I recently heard someone speaking about why it is important to come to church. Sometimes I think that kind of message is pointless at a church because the people there are already doing it!
So, why do we come to church? I do actually believe it is useful for us to ask this question!
My answers, of which there are many, come back to two words again and again: Encounter and nourishment.
Encounter.
We come to encounter God, to meet with him and get closer to him. We come also to encounter people. We must surely expect that there will be other people there! But essentially we are made for God and we come because of who he is. Being with others, serving, fellowshipping, worshipping together are also a key part of this.
Nourishment.
We come to be nourished/fed/built up through worship (learning, song, prayer, Bible) so that we can be healed and restored, strengthened, transformed, empowered and fuelled ready for action.I share the above to encourage us to think about why we come to church and to challenge us, spur us on for those times when we slip away from attending church or find it easier not to come.
As the writer of Hebrews says (ch10, v25):
“Let us not give up the habit of meeting together, as some are doing. Instead, let us encourage one another all the more, since you see that the Day of the Lord is coming nearer.”
God Bless.
Gerard.