Why Go To Church?

Why go to church?

I know that the title of this entry may seem a bit strange. Why on earth is Pastor Ed getting all sermon like when all we wanted was an informational blog? The truth of the matter is that this question of “why go to church?” actually is informational. To be sure, I could tell you about the speakers and the seminars, which again were insightful, educational, inspirational and exhilarating; but beyond the information I gleaned, in addition to the notes that I took, the LORD taught me from the other side of the pulpit and answer to this question, “Why go to church?”

I am not sure if I mentioned in my first account that due to the amount of people at the conference, Jase, Bryan and I ended up in an overflow room, watching Dr. MacArthur via closed circuit TV. It was great to see and hear him. The truths he conveyed were just as real and insightful as I have come to expect. Yet, there was something missing. The next session, and all subsequent general sessions, we have made sure to be in the main worship center and here in lies the answer to the question, “Why go to church?”

There is simply and truly a different atmosphere and effect upon the soul when gathered in the very room where the music to which one sings is being produced. There is more intensity and power heard and felt as voices are lifted up in unity to the praise and glory of God. There is a moving and quiet power to be in the room where the man of God, he who has studied and who has poured out his life to dig into the word of God is now communicating truths (not man-made opinions) concerning the blessed communication of the living God to man.

Again, having sat through the first session by watching it on TV and then actually being in the services after than, I can tell you first hand that any who thinks that skipping out on church is inconsequential, who thinks that they can replace live participation with God and the saints by turning on a TV or listening to the radio or popping in a CD, is gravely mistaken. There is no substitute for being gathered with the saints. Sadly, we allow too many things, some seemingly important, some seemingly good, and yet others outright bad and sinful, to rob us of the blessing that God Himself established with the blood of His Son as Acts 20:28 says to the Elders at Ephesus, “…shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”
I am grateful for a week of sitting under some of the giants of the faith in our generation. I praise the Lord for the opportunity to learn how to sit, how to listen, how to learn and how to appreciate the greatness of our God, the wonder of the ministry of preaching and teaching His Word and of the blessed fellowship of the saints, lifting up voices and hearts to the Almighty God who redeemed us, giving us life, life now in Christ and for Christ as well as life eternal, yet still in Christ and for Christ.

Why go to church? We go to honor God. We go to obey God. We go to worship God. We go to be the body, the church? We go because we are commanded to do so. Anything less betrays our standing as the children of God. Let us love God and let us love the church.

Hebrews 10:23-25
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, 25 not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Ed