Do you love the church? On what is your love based? Is your love for the church based on infatuation or is it based on truth?
Josh Harris asked his readers that question. His answer was dead on.
Take note:
Do you love the church? Romans 12:10 tells Christians to “Love one another with brotherly affection.”
The affection and love we’re to have for fellow-Christians is to be based on the work of Jesus Christ for us. It’s not about elitism, it’s not because Christians are better than anyone else, it certainly isn’t because Christians are necessarily more lovable. We love the church because we love the Savior who redeemed the church.
Acts 20:28 tells us that Jesus obtained the church with his own blood. Is this what your love for the church is based on? If it’s anything less, it won’t last long.
- Don’t love the church because of what it does for you. Because sooner or later it won’t do enough.
- Don’t love the church because of a leader. Because human leaders are fallible and will let you down.
- Don’t love the church because of a program or a building or activities because all those things get old.
- Don’t love the church because of a certain group of friends because friendships change and people move.
Love the church because of who shed his blood to obtain the church. Love the church because of who the church belongs to. Love the church because of who the church worships. Love the church because you love Jesus Christ and his glory. Love the church because Jesus is worthy and faithful and true. Love the church because Jesus loves the church.
Excerpted from the sermon “We Are Here to Love the Church.”
This is excellent Ryan! I wonder if it’s worth elaborating on though to help people understand how to choose and love the local church though. Because while all of these admonitions are the correct motivations for one’s attitude and motivation for church membership, they are all involved in choosing which of the millions of churches to become a part of. For instance, while it is accurate not to choose a church solely on the basis of a particular leader, the senior pastor MUST be a scripturally based leader and espouse the truth of the Bible and not a feel good more humanistic approach to our relationship with God. And while we should not choose a church based on a particular program, it is important that the church have ministries that glorify God and provide opportunities to serve God and not self. Do you see where I’m going?
We continue to choose CrossPoint and totally commit ourselves to CrossPoint because this church takes the relationship with God seriously and it takes sharing the love of God seriously and glorifying God in every aspect of corporate life seriously under the leadership of a committed and gifted staff and senior pastor.
What do you think?
Brad, I understand your view. Your marks on leadership, programing are dead on. And the reasons why you join a church may be cause for a future blog. Josh is addressing those of us who are already connected to a church. Perhaps the problem many of us might have is loving the church for all the wrong reasons. I know this, my love for the church is deeper today than it has ever been before. Perhaps it is due in large part to my understanding of the church. I think every Christ-follower should ask themselves this question: does the church exist to serve you or do you exist to serve the church? Hint: the church is the body of Christ.