite of garrison. Its easy to invite people to your church when you can boast in a world class choir, a preacher with celebrity status and a congregation peppered with well known personalities. Come and hear our choir sing! Come and hear our Bishop preach, its more like an invitation for a show. There is no cover charge, but we do take offerings.The place called church, is not actually a place. Its a group of people, called out from among this world by God, unto salvation. The ecclesia, the called out ones. Its not a social club, its not a place where we entertain, sing and dance for the sake to gaining momentum in a worship service. Working the worshipers into a tongue speaking frenzy with loose prophecies that will surely generate a prayer line and good offerings is often looked at as a Good Time In Church. Wow…what a perversion.
Believers congregate, they gather in a designated place, often a building, to worship God corporately and build up and encourage other believer in their most Holy Faith. How unfortunate, many places of worship have become a place to date, find a mate, dress to impress, show of your oratory skill and influence a group of your followers.
Before you give your next invitation to someone else to come to your place called church, ask yourself why? Was attendance low on last Sunday and your simply following your pastors request to invite someone? Or do you have a genuine concern for the soul of man? Are you being moved by the spirit of God to pray with someone, mentor someone or encourage someone whom you haven’t seem lately. If so, present to them the Gospel of Jesus Christ, share a passage of scripture with them, ask God to give you what to say and how to present it, now that’s ministry 101.
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