Ten Reasons Why We Should Love The Church - #8

Everyday the list grows longer as to the reasons why we should love the church.  In case this is your first day reading this, here is what we have covered in previous posts:

We have made it to the seventh reason why we should love the church.  Thus far we have briefly considered that...

1.  Loving the church brings glory to God

2.  Loving the church demonstrates faithfulness to the Word of God

3.  Loving the church is one of our greatest witnesses to the world

4.  Loving the church unity in the body of Christ

5.  Loving the church stimulates meaningful and vibrant corporate worship of God

6.  Loving the church generates solid and biblical edification

7.  Loving the church brings about a genuine caring and sharing in the body of Christ

 

Here is number eight for your consideration...

 

8. It creates and environment for church growth 

It should be the heart's desire of the believer to see the church grow both in knowledge as well as in numbers.  Our church's vision verse is 2 Peter 3:18 which is a call to spiritual growth saying,

but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Believers who are growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ will be on the front lines of making disciples, followers of Christ, wherever they go (Matthew 28:19-20).  But why would people want to know Christ and belong to the Church?  Never forget that people desire to be in a place where they are loved.  People have a longing to know that come what may, there is someone who will listen to them, care for them and communicate to them the truth of the Word of God.  Where biblical love is being practiced, there is a noticeable difference in the atmosphere of the church.  While sin is confronted, love is the motivation; love to God and love for others.  Rather than judgmentalism, such love results in a hunger and thirsting for righteousness.  This is because love that is rooted and grounded in the Gospel results in producing the beautiful aroma of Christ.  We read in Ephesians 5:2...

and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. 

 As unbelievers walk into a fellowship where such love and such fragrances are being produced, there will be a wonder, and prayerfully, an awakening of their spirit by the Spirit of God to long to belong to such a group.

I attended a church a long time back whose tag line was, "A place to belong...a place to become."  Pithy and perhaps a bit vague yet that is the Church, a place to belong by glorious adoption and justification as provided by God the Father through His Son Jesus Christ (Romans 8:15, 30); and a place to become like our Elder brother, the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29).  Such a place creates the fertile ground where growth in the church can occur.