God has given us many instructions in His Word concerning being a good disciple of Jesus. One of those instructions is church attendance. He tells us that we should not just attend, but faithfully participate. He expects us to make it a habit, a lifestyle.
And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities, not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching (Hebrews 10:25, AMPC).
Church attendance is not just a command from God; it is a gift from God to us. He gave us the church as a valuable and beautiful asset to our lives. We prove how much we value the gift by how often we participate and with what heart motive. That in turn determines how much we receive from it. While we may benefit a little from going to church because we must, we will receive much more if we go with a heart that desires to be there. God never intended His commands to be a frustrating burden, but a joyful opportunity to receive His goodness. We should attend church with gladness, acknowledging it as His gift to us!
I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord” (Psalm 122:1).
Assigned to a Specific Gift
There are two kinds of churches: the universal church and the local church. The universal church God has placed us into contains all those on the earth and in heaven who identify with Jesus. The Bible calls this group the “church” or “called out ones” and is the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Hebrews 12:22 & 23). Jesus is the overseer or supreme commander of the universal church. Ephesians 1:22 & 23 tell us that God “put all things under His feet and gave Him to be head over all things to the church which is His body.”
Not only are we a part of a universal church, but God has called to be a part of a local church or body. In Acts 2:47, the first, young church grew day by day as people were saved. They joined the general body and the local church in Jerusalem. Then in Revelation 2 & 3, Jesus did not address the universal church, but specific churches in specific cities. A study of Revelation 1:12-20 shows us that Jesus walks in the middle of lampstands, which He identifies as churches.
Deciding what local church to attend should not be difficult if the Holy Spirit is our guide. As we pray and submit ourselves to His will, He will reveal where He has assigned us. He will place peace in our hearts and point us in the right direction so there is no doubt where we belong. He is passionate about us being where He wants us—for our sake and His.
The Purpose of the Gift
God’s vision for the local church isn’t simply to provide a social group. Though fellowship is important, the overall purpose falls into two categories: Discipleship and Evangelism.
Discipleship in the Church
The first role of the local church is to make and disciple believers: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen” (Matthew 28:19-20).
Christian discipleship is the act of making disciples, or followers, of Jesus. It is the investment and training of the Body of Christ so they can mature in their relationship with Jesus. It edifies, or builds up, the disciple. Everything that happens in a church should edify, not tear down, those in the church. It should cause them to grow. Ephesians 4:11-16 makes it clear that the ministry gifts are meant for that purpose:
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love (NKJV).
Evangelism from the Church
Strong, edified disciples will produce the second purpose of the church—The Great Commission. This assignment is not just for the five ministry gifts. It is a commission to every believer. People should be added daily to the church through personal and local church witnessing. It is a constant cycle of salvation and discipleship that adds people to the Kingdom of God. Nothing else could bring God more joy!
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15-16).
To be continued…
Christa Madrid 