“Stop expecting
full time blessings when you’re a part time Christian. God wants all of you all
of the time.”
(Trent Shelton)
My faith is an integral part of my life that
defines me as a person. I grew up with a strong belief in God as a child
(thanks to my parents). It has shaped me into the total picture of who I am
today. Attending church is one way I get
the opportunity to better know my Heavenly Father’s will for my life and to
connect with my church family is as natural to me as breathing. That’s why I
don’t fully understand C and E Christians.
A C and E Christian is a Christian who only
attends church on the big Christian holidays of Christmas and Easter. C and E
Christian account for the big church attendance of these two days during the
year. An individual who claims to be a Christian, but only attends church to
worship twice a year, may be missing out on a saving relationship with Jesus.
A spiritually healthy Christian naturally
wants to be connected with other Christians. If that’s not the case, something
is seriously wrong. Other reasons could include being hurt by someone in the
church (or church beliefs), or they’ve allowing the busyness of life to get in
the way. But this is not what God intends.
God calls every believer to be actively and
vitally involved in the life of a local church. He designed our faith to be connected
with a Christian community. Individual believers need the church and the church
needs individual believers. Neither can be everything God purposes for them to
be without the other. Christians who don’t attend the same church regularly
enough to be an integral part of the life of it are missing out on much of what
God has for them. Below are four reasons to be actively involved
in a local church:
Deep, loving relationships with
other believers: God chooses to love, encourage,
comfort, and support you through His people. Other Christians are His tools,
His means of providing for you. When you aren’t around enough to develop those
relationships you deprive yourself of so much that God wants to give you.
Protection from false teaching: A solitary Christian
is vulnerable. You can easily wander without the stability of the church body. You
are gullible and are prone to believe lies without the foundation of the
teaching of a Bible-believing church.
The blessing of fulfilling service: The Holy Spirit
reveals His presence in a unique way in the life of every believer. He may
manifest Himself in one person through the gift of teaching, another through
the gift of mercy, and still another through the gift of administration.
These gifts are not
intended for the individual but for the good of the church. It is only when you
use your spiritual gifts to serve the church that you will find the blessing of
fulfilling your God-given purpose.
The full spectrum of spiritual
growth:
Individual believers need the church for equipping, edification, and teaching. You
cannot do it all by yourself. You cannot grow to spiritual maturity without the
support, resources, and accountability of the church.
“God wants full
custody of His children not just weekend visits.” (Anonymous)[i]
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