Devotional 1

We are, as Christians, called to be in community with other believers. As the institution of the church collapses, and as our fellow brothers and sisters fall to the lure of the culture we must remember this. 

Church, the gathering together to worship God and discuss His word is more important than ever. 

A phrase I often heard growing up was going to church doesn't make someone a christian.

This is concerning. 

Church should be transformative, if an unbelieving person regularly attends church then they should not be long in their unbelief. To think otherwise is ridiculous. The power of the Holy Spirit in combination with the love of real believers is a tonic more potent than any “spiritual experience.” 

I defy you to disagree, and if you say well I disbelieve, or someone you know either no longer believes, or doesn’t believe, then I ask, when was the last time you went to church in a regular way for… more than a couple months, let’s say. 

Regular church attendance changes you, it shapes the way you think, the way you act, everything about you and who you are. This is not specific to church, any community or group of people would have this effect on an individual. However, what makes church special is that you’re being shaped into a weapon of God. Your mind is being bent towards Him and His word and while this forging takes place you are with others who are fighting for the same end for themselves. 

When I was in Montana I worked with a group of people who were… less than godly I’ll say, which i don’t really have any problem with, but it did sometimes weigh on me, you can’t ask an unbeliever to pray for you, or tell them about your relationship with God and all its various troubles and triumphs.

The small local church, which had maybe 30 members, was my release and my rock. Whenever I had a bad week, or felt myself slipping into darkness, I knew I had that Sunday. I always felt so enriched and refreshed. The worship wasn’t the best all the time and the messages wouldn’t make Johnathan Edwards jealous, but it was my spiritual home. I could rest in His presence and take solace and comfort in His goodness, surrounded by people who were joyfully doing the same. 

That’s why church is so important, and why we must never stop fighting for it, both in our personal lives and the lives of those we care for.