You won’t change the world by just going to church

 

Did you know that you can praise God anywhere, at any time?

Did you know that you can worship him anywhere, at any time?

Yes, churches are a great place to praise God. But they’re not the only place to praise and worship him.

Not only are churches a good place to worship, but so are coffee shops, showers, late night car rides, conversations with friends, viewing the sunset alone from a rooftop, hours spent lying awake on a restless night.

“Don’t let a building confine your faith, because you will never change the world by just going to church, we need to BE the church.”

I’m sure you’re all aware of the term ‘corporate worship’? This term has gotten a bad rap in recent years because some associate it with a ‘band-like’ atmosphere of many of the mega churches we read about.

But corporate worship is Biblical. In simplest terms, corporate worship involves Christians coming together in one place, to pray, sing, learn and worship together. (Psalm 95)

Corporate worship brings together God’s word, prayer and fellowship and helps to rekindle our spiritual fire, especially when dark days loom and we rely on each other for support.

We read over and over in Scripture that the church is a body (Romans 12:5) and we are members of that body. Being involved in a local church is so beneficial to our spiritual health.

But you are never going to change the world, and reach the lost, simply by going to church.

We, as individuals, need to BE the church.

I just want to talk a bit about this idea of corporate worship, and then I’ll come back to my previous statement.

Often, we come into our worship services in somewhat of a spiritual fog. We’ve had a hard week; things haven’t gone to plan and we feel in need of fellowship and spiritual nourishment. (Just a note here: don’t forget, it’s not up to the Pastor to feed you. You need to be daily in the Word of God, feasting on the truths you find there and sitting at the feet of Jesus, learning from him).

In Psalm 73, we read of Asaph despairing over the prosperity of the wicked.

Psalm 73:2-3 KJV - But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped. For I was envious at the foolish, when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

He’d been experiencing hardship and was frustrated over the way things were going.

He was in a fog. He was despondent, and probably the last thing on his mind was getting together with others in the context of worship.

But then we come to a pivotal moment.

Psalm 73:16-17 KJV - When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

He states that it is all too painful, UNTIL…..

He makes a choice to enter the sanctuary. The church. He gets up off his couch and makes the effort to meet with others, and then he understands. The fog lifts. And he is able to lift his voice in praise.

Psalm 73:25-26 KJV - Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

When our hearts feel it least, is when we need it most.

When you are discouraged, lonely, hurting and you don’t ‘feel’ like worshipping, that’s when you need to pick yourself up, and go and fellowship with other Christians.

Psalm 122:1 KJV - I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.

Christianity was never meant to be a solo operation. All the biblical metaphors are always plural. A body. A flock. A holy nation.

We have a beautiful example of Christian fellowship in the book of Acts, and it should be the model for our churches, small groups, Bible studies and fellowship today.

Acts 2:42, 46-47 KJV - And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. ... And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Did you notice the use of they and their? Plural. And what were they busy doing? They were being taught, they were sharing meals, they were praying together, they were practicing hospitality, and they were glad!

Yes, true worship is fundamentally an experience of the heart. And it is individual. But as we come together, with other like-minded Christians, all intent on worshipping God in a corporate setting, something beautiful happens. Or it should.

We are drawn together through our love for God and as the Word is preached, the songs are sung, the prayers are prayed, the Holy Spirit reaches into our hearts and helps heal the wounds, sooth the troubled soul and speak directly to us, as we stand surrounded by fellow Christians, similarly broken and hurting, in need of God’s touch.

Now, getting back to my point.

You are never going to change the world, and reach the lost, simply by going to church.

We, as individuals, need to BE the church.

It’s not enough to just go to church. As the saying goes, “going to church isn’t going to make you a Christian any more than going to McDonalds makes you a cheeseburger!”

We need to be the church. We need to be the light the world sees. Not just as a body of believers, but as individuals, with our own personal relationship and walk with Christ.

Some reading this won’t like what I’m about to say, but can I remind you that going to church every time the doors are open, to every event, involved in every ministry and on every committee, doesn’t make you any more spiritual than the man who only attends once a week because his work commitments don’t allow him to be present more than that?

It doesn’t make you any more spiritual than the young mother, with little ones who is not able to make it to every service because of sick children or simply because she has no more energy left to give.

It doesn’t make you any more spiritual than a missionary on a foreign field, struggling along with only a handful of converts that meet for a Bible study in a grass hut on the side of a mountain, weather permitting, to learn from God’s Word together.

Do you get my point?

We really can praise the Lord at any time and in any place. We really can worship God and draw close to him without killing ourselves to make it to every gathering when it just isn’t a possibility.

Our Christianity is not based on how often we attend church. It’s based on a relationship. It’s not about rules. It’s about relationship. It’s about our walk with God and what our priorities are and what we do in private.

A church is not a building. It’s a body of believers. All over the world. Not just in your town or city. It’s Christians from all walks of life, living through differing seasons, at different maturity levels in their relationship with Christ. We are the church.

We are often deceived by thinking that our personal walk with Christ is not as important as the services we attend. But one of Satan’s most effective attacks against the church is getting us to believe that the more programs, the more services, the more gatherings, the more events, the more ministries we have determines our closeness to God.

Often, they are nothing but a bunch of loosely connected individuals, trying to operate as a body, but with no unity, no passion, no burden for the ministries we’re involved in, coming together for the required time allotted and then parting ways, having no contact with each other until the following week, when we do it all again. Week in. Week out. Month after month. Year after year.

Don’t get me wrong, we need each other. We need fellowship. We need community. We need to get together for corporate worship, but if our hearts are not in it and we are not where we should be spiritually, then we are not pleasing God and we are certainly not bringing glory to his name.

I guess what I’m trying to say is this. You have to focus on your own, personal relationship with God. You have to prioritize time alone with him. You have to be willing to read and study the Word of God for yourself and apply the truths to your lives before you will ever be effective in reaching the world for Christ.

Don’t let a building confine your faith.

God is everywhere and he will meet you where you are. As you draw close to him, he will draw close to you. Only then will you be used of God.

James 4:8a KJV - Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you...

You’ll never reach others if you yourself are not walking in step with God, pursuing his perfect will, content with whatever he sends your way.

Make it a priority to work on your relationship with God. Put him first. Make him the centre of your life.

Not the programs. God.

Not the church. God.

Yes, be in fellowship. Yes, participate in the ministries of the church that God impresses upon your heart.

But don’t confine your faith to a building.

Let God’s light shine from you. As an individual. Be the reason others want to know more about God.

1 Peter 3:15 KJV - But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Let your praise and worship of him be something you do on a daily basis. Don’t wait until the Sunday morning service to lift your voice in song. Praise him today.

Psalm 150:6 KJV - Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.