Why Go To Church

By: Richard Puckett

I was in a pray service not long ago when a dear brother said," I don't care what the rest of the church thinks about me, I just come to here to praise the Lord." Oh, my heart was immediately torn, it hit me all at once that is what a good number of folks felt and why the church was drying and dying.

This same little church has a pastor that is a very good speaker; he is better than most at getting people to praise the Lord, He really cares about his people. I have seen him spend hours in prayer for his sheep that God has put in his charge. I have seen him forget about the usual way of doing services and just let God lead until many were blessed by the anointing of the Holy Ghost. Sunday morning crowds of 70 or more on Sunday nights 15 to 25 people, on Wednesday only 10 to 15, why?

The little church that I had pastored after 10 years had gone from 50 to 20's. Some folks had moved away to bigger towns, some had passed on, other's kids had grown up and left, some left mad over some trivial thing that hadn't gone there way. But what bothered me was no one was coming and staying to replace those that left. I spent many hours in prayer each week, I never set a planned service but let the Spirit lead, I know that Gods anointing is on me when preaching and that I do a good job, (don't take that wrong, but what we do for God we should do well) I visit the sick, I to care about the sheep under my charge, What is wrong?

In the words of what this dear brother said I realized the problem. I was making the same mistake that many of us pastors make. I assumed people were coming to church for the right reasons. Let me share with you what I told him and then expand on this thought a little.

I began to look at the faces of those coming in; they look as if they would rather be somewhere else. There is no joy at seeing each other handshakes and the smiles are phony.

I come to church to see you! I am visiting your home, I want enjoy your company. You see the Bible tells us:

17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

I don't need to come to church to have the Holy Ghost, I find as I study his word I feel his anointing, when I drive down the highway praying and singing I find his anointing, when I began to witness to someone on the job or on the street his anointing is all over me. I can listen to tapes and read books that give often better and more moving messages then those from behind the pulpit. But what I cant get at home is seeing you and (as I looked to others gather there) you, I miss you if you are not here, alone I enjoy singing but I enjoy it more with us as a group and as God begins to bless you I get blessed and it spreads like fire. We have a party. We need each other to help us grow and draw off each other's strengths.

I know I went on say more but you are getting the point by now. We must change our way of thinking, we must begin to enjoy church and it is the people that are the church. So we must enjoy each other. Folks we have to care about those that aren't here, we must enjoy the presence of one another. Those that travailed with Jesus were more then traveling companions they were friends.

Luke 12: 4 And I say unto you my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

We are his friends, friends want to be with each other. Now it is true we come together also to be closer to our divine friend Jesus. The Holy Spirit dwells in us, the more of us that come to worship together the more of his presence or anointing we will feel.

Mat 18:20 for where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Psa 116:14 I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.

We come to gather to grow in Christ, just like as a boy I needed food so I went to the table to eat. That food helped me to grow, when I went to college I was by my self so I didn't go to the table, I didn't eat the right food and found that I was loosing weight, I only weighted 98 lbs. anyway.

If we are to grow and be healthy Christians we need each other and Christ.

Church is a lonely place when no one speaks or takes a real interest in which you are. Everyone like to talk about themselves to some degree and if we are really interested it isn't hard to get to know someone.

Often Pastors only come out at preaching time, are late for Sunday school, only do their part, and well maybe we need to learn what our part is.

I don't want to go to a house where the people that live there make me feel like a stranger. I don't want to visit friends that sit and run down other friends. I don't want to be lonely with a group of people all around. I don't want to go to a home where the visit is all by plan, I want to be able to talk about the things of interest. Most of all I want to be loved and so do the folks I visit. All of this holds true for church.

Heb 12:12 wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

Heb 12:13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Heb 12:15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Psa 55:22 Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Psa 55:23 But thou, O God, shalt bring them down into the pit of destruction: bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days; but I will trust in thee.

Zep 3:18 I will gather them that are sorrowful for the solemn assembly, who are of thee, to whom the reproach of it was a burden.

Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

Mat 11:30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Rom 15:1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.

Rom 15:2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.

John 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

So my friend when I go to church I come to see you and experience the joy of serving God with you. I want to be a part of your life for Christ and I want you to be a part of mine. When we care about each other our churches will be filled again, when we enjoy each other, our church will be filled and when we are hungry to grow our churches will be full. The last five years the church begin to grow and we were at peace with one another, I wish I had learned this lesson sooner.