Church - what is it? And why go?

Our English word 'Church' has a few different meanings:

Church

noun

1. A building for public Christian worship.

2. Public worship of God or a religious service in such a building:to attend church regularly.

3. The whole body of Christian believers; Christendom.

4. Any division of this body professing the same creed 

Acknowledging the same ecclesiastical authority; a Christian denomination.

5. That part of the whole Christian body, or of a particular denomination, belonging to the same city, country, nation etc.

However, the original Greek used two words for the description of 'Church'. 

1. Ekklesia - meaning "the called out ones" or rather the body of Christ (being those who are baptised by the Holy Spirit).

2. Synagogue - meaning the temple in which people attended to worship the Holy of Holies. 

What have I learned over the last 21 years of being a Christian and attending Church? 

Firstly, it is not what we go there to get, but what we go there to give. To give of ourselves, our life, our time, our money, our heart and passion for Christ, the way in which we share ourselves with others. In this day and age, people think that going to Church is the answer to their problems. However, just attending a gathering of believers in a building will not, of course, fix our problems. Sin lies within our hearts (Ro 3:23) and only surrendering that over to Him and asking forgiveness can set us on the right path to healing.

Of course then there is the other problem - Judgement/pride or ‘Shouldism’. Many have fallen away from Christ through their judgement of what others should, or shouldn't be doing. If our hearts were in the right place when we attended church, we would not sit there looking at what others were wearing, or if they were yawning, our focus would be on hearing what the Lord had for us; tuning our ear into His message for us will most certainly keep our focus on the right things and not on judging.

What about the offences? It is easy to take offence, but it is right to not hold onto them. Ro 16:17 tells us to watch out for people who cause divisions and create obstacles that are contrary to Christ's teaching. Oh how easily people are offended (I too have been guilty of this) - the sarcasm, a simple comment, a judgement of what we think other parents should do with their children, how we think other people should worship, what the Pastor looks like, perceptions... all these things are us 'looking on the outside' instead of the inside of ourselves. Let go, do not hold on to the thoughts that cause us to be upset. 

Phil 4:8 - 

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Church is simply a gathering of believers (bearing in mind that where there's two or more, Christ is right there in the middle - Matthew 18:20. This constitutes a Church). The TV portrays Church as being men wearing robes and swinging candles, giving confessions and taking a wafer and a sip of wine, with many rules and hypocrisies. That is NOT the Church that Christ set up on Earth through Peter who was told to 'Feed my sheep" (John 21:15-19)

The book of Acts 2:42-47 the first “services” and “traditions” were described:

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (NIV)

What we know for sure is that the first Church was a gathering of believers, enough to fill a small room; they preached from the balcony and 3000 were added to their number in one day.. what did they preach? It wasn't "the no drinking, no swearing, no drugs, feel good, give all your money" kind of sermon, it was the apostles teaching. 

The apostles taught about Christ and His simple message of God's great Love for us and salvation through the forgiveness of sin. They were committed to spending time together (called fellowship), to eating meals together remembering Christ and praying to the Lord (what did they pray??? Thankfulness, confessions, praise, requests and more praise).

They were together and had everything in common - they gave to each other whoever had a need - they did this in each others homes..

OH MY HOW THE CHURCH OF TODAY HAS LOST THE VISION!

Please, if you have not been saved long, or Church is new, PLEASE do not judge God by His children! He is amazing! He is wonderful, He is love uncomplicated! Just close your eyes for a moment and think of the most beautiful thing that you have ever seen and then multiply it by ten thousand, and that is a small measure of the beautiful relationship you can have with your God! 

So when you go to church next time, leave your judgement at home, worship him freely even if that makes you look as silly as you think others look when they close their eyes and lose themselves in the beauty of HIM..

One morning, I was lying in bed and struggling with the thought of having to get up to go to Church. This troubled me as I feared I may have lost my First love (Rev 2:1-5). I heard my self saying as the disciples did..."Lord, I do not want to go, but because it is you who says, I will go" (Luke 5:5) I got up and went and received life from the sermon that fed me all week from the word! I was rewarded for my commitment to be obedient and go to church (Hebrews 10:23-25)

This is a long post, and I am sorry. But too many people turn from God because of what they believe church should be... in fact, the only true Church is the one where Christ Jesus is at the centre and it follows the same structure as the first Church in the book of Acts.. a church that is built on the hearts of believers loving and sharing with other believers..when you attend church - you may be the person that causes another to fall away..we must remember this as we obey and attend!

Prayer: Thankyou Lord for loving me, help me to see others the way you see them!