In Brad Edwards book, “The Reason for Church”, he writes something that has rung true for me ever since I started working in a church when I was twenty four. He comments that when he first got into ministry, he thought he would have the reoccurring conversation of the existence of God and the truth of Jesus Christ. Instead, most of the conversations he has with people involve defending why anyone, anywhere, would wake up on a beautiful Sunday morning and go to church. Keep in mind, these conversations are among Christians and non Christians. I resonate with this and have found this to be the case with too many people to count. Here are a few reasons I have run across in the Flathead valley:

1. I believe in God, perhaps consider myself a Christian, but church seems so irrelevant to my life. (Subtext: church does not matter to Jesus and is boring) 

2. I am so busy and Sunday mornings are the only time where I can catch a breather. (Subtext: I alone set my priorities and schedule, church is not one and doesn’t fit) 

3. I go to church which involves; singing, sitting, listening, giving some money, and leave without really remembering what was said. Why can’t I do that at home with a good podcast? (Subtext: I can consume information anywhere…why, then, church?) 

4. I feel shame and guilt when I go to church because everyone there looks super spiritual, it’s full of “holier than thou” types. (Subtext: I don’t like feeling condemned, so I will in turn do the same thing and condemn those at church) 

There are many more, but can you relate to any of these? I know I can and have! The reason we feel this way is because all are true at some level. There are parts of church that may seem irrelevant and boring. We are all busy and over schedule our lives according to our culture which pressures us to fill our lives with only “meaningful”, “efficient”, “purposeful”, activities. (Of course no one is quite sure about how to define those terms) Church can be, and is often setup, to be consumed. People at church can be judgy and stuck up. But that’s everywhere; ever been to a weight room in a gym, a 7th grade middle school classroom, or France? So why go to church? Here are three simple reasons:

1. Church is not just about you. “He is also the head of the body, the church; the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything.” (Colossians 1:18) Jesus is the head and without the body, the Church, we are disconnected/severed from Jesus. Our Lord did not give us Himself only for us to ignore the rest of His body. We are not the center of our lives, His glory will bring us our greatest good.

2. Church is not only about you. “Indeed, the body is not one part by many, if the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I don’t belong to the body.’ It is not for that reason any less a part of the body.” (1 Corinthians 12:14-15) Being a part of the Church means you have something to offer to someone else and someone has something to offer you. Loving one another involves other Christians in a community. 

3. Church: the people of God. “As you come to him, a living stone – rejected by people but chosen and honored by God – you yourselves, as living stones, a spiritual house, are bing built to be a holy priest hood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 2:4) The Church is being built under the Lordship of Jesus which means our time, talents, and treasures belong first to Him, than to our other tasks. 

Yesterday, Kristin and I walked our two youngest kids to their new school (Muldown!!). Kyria was a bundle of nerves about what to expect, holding my hand tightly, full of questions. As we were walking down Pine Ave. amongst the other families and students, we heard a few sweet voices from a passing car rising above the fray. “Hey Kiki!!” It was Teddy, Henry, and Dot Yacko, two of Kyria’s friends from her… Church. My youngest daughter turned, waived, relaxed her grip and wore a huge smile of renewed confidence. Jesus used His Body to heal the body.

Jesus has given us Himself and His Beloved, the covenant community of the Church. Do not go it alone, do not look to just consume, look to Jesus to be built up in order to build up each other. Come let us worship and bow down before the Lord God our maker, together! 

Rev. Ben Melli