Reasons for Going to Church (Cont'd.)

5. It brings spiritual fellowship and encouragement (Acts 2:41).

• Fellowship is more than socializing
  
• Socializing is the setting where fellowship happens.
  
• Fellowship exceeds socializing in beauty and enjoyment as does the spring tulip over the bulb.
  
• Fellowship involves the sharing of the Christian life with other followers of Christ.
  
• Fellowship involves talking about the things of God with each other -- telling and hearing.

  Talking of the working of God's Spirit in our lives;
  Serving together;
  Worshipping and serving as one people.
  Extending and receiving from one another the love of Christ.

• Encouragement comes from:
  (1) the teaching and preaching;
  (2) by the perseverance of others who are buoyant in their faith despite discouraging circumstances,
  (3) by the examples of more mature believers; by others who are struggling successfully with some of the same daily issues;
  (4) by praying and singing praises with others.

  If a child is going to be emotionally healthy, he needs the socialization and encouragement a family can provide. The same is true of a child of God.

6. Going to church expresses obedience to the greatest commandment (Mark 12:28-30).

How can we say we are fulfilling the greatest commandment ("Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind and with all thy strength"):

a. If we won't obey his commandment to meet with God's people by getting out of bed to worship. It shows that God is not our greatest love and highest priority.

b. If you turn your back on the worship of God to:

• Work;
• Attend ball games (including your children's ball games);
• Entertain guests;
• Participate in recreational sports,

It indicates to your family and friends that God is really not your first love.

You let those who do not love God or care about his kingdom determine your priorities, set your schedule, and keep you from worship and work of God.

7. Going to church follows Jesus' example (Luke 4:16).

People who go to church regularly also have things to do or that need to be done. If people came only when they have nothing else to do, most churches would be empty. Jesus also had countless things to do, even spiritual and eternal reasons He could have given.

8. Going to church is a testimony of support for God's work to the world.

"He that gathers not with me, scatters" (Matthew 12:30).

When you stay away, you fail to support the work of gathering. You actually work against it like scattering. You scatter your family and friends who might be gathered. People know where you go on Sunday while they exercise, garden, or read the newspaper. Staying away does not help to gather people to Jesus.

9. Going to church enables you to hear in person.

• God has ordained preaching (2 Timothy 4:2-3).
• If he commands preaching, then He means for the preaching to be heard.
• With radio, you can turn it off if it makes you uncomfortable. You may miss what God has for you.
• Hearing in person has a sense of immediacy that is absent from media teaching.
• It is better to hear your fiancé say "I love you" in person than on video.
• Sermon tasting by remote control breeds disloyalty to the church and fosters an isolated, private, and individualistic kind of Christianity.

10. It enables you to take the Lord's Supper.
11. It helps you prevent an unbalanced Christian life.
12. It is one indication, although not proof, of eternal life.
13. Not going to church is self-centered and foolish.
14. Not going to church is a willful disobedience to God's authority.
15. It is a place where you can obey God in paying tithes as the Lord commanded (Malachi 3:8-11).

"Do you despise the church of God?"

1 Corinthians 11:22