One of the great equalizers to a world that is lost in sin, that God has provided for us, is His church. He gives us the opportunity to belong together. People of like mind, who love God and are striving to please Him gather and do life together. Attending a church is a good thing, becoming a member, even better. But, are you really a part of a church; a functioning, contributing, participating slice of the body of Christ? Are you missed when you are missing? Do you impact others when you are here? I believe there are short seasons where a believer may need to “hide” in a congregation for a while as they heal or rest because of a battle from which they’re recovering. However, that season shouldn’t last for the rest of your life. Find a way to get to know the others in our fellowship better. Make it so we just can’t function without you!
There’s a big difference between the church you attended as a child and the church you grew up in. Some people have attended church all their lives and they still haven’t matured. We’re talking today about the time in your life when you “got it”, when you stopped being a consumer and started becoming a servant. When enough of us step over that threshold, we’ll really see what God intended when He initiated the church.
-Pastor Joel Everhart