Why go to "Church?"

 Growing up in a home where we went to “church” every time the doors were open was a blessing and a curse.  It was the belief of my parents that we must attend every church gathering without hesitation.  No arguments could be made as to why we can’t go.  It was a must.  So, we put on our leisure suits, polished dress shoes and a dab of dippity do hair styling gel for the right hair look and off all eight of us went to “church.”

The blessing of going to “church” as a little boy was hanging out with my friends and playing out in churchyard after church.  As a teen, the blessings were going on youth group trips, canoeing, church camp, and other fun stuff. 

The curse as a boy was that I had to take a Saturday bath and get all dressed up on Sunday in a suit I hated to wear.  It was a powder blue leisure suit that made me look a bit like a smurf.  As a teen, the curse was no kind of sport could be played on a Wednesday night…PERIOD!  My parents did not waiver.  While all my friends were playing ball, I was sitting in a bible class thinking about how I wanted to be playing baseball. 

After growing up a bit, I can look back and see the value of attending church gatherings.  However, I really do not remember one moment in my young life a time when I was blown away emotionally by a sermon or a bible class that brought me to my knees before God.  It was the “hell fire and damnation” style of preaching.  It was guilt preaching.  It was God is the all seeing-eye type of preaching.  It was the kind of preaching that made you afraid of God.  No grace.  No mercy.  No love.  No forgiveness.  No Spirit.  It was dogmatic with a heavy dose of guilt trip. 

Years later, I am still asking the same questions:  What is the purpose of our church gatherings?  Why do we put so much emphasis on attending them?  What is the relevancy of the worship gathering on a Sunday morning? 

According to Barna Group, 40% of unchurched Americans say the reason they do not attend a church is because they can find God elsewhere, while 35% says that the church is not relevant to them personally.  The survey also states that churchgoers have decreased from 43% in 2004 to 36% in 2014.  Millennial’s give three reasons why they do not attend a church:  1. The church's irrelevance.  2. Hypocrisy.  3. The moral failures of its leaders

These are alarming stats.  If God isn’t present in the worship gathering, then why do we have them?  Worship must be experiential, meaning, helping each one connect to God and the community of people who are in attendance.  Psalm 100 the Psalmist says to shout for joy, he calls us to worship with gladness and to come before God with a joyful song.  He impresses on us the value of being thankful for God and to give him the praise. 

When God is the centerpiece of our gatherings, then and only then will others see the relevancy in gathering with a community whose desire is making it about God rather than all the traditions we have created over the centuries. 

Remember, Be God Controlled!

Brian

The Rhythm of Heaven

 When I was a little boy, I had a dream that I died and went to heaven.  The place was magical and fun.  For a kid, it was a dream of all dreams!  Unlimited rides and candy.  Clowns.  Music.  Baseball. And, a host of other fun things to do for a kid.  Sounds crazy, right? 

In most church hymnals, there is a song called, “Mansion over the Hilltop.”  It isn’t my favorite song by far.  Personally, it is a selfish song about wanting to be in a city of gold, lined with silver and one who is searching for a mansion, robe and crown.  Am I off base?

Revelation 21 gives a description of the “New Jerusalem” or as Scripture refers to it as the “new heaven”.  In John’s vision, he sees a city made of gold, as pure as glass, the foundation of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone, the gates were made of pearl and the great street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

John’s vision is so different than my dream.  It was a bubble buster when I was told that my dream wasn’t the right description of what the “real” heaven would be like.  As a kid I wanted that heaven.  It was fun.  It had all that a kid could ever want and “needed!”  I was disappointed and bummed out. 

Almost everyday, I talk to someone about their salvation and what they want from God.  Most everyone says they want God to accept them into heaven when they die. 

Why? 

What is so special about heaven?  What does heaven offer that we do not have already?  Is there an alternative to heaven that drives everyone to want to go there?  

The alternative to heaven is hell.  It isn’t a happy or fun place.  As a matter of fact, Jesus describes hell as a future place of fire, darkness and a terrible reality of separation from God and some of the writings of the Apostle Paul deal with the impending doom of hell and the book of Revelation depicts hell as a place of torment forever (Revelation 20:10) I can see why people do not want to go to hell, including myself.

Heaven is a special place.   It is a place where we get a placard with our named inscribed on it according to Luke 10:20 and Jesus describes heaven as his father’s personal home in John 14.  Also in John 14 Jesus reassures his disciples that his father’s house has lots of room just for them.  It was Jesus’ way of saying to his closes friends not to worry, you will get to hang out at my dads house with me for all of eternity. 

Heaven has so much more to offer that we do not have right now.

Heaven offers total rest for all those who die in the Lord. (Revelation 14:13). 

Heaven will be a trouble free place.  No crying.  No death.  No mourning.  No pain. (Revelation  21:4)

Heaven will have an unlimited supply of crops for everyone living in the house.  Can you imagine opening up the pantry and never being out of food? 

Revelation 22:1-2 says that we will be furnished with all the amenities to sustain us. 

I love the lyrics to “Heaven is a Wonderful place”:  Heaven is a wonderful place,
Filled with glory and grace, I want to see my Savior's face, Heaven is a wonderful place.

Heaven is a wonderful place.  It probably want have carnival rides, clowns and baseball, but it will have an unlimited supply of resources to sustain us for all of eternity. 

None of us have been given the job to pick who gets into heaven or who doesn’t.  That responsibility has been reserved for Jesus (Matthew 25) No one Christian church  group has been selected as the straight to heaven group.  The bible says that those whom Jesus has chosen will get eternal life. 

The question I will leave you with is this:  What eternal home has your name placard on it right now?  God is grace and doesn’t want anyone to be lost.  Today you have an opportunity to look at where your life is headed and if you don’t like it, you can readjust and turn it around.  I would love to chat with you about heaven some more if you would like.  You can email me at thegreatestcommandislove@gmail.com or call me on my cell phone at 931-545-7543.

Remember, Be God Controlled!!

Brian