Articles

IS CHURCH IMPORTANT?
(Written and compiled by Debbie Williamson)

What I share with you is based purely on my personal experiences as a Christian, what I have learnt through various teachings throughout the years and from what I interpret in the Bible and my personal relationship with God. What makes biblical sense to me. And of course you are welcome to disagree with me... if you can prove me wrong via the scriptures!!

It is not my intention to judge any person, church or denomination.

I grew up within the Catholic religion, many years later got saved, spent some twenty years in the Assembly of God church (Sea Point (Cape Town)/Northcliff (Jhb), eight years in Rhema - of course visited other churches and have spent the last five years at my present church.

A little of my background, so you know where I am coming from. I was raised a Catholic, attended a Catholic school, attended mass everyday, "confession" once a week, was christened as a baby and bascially went through all the Catholic rituals. As a family, we attended mass on Sundays, which later became only on special occasions i.e. weddings, funerals, Christmas and Easter

I became somewhat cynical and rebellious in my attitude towards God and the Church. For me, God was a stranger, I did not have a personal relationship. I was not close to Him in the sense that I only prayed when I needed something. (Much like my relationship with my earthly father).

So when I left school and attended College, I turned my back on church as I knew it. Having being indoctrinated (my feelings) by school and church politics, I decided then and there that Church/God was just a means to escape when I needed something urgently.

At the age of 17 (1972), my friend and I watched a group of "Jesus Freaks" parading up and down the beach (in Clifton) where we grew up and mocked these people as they carried their placards and shouting slogans "Jesus loves you" "Jesus saves" "Praise the Lord" "Hallelujah" "One Way".

Not a year later my friend, who, with these same people, got saved! She started going to Church and became a handclapping, foot stomping, singing Jesus freak! I thought she was mad, yet sensed and witnessed a massive change in her.

In those days, when one met a Christian, it was a case of "Praise the Lord brother/sister" and sheer excitement and delight of being in the company of fellow Christians. Sadly these days, its a case of "Lets see your fruit" "Let us see how you behave" . Actions speak louder than words.

At the age of 18, after much coaxing I finally accompanied her to Church. I was not impressed and did not hide my feelings. Then her friends drove me home and began "witnessing" to me. They asked me if I knew I would go to heaven? Or was I prepared to burn in hell for the rest of my life. Out of sheer fear of burning in hell, I gave my heart to Jesus that night. They had best intentions, although not the best way to share about the love of Christ, it worked and so began my journey as a Born-Again Christian.

Back in 1973... it was also towards the end of the hippy era.. with many hippies giving their lives to God. (No I was not a hippy!!)Suffice to say.. the church was filled with all kinds of strange and wonderful people and in amongst the congregation were "normal" young working and business people. One wonders where these young people are today.. although I do know of one hippy who got saved, got a regular job, later got married, had children who eventually married and had children of their own. This gent and with his wife still serve the Lord - his wife is now a full time pastor in the very same church I got saved in!

Back to the present/future. Time constraints prevent me from sharing my 35 years as a Christian, suffice to say.. I have walked a long long road.. with many bumps along the way. It has been an interesting and invaluable experience.... I do not claim to be perfect... neither to I know all the answers.. but I do know/understand just a little!

What is church? When we refer to church what are we referring to? Not to get too technical - church building is not the issue. Church is you and me.. the Bible says when "two or three are gathered in my name - there I am in their midst".

What is the purpose of church? For entertainment/pleasure or to get people to hear the gospel and give their lives to God? All three? Why do we go to church on Sundays? (Lets not get too technical wrt the issue as to whether the sabbath day is actually Saturday/Sunday because everyday is the sabbath day.. everyday we worship God and everyday we have fellowship with God... although God did instruct us to keep the sabbath day holy... so a total different teaching if we had to really get into the actual day... Saturday or Sunday).

We have church meetings because God instructs us to have fellowship and it is part of growth.. we cannot be lone rangers. There is absolutely nothing wrong with visiting other churches...however, we need to be part of a local body.

The bible says that we have to work out our own salvation...and then it also says do not forsake the gathering of the bretheren....

We do not have church meetings to please man.. but to please God.. to worship Him.. to serve Him (i.e. our involvement within the church/ministry etc) and to have fellowship and of course to minister to the unsaved. We need to focus our attention on God.. not to look at/to man.. because if we look at man.. we will fall hopelessly. The church is far from perfect.. Why?... because we are the church.. and we will therefore never find a perfect church...

You serve God in the church that you are led or best comfortable to serve Him in.. be it traditional/evangelistic or charismatic. Each one of us has a gift.. and we need to use our gifts to encourage and motivate others. There are many gifts.. but the greatest gift of all in LOVE.. Without love we are nothing.. without love - the other gifts are worth nothing.. God is more interested in our attitudes.. our hearts.. our love than the frills.
The bible says that God is no respector of man. It is my understanding then.. especially when people share that they are waiting for God to lead them to the correct/right church - This might be true but if God is no respector of man then He is no respector of church either because the church is you and me! Thus whilst, yes it is important to be in the centre of God's will.. I somehow do not believe.. when you walk into a Spiritual, biblical, trinity based fellowship that He will tell you .. "this is not for you".. when these very same people are worshipping Him in Spirit and in Truth. Having said this.. certainly when one walks in a church building one will feel more at home than others. Very important too is that, where you are in your walk with God, the church and their vision need to "feed" you and YOU need to give back into that fellowship by way of your gifts. Obviously that is not going to happen with every single fellowship. In essence.. where you fellowship.. is where you can give back and where you are fed and most importantly where you feel you belong and thus at home.

So why is it that so many people are disillusioned with church? Why is it that so many people are preferring to meet in homes rather than the church building structure... I know of several people who are doing it this way. Is is right or is it wrong?

A very good friend of mine along with her husband run a cell group in their home for much of the same reason. I have looked at this very deeply.. I do not know whether this is right or wrong.. but what I do know is that the Bible talks of leadership..of Elders/Deacons... in fact it is very clear on this.

I know and hear of many people who believe God has taken them out of the Church structure. All very well and good.. but my question is always this "What are you doing or where are you going in place of church? Many simply cannot answer.. and I then need to question their motives.. without judging of course. Many prefer to stay at home and have church at home .. on their own.. watching TBN/God Channel or other TV Christian programmes. Watch/listen to teaching videos/CD's/tapes. Is this right? Nothing wrong with it but again we cannot be lone rangers.

Church has changed so much over the years... and in particular the Charismatic church. I am certainly not knocking the Charismatic movement... because I am part of it.. but I too, am saddened at what I witness and experience. For the more traditional church goers.. the Charismatic church is a no go zone.. and although I disagree.. I can understand. Quite simply the Church has lost the plot.. many churches are more business orientated than what I believe God expects. I am always reminded of how Jesus got angry because of business that was going on in the Synagogues.

There is so much I would love to share but time restraints prevent me from doing so.. suffice to say.. I believe the purpose of church is to serve God and for man to serve God. According to the Bible.. the church is also there to assist the widows/orphans and those struggling in general. Yes, there are people who will use the church for their own gain and even the less fortunate will seek help from the church yet refuse to surrender their all to God. I am not writing about these people.

I once shared about the lady who had lost her job and the church was feeding her and her children.. I was delighted to read this.. after all this is what church is all about..... then I was dismayed and saddened by an email I received from another member who (being a faithful and longstanding member of her church) genuinely needed assistance and the church refused.. saying they were not a charitable organisation!

We have church not only for growth and fellowship which is a vital part of why we need church.. but the church is also there to bring in the unsaved. Many people think they are Christians when in fact they are not. No one is born a Christian even though some of us might have been brought up in Christian homes.. this does not automatically make us Christians.. no! We need to acknowledge Christ as Saviour and give our lives to Him.. and that is what church is. And what happens next? Growth, fellowship and teaching. We need to give back to the church just as much as we receive. By this I mean.. being a pew warmer is not enough.. when we find the church where we believe God wants us to settle.. then we need to get involved.. and it is not how much we give but rather God looks at the heart of man. We need to make a difference because we are different!

How do we get involved? There are many areas of ministry and this where we find where our heart lies... our gifts.. which we use to glorify God, to edify the church, to bring in the unsaved.

The church should be family. The church is not a place for us to compete. The church is there for us to share and give and show love - unconditional love. Hard in this day and age but God instructs us to love unconditionally. And what happens when the Church is far too big. This is not an excuse to slip in through the back door and sit at the back and bascially you are just a number and thus come and go unnoticed.. very easy in a large church.

Thus Cell groups/Life Groups/Home cell.. call it what you will.... is important. Personally I believe Cell groups are more than vital.. if that is possible.. and I urge any Christian who is part of a local body to get involved with a Cell Group. Because the church cannot always know about every single member.. the Cell group is there for that purpose .. or should be. Cell Group leaders are special people who have a ministry to care for their group and if they dont.. then there is a problem. This is the place where we should be able to share almost anything. And.. Cell group is .. the church!

So what about the thousands of people who leave a particular church because they have been hurt? Leaving the church is not the answer.. one needs to sort out the problem..before leaving. .because I guarantee... if one leaves a church for the wrong motive.. until such time you will always carry the problem with you. I too, have been hurt.. and have even left the very church I am part of.. because I got hurt.. and then I did something which I had never done before.. I took a sabbatical.. and went in search of a better church.. I visited many churches in the area... yet I knew my purpose and reasoning was wrong.. although it was a very good experience for me.. I now appreciate the church and leaders so much more. I truly love the church where God has placed me. So, whilst I understand why the need is for some Believers run from church.. one must check their heart and motive. And realise that as long as we (as human beings) are around.. people will somehow always hurt other people.... willfully/intentionally/inadvertently/unintentionally.... we need to be mature and forgive.. and if we cannot resolve the issue then we need to do what the Bible instructs us to do... go to that person and try and lovingly speak with them and if they do not listen.. then you take someone with you and if they still not want to listen.. then you take it to the church... and by that I believe the bible means to the Leadership... And.. if it is the leaders that have hurt you.. you still need to forgive them and move on.. but do not run away....

Again we have church not to please people but to please God... to serve Him ... and to love .. and to use our gifts so that others may be encouraged.. so that God might use us to grow the church... you and me. We have to keep focused on God.. thereby keeping our eyes fixed on Him and not the preacher or an Elder or any of the Family of God. .. if we do this.. we will never get hurt.

I have noticed many churches springing up.. and it is pleasing to me that people are growing in leaps and bounds.. numbers and more numbers are getting saved.. yet I acknowledge too that this is much competition amongst churches and this is not good. I also am very aware of the amount of cults. We need to test the Spirit. Are these churches in line with the Word of God? And if they are not.. well ... enough said.

We also need to be careful not to place the minister/pastor on a pedestal. This can so easily happen. Yes he might be your leader, but he is not perfect. I also have a problem with pastors who simply do not have time for their flock. Yes, the church might be big in numbers and yes the Cell Groups cater for individual attention. But it is still wrong that the leader of a church must be treated like a guru. He has been called by God to teach and preach yet at the same time Ministers/Pastors are the Fathers of the church. Let them not forget that.

I disagree totally that some church ministers refuse to be addressed by their first names. They are the Pastors .. thus they insist on being addressed as Pastor so and so. I do not agree with this.. in fact it is refreshing to be in a church.. our pastor refuses to be called Pastor. He insists we just call him by his name.

Personally I think we are all pastors.. and if you think deeply enough you will understand why I say this. But not everyone acknowledges this.. simply because we are not prepared to walk in total faith and allow God to use us as much as He can use us. Everyone is called to pastor.. and then this might sound like a contradictory statement.. but others are called to be apostles, teachers, etc (5 fold ministry). In essence there is a huge meaning to the word pastor... and another word for pastor is shepherd. In fact according to the bible.. and therefore it is my understanding that huge emphasis is placed on Elders. Any Christian can be a pastor.. but not every Christian can hold the office of an Elder. Guess I might be heading for some controversy but hear my heart..!

The church I am part of has the most amazing biblically sound doctrine and it is refreshing to be part of this Family. One of the most important elements in our church is the commitment and love of the leadership. Not perfect but nevertheless sound and solid. One can always find fault and there will always be fault. It is through this church that I have learnt so much about the Grace of God.

Let us not forget the true meaning of church. Let us not forget the basic doctrine of Christianity. Doctrine has become so complicated when in fact it is really such a simple doctrine. Christianity is a relationship with God our Father, His Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Its not about doctrine.. its about God. It is about Jesus' death on the cross. Its about His resurrection. Its about walking in Grace. It is about a relationship. It is about walking in Love. It is walking in forgiveness. It is like marriage. We have to work on it. We cannot take God for granted as we cannot take our spouses for granted. Christianity should not be a difficult way of life. No it is not always easy. .. noone said it would be.. but we have to keep our eyes focused and not take our eyes off our Father.. because if we do.. we will fail and fall hopelessly.. and that is why church has become a place... yes a place of worship.. or some incredible teachings .. but it has also become a place of despair.. people have been and still are disappointed.. and it should not be like that. Church is a place where the Family of God meet .. to learn.. to grow.. to share.. to have fellowship..to love each other unconditionally.. Many families .. many churches.. and in many families one finds conflict.. but by the Grace of God.. we forgive.. we love .. we move forward.. Church is there to support one another through hardships and sadness.. if a brother is in anguish.. or hurting..or is going through deep waters.. the church.. the family.. must gather around him.. to care for and love him. Obviously one does need discernment.... I am not talking of someone who runs from church to church (a spiritual butterfly) and is not prepared to submit to a local body.. I am talking about someone who is part of a local church and has been in regular attendance..

Personally I believe one of the main reasons why we need to be part of a Body.. proves to God our commitment and our willingness to serve. Thus whether you part of a traditional/evangelical or charismatic church.. is not what it is all about...rather Christianity is what it is all about.. not the frills.

So the question begs? Is church important? Are you important? Is the Christian living next door to you important? Yes.. I believe so.. for as long as we are the Church.. so the church will be important.. the gathering of the saints is important.. The church building is not important.. but the people are.. you and me.. the church

"You have not because you do not ask"
(The Living Bible)
James 4 vs 2

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