Going to Church

The apostle Paul was not only a teacher and church planter, but He was very involved in the activities of the local church. In Romans 16, we read:
1 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea,
2 that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.
3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ.

In this passage, there is a reference to a "church" at Cenchrea, a church that is called to help one of the faithful servants of the Lord in doing the work of ministry.  Paul in verse 4 refers to "all the churches of the Gentiles."   There is also a "church" that we find that meets in the home of Priscilla and Aquila.  Jesus is the head of the Church, the body of Christ of which we are all part.  But, He has also ordained the local church to be a vessel and a vehicle through which His desired works get done and through which His people are equipped and empowered.

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The Bible provides instruction through which we can grow in the Lord, and one of the principal
resources is affiliation with the local church. Hebrews 10 says:
23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.
24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

This coming Sunday is Back to Church Sunday, and according to its website, close to 30,000 churches in the U.S. and over 1,500 internationally are expected to participate, making an effort to welcome people to their churches.  According to its Facebook page, 82% of (unchurched people) are likely to attend church if invited...only 2% of church members invite someone.

Not only do you have people who would classified as "unchurched" who could be candidates for a church home, but there are those who have been attending church regularly who are looking for a new church.  A new Pew Research study offers some insight into the nature of church attendance. According to a report on the Christianity Today website, the study shows that overall, more than 2 out of 5 evangelicals who attend church say they are attending worship services more often than they used to.

The study finds that of the 75 percent of evangelicals who attend church at least once a month, 44 percent said they’re going more often than they did before. 31% said they’ve always attended regularly.

And, spiritual growth appears to be a factor: 54% of evangelicals are attending more often because of a change in their beliefs, with 29% saying they're becoming more religious, and 13% saying they realize they need God or church in their lives.

About 15% of evangelicals said they were attending less frequently, with the majority stating that was because of practical issues, like being too busy.

Pew also researched why people would be seeking a new church home.  It reports, according to Christianity Today, that disagreements with pastors or other congregants was the cause of 18 percent of evangelicals to look for a new church. Generally, 49% looked for a new church because they moved. 16% left a church because of they got married or divorced.

Overall, 67 percent of evangelicals have looked for a new congregation.  The most important factor? Quality sermons!  Over 90% of evangelicals said that was a factor.  Over 8-in-10 said feeling welcomed by leaders was important, followed by worship style close behind.   Most visit the prospective church, with 7-in-10 indicating that they spoke with congregation members, friends, and colleagues about that decision.

Some considerations from this survey data:

For one thing, a church home is important.  The Bible teaches that we are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together, so there is something advantageous to our Christian walk by engaging in congregational fellowship.  Church attendance and membership gives us a chance to be fed by the Word of God and to participate in serving others.

Prayer should be a key factor in determining where we are to attend.  Theology should be another - it's vital that we find a Bible-believing church that will enhance our spiritual growth. Interestingly enough, just over one-quarter of evangelicals indicated that theology was a barrier in finding a church home.

God gives us many opportunities for spiritual growth, and the local church can be an important catalyst for that.  So is individual study and exposing ourselves to quality teaching and worship, such as you will find on Faith Radio.   To stay on the cutting edge spiritually and to resist the lures of the world, we need to take advantage of the resources that God has provided.