What will you do with your 52 Sundays?

There are exactly 52 Sundays coming in 2015. How many of those Sundays will find you and your family investing in the local church? Hebrews 10:25 says, "Not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near." This is the classic Scripture that encourages belonging to a local expression of the Body of Christ. It is very easy in our busy culture to neglect assembling together.

Notice that the writer of Hebrews points out that this is the "habit of some", typically we don't think of not doing something as a habit. But not doing something can be as much of a habit as doing something. As you start to think about positive changes that you will make for a New Year, I want to encourage making church a priority. There are many reasons why this is important, but here are three big ones to think about. 

1. You need other Christians in order to grow. Notice what Hebrews 13:7 says "Remember those who led you, who spoke the Word of God to you, and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith." You and I need good examples of other Christians, in order to imitate their faith. Granted, in every church there are numerous examples of hypocrites, but they can also be found in every walk of life and every human institution. But there are also examples of authentic Christians who are seeking to live out their lives honoring Christ. Find them and initiate conversations with them, find out what disciplines they practice to be more like Christ and imitate them. This is a great benefit of belonging to the Church. 

2. You need to hear the Word of God proclaimed. Acts 2:42 reports that after Pentecost, the new believers "were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching..." Although there are many sources to hear God's Word, it is God's intention as seen in the New Testament pattern that we gather together to hear God's Word taught and proclaimed in the context of a local community of faith. This practice protects us from private interpretations of the Word of God that can often lead us astray. There is safety in the context of local believers who can correct and instruct us in Christian living. Neither should we neglect the gifts given to us by Christ as listed in Ephesians 4:11-15:

"And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ"

3. Obedience is a fruit of Christian maturity. Throughout His Word God gives us instruction to be faithful to His house. Often we may not feel like going to church, we may not even like some of the people who we attend church with. But none of these are factors which should keep us from the House of God, in light of the Word's commandment to belong to the Body of Christ. If you are a Christian then you will obey the Word of God. Overtime the Holy Spirit will change your desires, directing you, even prodding you to be a part of a local expression of the Body of Christ.

May 2015 find in all of us a fresh desire to make the Church a priority, and may we all experience much growth as a result.