How to Benefit from Church
Strength for Life has as one of its primary goals to make mature believers. For individuals, one of the most spiritually advantageous things you can do for your spiritual maturity is gather with your local church family this Sunday.
Some people react to that instruction. “I've done that before, and it didn't strengthen me.” It may be true that Christians can gather with the redeemed without seeing any benefit; however, the key is to gather with a God-honoring attitude and for biblical reasons.
Often, people are not strengthened by their church involvement because they don’t obey that counsel. Instead, they gather with the wrong attitude or for unbiblical reasons. With that in mind, let’s consider some attitudes and reasons for gathering with our church family.
Develop God-Honoring Attitudes
First of all, what is a good, God-honoring attitude for gathering with your church? It is an attitude of humble service and eager anticipation. The order is important: humble service first, then eager anticipation. Why that order? Because humble service is about giving, while eager anticipation is about receiving.
God-honoring church involvement starts with asking, “What can I give, and how can I serve?” Humble service is an attitude that specifically asks, “How can I serve God, and how can I serve my church family as we gather together this Sunday?” After the proper biblical mindset, an attitude of eager anticipation says, “I'm looking forward to what I will receive from God's Word and from God's people—my church family.”
In contrast, a wrong attitude is self-absorbed and self-focused. It says, “People at this church had better serve me. This is probably a total waste of time, and I'm not likely to get anything out of this at all, but I'm here anyway. Bless me if you can.”
Believers with this negative attitude, which unfortunately is very typical, should consider the famous words of President John F. Kennedy and reframe them for the church context: “Ask not what your church can do for you; ask what you can do for your church.”
A God-honoring attitude makes a huge difference. With the right attitude as the disposition of your heart, you will very likely gather with your church family for biblical reasons.
Worship God Together
Second, what are some biblical reasons to gather with your local church? Here is the most important reason: gather to worship God. Join others in adoring God and worshipping Him. After all, John 4:23 says that the Father seeks true worshipers to worship Him. Gather to worship God.
A question naturally follows: “What does worshipping God look like, practically speaking?” Nehemiah 8 answers with a glimpse of mature, God-honoring worship. First, the people wanted Ezra the scribe to bring the Book (v. 1). They were attentive and interested in the Word of God without the man of God having to beg them to care about Scripture. Instead of requiring their spiritual leader to constantly promote the next time he would declare the Word of God, the people had a genuine interest in hearing God's Word proclaimed.
Second, the people worshipped God with verbal expressions of worship. Scripture says that the people were saying, “Amen, amen,” as Ezra, the man of God, stood at a wooden pulpit and declared the Word of God (v. 6).
Third, they not only gave verbal expressions of worship, but they also gave physical expressions of worship (v. 6). They lifted their hands, bowed their heads, and worshipped the Lord with their faces to the ground. Verbalizing an “Amen” during or after Bible-based public prayer, saying “Amen” during theologically rich church music, or responding similarly during Bible-centered preaching are biblically modeled ways to verbalize your worship to God.
Churchgoers are also given the opportunity to physically demonstrate their worship of God after they have heard the preaching of God’s Word. During a church's public invitation, believers have opportunity to bow their heads and place their faces to the ground, just like the worshippers in Nehemiah 8. Such physical displays clearly demonstrate the attitude I previously described as humble service. Of course, saying “Amen” or responding to a church invitation is outside the comfort zone of many Christians. But remember, worshipping God is not about what is comfortable for us. It is about what is pleasing to Him.
It is clear that the people in Nehemiah 8 worshipped God in a way that was pleasing to Him. If these acts of worship are done with a pure motive, God will be pleased.
Serve the Local Body of Christ
Gather with your church family to worship God, but also gather with your church family this Sunday to serve one another. The reason Hebrews 10:25 tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together is specifically that we are to provoke one another to love and good works. Gather this Sunday with your church family to seek opportunities to fulfill the many “one another” commands in the Bible.
We are not only “to provoke one another to love and good works,” but also to bear one another's burdens (Gal. 6:2), edify one another (Eph. 4:16), care for one another (1 Cor. 12:25), comfort one another (1 Thess. 5:11), and thoughtfully fulfill the may other “one another” instructions found in Scripture.
Additionally, you serve your church family by stewarding well your spiritual gifts. Romans 12 explains that each church member has a spiritual gift, and that each member's gifting is important to the spiritual health of the church body. Beware withholding your spiritual gift from your church family by not being in attendance when they. gather. For your church family to be healthy, every gifting within the spiritual body is essential. In other words, don't be stingy with your spiritual gifts.
Each Sunday and Wednesday, there are several people in our church family with whom I am not able to speak personally. However, just seeing them in the congregation encourages and strengthens my spirit because they are people who are stewarding their spiritual gifts well.
Witness to Neighbors
Gather with your church family this Sunday for the purpose of worshipping God and serving your church family. But also gather with your church family for the sake of your neighbor. Jesus taught us that the second of the greatest commandments is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:39).
Your neighbor is not just the person who lives next to you on the cul-de-sac. Your neighbor is your coworker, your countryman, and anyone who can observe the habits of your life. In most cases, before your neighbor will ever be interested in serving your God, he or she will want to see you serving your God faithfully. If you are not setting an example of faithfulness, it is highly unlikely that the unsaved world around you will take your Christian faith seriously. Love your neighbor enough to let them see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Everything I have just described is about giving. You give of yourself to God as you worship Him, say “Amen,” or respond to a church invitation; you give of yourself when you sing enthusiastically or listen attentively to God's Word; you give of yourself when you minister through the “one another” commands in Scripture. You also give of yourself when you model an example of faithfulness before your neighbors and the people all around you.
Conclusion
After you have made up your mind to give in the above ways, gather for the purpose of receiving, with an attitude of eager anticipation. Eagerly anticipate what you will receive from God's Word and from God's people. Eagerly anticipate God speaking to you, because when the Word of God is preached, the voice of God is heard. Eagerly anticipate your spirit being renewed as you sing God's praises and hear others enthusiastically sing His praises. Eagerly anticipate your soul being fed as your Sunday school teacher and pastor teach you more about the Word of God. Eagerly anticipate the numerous benefits of other people's spiritual gifts. Eagerly anticipate your faith being strengthened as you are constantly reminded of God's promises through the singing of Bible-based hymns and through Bible-centered preaching.
Ladies and gentlemen, I encourage you to gather with your church with the right attitude and for all the right reasons. Your faith will be strengthened in amazing ways. Be sure to gather with your church every time the building’s doors are open, because God certainly rewards faithfulness.
The above article was written by James C. Johnson. He is the pastor of NorthStone Baptist Church in Pensacola, FL. To offer him your feedback, comment below or email us at strengthforlife461@gmail.com.
Every Tuesday, SFL publishes relevant Bible-based content. Check back next Tuesday to read the next SFL article.
Comments