Why Should You Join Church?

Why are certain people leaving the church and you are still around? Is it because they are smart and you are naive? What are they seeing that you are not? What would make someone doubt the power of Jesus Christ you may wonder?

People join the church for right and wrong reasons. If you are amongst the latter there are high chances you might later on slide out. Sometimes it’s the congregates who influence these wrong decisions onto clueless new members during visitations or witnessing missions.

Here is a true story that I witnessed myself. My church once decided to hold a big evangelistic crusade at the community shopping center. We had invited this powerful speaker to grace us throughout the three weeks. I witnessed many people turn their lives to the Lord. Fast forward to the next year, we had lost three-quarters of all the new converts. But how was it so?

The preaching is all there was to blame by my conclusion. It’s very common to make a call-out after a sermon intended for people who want to give their lives to the lord. On that occasion, the call was delicately rehearsed and no one, not even the church pastor could resist. What more were the unsuspecting visitors?

‘Are you hungry? Give yourself to the Lord’ the preacher had made the call. ‘Are you sick or is someone sick? Give yourself to the Lord’  ‘Are you single? Give yourself to the Lord’ they continued. ‘Are you unemployed? Give yourself to the Lord ‘Want to start a business? Give yourself to the Lord’ ‘Are you barren? Give yourself to the Lord’ ‘Are you homeless? Give yourself to the Lord and on and on they went.

No one could resist that, not even the pastor-elect. We all have problems and wants in life but can they all be solved at once I wonder? I witnessed two boys from my neighborhood give their lives to the Lord. The third guy was a drug addict and hustling anyhow he could to afford life. All three boys had given up their previous way of living with hopes of gaining the promises that were preached to them. But would they?   

As soon as the evangelistic program was concluded everything went back to normal. They attended church for the next few months but no one ever spoke about employment ever again. Neither were marriages, homes, businesses, children, health, or any of the promises touched on. Those words seemed to have disappeared together with the guest speaker and that crusade.

One year down the line these boys were back to their old ways and we never saw them again. Who is to blame? You be the judge of that. The Bible only gives us a clear reason why a person has to join the church.

Matt 6:24-34

“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. 25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.

29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

There is only one true reason we all should seek after the Lord and that is to be clothed in his righteousness. His righteousness will afford us eternal life and we should leave the rest in his hands. He has assured us that as our creator he knows our very needs better than we do. Even the hairs on our heads he knows by number. We cannot but the Lord knows all.

So don’t get confused church is not about charity or people and materials. It’s about getting your life right first and then everything else follows. This can only happen when you fix your eyes and attention on the Lord only and only him. Do not worry about people and things that they say and have. Your sole purpose is to purify your soul and that comes from Jesus only.

There are congregants you might respect but with lives not connected whatsoever to the Lord. They have connected themselves to the Lord in their way, using their influence and their wealth. The wealth and influence of the Lord give about true repentance and transformation that bears the fruits of the spirit

Gal 5:22-26

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentlenesses, and self-control. Against such things, there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Is it okay when one attends church for reasons to do with finding friendships, meeting new people, business connections, employment, family tradition, passing time, and so on? Whilst we may not rule out such noble causes it’s important to acknowledge that first things must always come first. ‘Seek yee first’ are the words given to us. If you are considering staying or joining the church for reasons either than God’s righteousness then you should again consider the following text

Luke 7:36-48

Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, 38 and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and poured perfume on them.

39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is — that she is a sinner.” 40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. 41 “Two men owed money to a certain money lender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty.

42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. 44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.

45 You did not kiss me, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.   46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven — for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” 48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

See! you cannot love God to the fullest if you have not experienced his power to change lives. The Pharisees did not believe Jesus had this power so they had little love for him. When you have heartfelt God’s power transforming your life you will forever hold on to him. This is the one thing that is needed. When we build our relationship with God based on earthly benefits it can be likened to a builder who build a house on river sand and when the storm came it was quickly swept away.

Luke 10:38-42

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but only one things is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

What’s the one thing that’s keeping you in the church today? Is it friendship, business, your spouse, family tradition, meeting up with people or is it the most needed thing that will not be taken away from you? May the Lord help us to establish the right relationship with him.

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God bless you and see you in the next lesson.