Go to church with a purpose

These have been challenging times for churches. Recently, the weather forced us to cancel services at Bethany Baptist Church. Our parking lot is a great place to go sledding, but not for parking when there is ice or snow. The elderly members are committed to church attendance, so they will not stay home unless we cancel the services. This is for safety like it was with COVID-19. Now there is a vaccine, and it is time to get back to church.

There are many factors preventing people from attending church besides the above risks. Many people do not see a purpose for organized religion. Others may not have found the right church for them or their family. I know of some individuals who became disillusioned by immoral leaders or conflict within a church. They have difficulty trusting another leader or congregation. A lot of people get out of the habit, and it is easier to sleep in on Sunday mornings -- unless they have to go to work.

Church has been a vital part of my life since I made a commitment to Jesus as my Savior as a 12-year-old. This past year is the most I have missed church since then. I have heard many people praise online worship, but there is much more to a church than listening to a speaker or music. Many authors, such as Rick Warren, have identified at least five purposes of a local church. I believe all Christian congregations need to see to it that they are fulfilling these purposes. Most of us can use improvement in some if not all these areas.

First, worship is a purpose of a church (these are not ranked in a particular order). When we speak of online worship, we may mean different things. I know some people listen to the sermon while they are doing other things. True worship is expressing our adoration and praise to God. We are the actors and God is the audience. It is hard to watch people onstage and not feel like a member of the audience, but worshippers are more than that. Worshipping with other people helps us to realize we are not alone in our faith.

A second purpose is ministry. There are many ministries going on in our community. Some churches are partnering with other churches and organizations to meet the needs of the community. Local churches minister to the needs of their members as well as outside of their congregations. Few churches, if any, hand out money but most find ways to feed the hungry and clothe the poor. I consider weddings and funerals to be forms of ministry.

A third purpose is evangelism. For me, this, along with prayer, is a key to everything we do. Jesus commanded us to go and make disciples. A way to define the word is, "to tell good news." A motivational message and good music are not evangelistic worship without key components. In Christian worship, the gospel or story of Jesus is central to why we gather. He cared for people, so we attempt to minister to needs. Jesus said doing things for people who face difficult circumstances is like doing those things for him. Missions and evangelism go together.

A fourth purpose is fellowship. For many of us, food is involved with our fellowship. I have heard Christian fellowship described as, "Doing life together." Being with like-minded believers is good for our mental, and spiritual health. When we choose to avoid going to church, we miss out on relationships that can be beneficial. People usually go to church because someone invited them.

The fifth purpose is discipleship. Sometimes we miss the difference between discipleship and evangelism. We tell someone about Jesus and how they can be saved (Romans 10:9-13), then we move on and do not maintain contact with that person. This often happens at evangelistic events although some try to connect the new converts to local congregations. A disciple is a lifelong learner. Jesus is the main example, and we help each other to be like him.

We need to go to church