I Don’t Go To Church...Do You?
Do you ever get bothered by what some people say? I do, but I usually don't say anything about them. I usually just let them slide but not today. Most of the things that bother me are small and insignificant. I don’t like going to Wal-Mart when it is crowded and even when it is not crowded. I just don’t like going to Wal-Mart period! And I don’t like it when people say they “go to church”.
So what is the problem with saying “I go to Heritage Baptist Church” ?Well here is a short list. I go to Dollar General to buy small inexpensive items. I go to Publix to buy groceries. But if Kroger has ground beef on sale cheaper, then I go to Kroger. I go to Pay-Less to buy gas for my vehicles. But if gas is cheaper at another gas station, I go there. I go to Chic-fil-A to buy my breakfast. I go to a bank that got money from the
government to keep them afloat so that I can stay afloat. I go to Dairy Queen to get a Blizzard, but not often unless they are on sale very cheap.
I go to a lot of places. But I have almost no commitment to any of them. So that is why I don’t like it when people say they “go” to church. Church is not a place we “go”. Church is really not even a place at all even though we (Heritage) do have a place. You see Church is really a people. So in reality it is the People (God’s People) we belong to, a part of, not that we go to.
You see, I believe that belonging to a church, being a member of it, or part of it is so different than “going to a church”. So you are thinking, “in what way?”. Because if I belong to the church, I stay through ups and downs. Through my ups and downs as a human being and the church’s ups and downs as a family. As a human being I find myself bored, restless and even unhappy sometimes about my life and my church.
Therefore, if I only go to church, I am tempted at those times to run after something different or new. Let me say, “if I am really a part of a church” I’ll recognize that it’s not always 100% them, it might also be me. I also need to remember that a part of my spiritual growth requires me to stay planted, draw from the spiritual resources around me, and soon I will bloom again. If I am apart of a church I’ll sacrifice for it, not expect it to do all the sacrificing for me. I’ll serve where I am needed. I’ll sacrifice where I can and be a
blessing to others and be blessed by others. I’ll reach out to connect with some that are like me flawed and some that are fabulous. I’ll connect with them and before long because I belong to them and they belong to me and we all belong to God, they will start becoming more and more like people whom I would give my heart. By the way that’s why I don’t just go to Church, but am committed to my church by serving God.
So let’s not just go to Church anymore. Rather let’s go deeper and belong. Be a Part - Together!
Together with God,
