When You've Heard Every Bible Story
If you're like me, you grew up going to church every time the doors were open.
As I grew older, and became more involved in ministry and began studying in Bible college, I likely went to church or chapel services 7-10 times a week... for years.
Since graduation, as Michelle and I pursued ministry, we continue to either be in church services, or lead church services multiple times a week.
Collectively, this has added up to thousands upon thousands of church services, sermons, prayers, and worship sets.
If we are not careful, lots of familiarity can add up to "church fatigue."
This may not be a problem for those who are new believers, and everything is fresh, and you are learning things about God for the first time. Or for those who have been a Christian for a long period of time, but who are too busy to make it to church more than once every week or two.
But we have many friends like us, who have been to church far more than the average believer. And for some of them, Church has become tiresome and boring, because they know all the Bible stories already.
After all those years, they've heard multiple sermons on any given subject or Bible topic. It's easy to think they've heard all there is to know.
How do we inspire people to still love Church even when they think they know it all?
Or maybe this is where you find yourself, and you're wondering how to fall in love with Church again?
Here are 6 really good reasons why Church is important, even once you think you know it all already:
1. We need to be reminded of things
It is not enough to know something for the first time. We need to be reminded of some things, especially the most important things in life.
Especially when the world is telling us opposite messages all day long, on TV, in our workplaces, in the news.
We need to be reminded of God's values, and God's ways, and God's goodness in the midst of it all.
Peter said, "I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live." (2 Peter 1:12-13)
If we don't go to the Place where we can be reminded, we will all too easily forget.
2. God speaks in a mystical way when we gather together as a local Church
Charles Spurgeon said, "Nobody ever outgrows Scripture; the Book widens and deepens with our years."
The same could be said about Church. We never outgrow the Church. God widens and deepens our understanding as we are faithful to gather.
God has chosen to speak to us through the regular gathering with other believers, in a mystical way we cannot attain through any other avenue.
God shows us new things in new seasons of our lives. If we aren't paying attention anymore, we will miss it.
3. Church is not just knowledge, it's doing life in community
Sometimes churches get too focused on the "show" on Sunday mornings, and don't focus enough on community, and on meeting real needs in the community around them.
But that is what Church is supposed to be - a community of people doing life together around the goodness and reality of God's kingdom. It's a messy thing sometimes, but it's a beautiful thing all of the time.
4. Church kills our pride
When we live in our homes with our families, doing our work and enjoying our lives it can quickly become all about us.
We need to be reminded it is not all about us. Church does this for us.
Church reminds us in God's House, with God's family, doing God's work and enjoying God's presence that it's actually all about Him.
Church tackles the pride of humanity, and reminds of eternity.
David says, "But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked...When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply, till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their final destiny." (Psalm 73)
There's not many places I feel more convicted or encouraged in my faith than when I'm at church. I bet this is true of you as well.
5. Regular church attendance has many Health benefits
Hebrews 10:25 says, "Do not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
It is one thing to call yourself a Christian. It is another thing to do what the Bible tells you to do, such as going to Church.
Many studies have shown various benefits when you obey God's Word about the importance of gathering together with other believers.
Regularly attending church lowers your chance of depression, increases your proficiency in other areas of education, increases your health and length of life, increases your chances of success at work, and significantly reduces your chances of divorce. (See Peter Haas, BeliefNet and CNS)
6. The local Church is the Hope of the World
In our individualistic culture in America, we think we, by ourselves, can make all the difference in the world.
But no one can mobilize people to action more meaningfully than local churches.
One of the primary purposes of gathering is to see needs and meet them. To do life together, and to make a difference together. The local church grounded in the gospel truly is the hope of the world! It is Christ's body in action.
