Because He Loves Us: Going to Church

I have often heard the debate on whether it is necessary to go to church in order to be a Christian.  People argue that if you live out a Christ-like existence in all other ways, but leave out church attendance, you can still consider yourself to be a Christian.  You can...however, you will be missing out on something wonderful and generous that God has provided for you.

Part of being a follower of Christ is loving Him.  He calls us to do that.  Through scripture, Jesus calls us to love and care for our neighbors, people on the street, the less fortunate, the least of these.  He tells us that by loving these people, who He has created, we are also loving Him.

The Bible is full of the theme of a marriage between Jesus and the church.  He takes the church as His bride and He loves her.  The marriage language that Jesus uses to describe His relationship with the church is so intimate and profoundly beautiful.  He is excited about His love for the church - just like any person would want their future spouse to be excited about their approaching wedding day.  In the same way that Jesus calls us to love others - because in doing so we are loving Him - He also calls us to love and serve within the church, because He loves the church.

Sometimes I watch Dancing With the Stars with my mom, not because I love it, but because she loves it.  Sometimes I watch football with my dad and brother, not because I love it, but because they do.  It is not because I like those things, but because I love my mom, dad and brother.

Jesus asks us to do the same with His church.  He knows that church can frustrate us.  He knows that the Packer game is on at noon.  But He asks us to love the church and participate in it.  He has given us this opportunity to build a community with other believers to support each other and to further His mission of making disciples of all nations.  The church is a mission field that we often forget about or neglect.

There is a reason that Jesus loves the Church so much - the church is made up of us.  He doesn't love the building, the pews, or the stained glass.  He loves that we are there, and we are coming together in His name.  In Matthew 18:20, Jesus says "For where two or three gather in my name, there I am with them."

 

...That's right, it doesn't.  But part of living out our faith, and striving to live in a way that Christ lived and a way that He loved is by loving and serving within the church.  It is a place for Christ followers to come together in God's name and to keep the doors open so that others might join.

 

~SP