A while back i was doing a study on why do we go to church...or why should we go to church? I didn't really write my findings for fear of offending people. But I will write down some of my thoughts about what I found. Take it or leave it, I will not argue with you so you can read and then disagree quietly or you can read and agree! lol Either way, Please know I am not doing this to offend anyone but just out reading and praying about why I personally go to church....so without further ado...
Sometimes we go to church because we have to. (Bc I'm on staff at a church!)
Sometimes we go because we are hungry. We expect to be fed.
Sometimes we go to church just to see friends. Like I did when I was a teenager!
Sometimes we go to church because we are brought there. Like when I was a child.
For whatever reason we go to church. Especially here in the south. Everyone goes to church and everyone thinks they are saved! But going to church does not get me into Heaven. This past week P. Brad explained it so well...."Faith gets us into Heaven, but what we did while here on earth determines what happens in Heaven."
Regardless of that belief, I found that about four years ago I was just going to church because I had to. It was my job. I went and did my job and worshiped but didn't feel like I was being fed spiritually. It was during the next year that I went through a really dry time spiritually. And then it was like one day God slapped me upside the head (as some of us need at times! lol) and opened my eyes to this scripture.."You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food." Hebrews 5:12 This goes along with the teachings we hear about so often - you need to move on to the meat of the Word vs. the milk.... Think about an infant. They rely on people to get them milk, and later on food and literally feed them. Once they are older they serve themselves and feed themselves. We are called Children of God, thus I believe when we get saved we need others to 'teach/feed' us the things of God. But once we have been saved and taught then we need to dive into the Word for ourselves. IN saying all this, I came to the conclusion I was going to church to be fed and wasn't receiving anymore bc I refused to feed myself and mature into a seasoned believer and start 'feeding' others. Going to church now has a different meaning to me. I don't go now to work, even though I do work while there! I don't go to get fed, but I go to worship God and help others go deeper and to minister to others and to be encouraged and to encourage. But now I listen to teachings online and read books that are taking me to a deeper level. And once I started doing that God has amazed me! I hear a scripture that I've heard a million times and somehow He shows me something new about it! So because I've chosen to go through the maturing process I am being totally blessed by the depth of the most simple things! If that makes any sense at all! There is so much to the Bible that I don't think I will ever complain about things not being deep enough for me. I think that by saying that it was full of pride and selfishness. Jesus came to serve and not be served! Bam in a nutshell that is why I go to church! :)
