I Really Am Thrilled When People Go To Church... No Kidding!

This past week a friend said to me, “I’m thinking of going to church this Sunday.”

I said, “I would be THRILLED if you did that.”

My use of the word “thrilled” was not, in any way, an exaggeration.  I really would be thrilled by my friend’s attendance at church.  I would be thrilled because I care so deeply for this person.  And I would be thrilled because a church (which is technically people, not buildings) is blessed whenever new people come to share in the experience of worship.

Perhaps this goes without saying, but I will say it, anyhow.  I would be thrilled if any of you who live in the Chicagoland area would come to our services today, as well!  We have been planning and praying and we are already believing God has a terrific blessing in store for us!

First Church of God

4600 W. 111^th Street

Oak Lawn, IL

Services at 9am and 11am

Why He Doesn't Go To Church

I read a blog a couple of weeks ago in which a fairly well-known Christian author wrote about choosing not to attend church services very often.  The reasons he gave for not going to church primarily had to do with himself and whether or not church provided a benefit to him.  He had determined that it was not enough of a benefit so he does not attend church very often.

Obviously, it’s a good thing for participation in church to have some benefit.  I understand how that would be an issue for everyone who attends church.  It’s pretty hard to argue with that point.  However, our participation in a church is not just about whether there is something in it for us.  It is also about God and gathering with other believers to worship Him.  It is also about our encouragement of others and our service to others.

A Christian faith primarily focused on “what’s-in-it-for-me?” is not what I find when I read the Bible attempting to understand what the church is all about.