Yawns. People looking at their watches. Teens texting or going on Facebook. Men thinking about the football game later on in the afternoon. Women closing their eyes and enjoying the few minutes of peace away from their kids or other responsibilities. If you’ve been in ministry for any length of time, you know that this is the sad description of the behavior of a  majority of people every Sunday morning. We had a discussion in my small group this past week, sparked by a blog post by a good friend, on why people go to church if they behave like its the last place in the world they want to be? My friend (and the worship minister at my home church) Ben Chilcote posted the following on his blog, BenChilcote.com

As a minister trying to figure out how to awaken people to God in their lives and to live fully devoted to Him, receiving the abundant life He’s promised us, I wonder sometimes… why do people come to church. During our times of singing to God together on Sunday’s I look out at the people and sometimes wish more people would give me a sign they are actually engaging God. I look out and so many people seem like they wish they were somewhere else. As church leaders we have to be careful how our hearts respond because, after all, it’s our job to encourage and equip (and love) these people. Though I have to be honest that sometimes I think “Why are you even here?”

I’ve seen it when I’ve taught teens or preached to the adults. The overwhelming feeling that most of those people would rather be ANYWHERE but there. Too often as ministers we’re guilty of trying to fix the wrong problem – we try to make the service better, more energetic (or reflective), replace the seats, add technology, add humor, add drama, take away “boring moments” etc etc etc. In reality, even if we turned the church into DIsneyworld many of these same people would feel the same way. Why?

I am not going to psychoanalyze people (too much), but I believe the biggest problem is that people have no idea why they are even supposed to be there. Most come out of a mistaken belief that they HAVE TO be there. That God is watching and keeping attendance, and as long as you reach some type of attendance goal in your head (Twice a year? Once a month? 50%?) then God is happy and you can check that off your religious “To Do” list.

That is sad, because it misses the whole point of church. We do not go to church because God needs us to go. No, God created the church FOR US! For OUR BENEFIT! So how do we benefit from Church?

• God wants us living in community with other believers. That means that Church is more than an hour of singing and preaching. It is an every day relationship with people of like mind (those who are in love with the Savior).
• God wants us to connect with Him through worship. This doesn’t mean the only time we connect with God is at church, but if you can’t here you can’t do it anywhere. After all, Jesus said wherever two or more were gathered in His name He’ll be there. We should never be bored when we are at the Savior’s Feet! Church should be a time of celebration, of joy, feeling free from the burden of sin and guilt, not a time of duty, seriousness, and guilt.
• God wants us to equip each other for life. We shouldn’t treat church as a spiritual “drive thru” where we get just enough nourishment to survive another week (or two or three). Instead, we need to be getting the tools to grow our faith on our own. Not by ourselves, but also not needing to have the minister “feed us” spiritually.
• God wants us to be radically changed. God didn’t die on the cross so that we could go on being the same as we were before. No, God wants us to change, and that starts with the Church. In the Church, we are confronted by the word of God, and no one should ever hear God’s word and walk away unchanged. We live in community which causes us to consider others needs before our own and start to understand how Jesus behaved when He died on the cross. We get to worship God so we realize how great our God is and communicate our great love to Him. We get an opportunity to give from our heart – of money, time, talent, and resources – and learn to rely on God and not on our stuff. You throw all of these elements of Church together and the end product should be a person who is radically changed.

(I know, the Church is not perfect. If anyone knows, its me! Jesus knows that as well, but He continually calls the church his “bride”. That means that the Church is dearly loved by Him like a man loves his beautiful new bride. After all, that bride was bought with a price, His Blood…but I digress)

So, go to church. Find community. Connect with God. Be equipped. Be radically changed. That is why we should go to church. If you’re doing it to impress God, don’t. There is no checklist. Only relationship. Find that, and you’ve found church.

Every Sunday I want to provide a thought for worship – something to think about and reflect on that will hopefully lead you to thinking about the glory of God. Reflect on the greatness of God today and all that He has done for you!