Nowadays, there’s so much wrong and honestly just unbelievable things going on in church houses; things that shouldn’t be heard of talk less of seen among Christians. But unfortunately these are happening and sometimes these might discourage us from going to church because we don’t expect such things to be happening in a church house so we think we are better off not going there at all.
But unfortunately where God is, the devil is also going to be there trying to derail the people. Remember in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve where doing just fine in the beautiful presence of God, but he found his way there and distorted everything! Changed completely God’s original plan for mankind! He is present too in our churches today trying to do the very same thing he did at Eden – and unfortunately, some of us, just like Eve fall for his schemes sometimes.
Truth is, the possibility of you finding a ‘perfect’ church to fellowship at is very very slim. It’s disheartening to observe the things that happen in church congregations these days – even the smallest of them all! But because as a believer fellowship is essential for your spiritual growth, you should have a body of believers with whom you fellowship with regularly.
So when you get discouraged about what you see going on in church that isn’t quite Christian-like and you feel like quitting (joining the ‘online service’), here are a few things you should remember;
- Fellowship is Essential for Every Believer
The coming together of believers in fellowship is pleasing to God and there is much more power when this happens. Jesus didn’t go about His ministry on his own he had twelve people with whom he fellow shipped regularly with. God loves fellowship – He is a three-in-one God, He has a host of angels around him, he created Eve for Adam because he said “it is not good for Adam to be alone” – He just isn’t a God of “I” but “We”. In the beginning, He said “Let US create man…” (Gen 1:26). He didn’t say “let me” but “let us”.
Jesus said “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Mtt 18:20). We can do and achieve so much more together than on our own. We pray for each other, learn from each other and encourage each other and these are essential for spiritual growth.
Fellow shipping together also helps us get to know our strengths and weaknesses. If you can’t put up with people in church, then you probably have an anger and tolerance problem and you need to work on that instead of run away from it. You discover your talents and gifts because people point them out to you and you can grow in these (I’ve always wondered why almost every secular musician out there started off by singing in a church choir…). Regardless of the wrongdoings taking place in a church house, there is so much joy, love and peace in fellowship and the power of God moves in a special way.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25NIV)
- Nobody is Sinless or Perfect
A wrong notion we believe is that just because people are Christians, attend church on a regular basis and take part in church activities, or are even preachers or evangelists, these make them perfect, or that they are immune to sin. Well that’s not true. I’ve heard someone say before that the church is like a hospital; you find very sick people, those recovering and people coming for regular check-ups to make sure they stay healthy. If you stay away just because there are other sick people there, that’s not going to make you any healthier, you’ll just get even more sick at home.
The best we can do for ourselves is overlook those things going on and focus on God because He’s the reason why we do what we do anyway. For the people who do such things, what we need to do is pray for them and not gossip about them or spite them because at the end of the day, we all sin, just because some sins are done in the ‘closet’ and others out there for everyone to see doesn’t make either of them different. Sin is sin and we are all sinners. That’s more reason why we need to pray for each other, and together overcome our sin.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23 NIV)
- The Fellowship of Believers is Pleasing to God
As I mentioned above, God loves fellowship. It is pleasing to Him. Psalm 133 describes it in the perfect way: How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron’s beard, down on the collar of his robe. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.
When believers gather together, It is a beautiful and pleasant sight to God looking down from heaven and this moves him to ‘bestow his blessings’ upon the people.
I’d like to encourage you today to not give up meeting together with the believers for there is much more benefit in doing so than in staying away. Moving from one congregation to another is really not going to be a great solution either because I really doubt if there is any ‘perfect church’ out there.
Remain Blessed
Apiseh