The Benefits for NOT going to Church…

• Get to catch up on lost sleep!

• Get to take in that EXTRA ROUND of Golf

• Catch up on the chores and “Honey-do” List…

• Catch up on Sunday Morning TV programs or watch your favorite PREACHER…

• Relax do nothing…or catch up on that novel, or maybe do some BIBLE reading on your own!

It’s CHEAPER! Any offerings you might feel obligated to give stays in your pocket…

MY Money

• Go for a Sunday Drive, sightseeing, visit family…

• SPORTS! Go to the GAME, play softball, take the kids to their game…or just spend time with the Family!

• Avoid this stuff…

God’s Word Says…

The Bible Says…

And if you are just going to WATCH and not participate in the Church…

• The chairs are more comfortable at HOME plus the food is better!

• No one is watching you; No one is looking at your life; No one is telling YOU what to do!

• I can eat, drink, and be merry…AND be accountable to NO ONE…I’m my own boss!

Or…be one of the few, the humble, the straight and

narrow ones…

Here are some Biblical reasons why we ARE to go to Church & More Importantly, get involved!

• To be with God’s People (Acceptance)

• Fulfill the “One Another’s” of scripture (Serve each other)

• To give & receive spiritual help, support, encouragement, and correction in love

• Learning to care for each other; walk in humility and avoid selfishness (We are not alone)

• Learning that our fellowship is based in God’s grace and our mutual weakness and need (we are all sinners being saved by grace).

• Ro 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another;

• Ro 13:8 … love one another: for he that loves another hath fulfilled the law.

• Ro 14:13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more:• Ro 15:7 Wherefore receive ye one another…

• Ga 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

• Ga 6:2 Bear ye one another‘s burdens…• Eph 4:2 …forbearing one another in love;• Eph 4:32 …forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s

sake hath forgiven you.

• There are many more…

• It is God’s call to convocation (Holy Coming together); to present ourselves before Him—together (A Sabbath Day…)

• That includes coming into the House of God for prayer, thanksgiving, and praise

• It is sharing our worship with others singing together and praying together

• It is worship by stirring one another with our God moments

• Vitally important is the ministry of our presence to others!

• Be in submission to the Word• Be in submission to one another• Be in submission to God’s Pastors• We learn to deny self• We learn to resist temptation• We learning to obey

The Bible says…

• By practicing repentance (and confession of sins) we are taking a Spiritual bath

• By attending we are willing to be exposed in the light (Jesus said men love darkness rather than light because their deeds are evil. John 3:19)

• Being challenged to walk after the Spirit (Galatians 5:16)

• Encouraging each other in the Lord

• Presenting our tithes, gifts, and offerings as an act of worship at the altar of God

• We are to Bring the tithes into God’s storehouse for God’s purposes…

• We are to a cheerful giver • We are stewards (Not owners) of

God’s blessing in our lives• We are to Serve God not

money

• By obeying and making practices

• By observing and sharing our faith

• By sharing the risks and burdens of ministry efforts

• By working together

• By learning to serve

• We are to Follow Jesus’ example (copy Christ)• Jesus was in the house of God for prayer, thanksgiving, and praise• Jesus wanted to be with others who love God

• We miss the Testimonies of God’s grace in other’s lives

• We miss God’s special presence of two or more…

• Spiritual fire fades by being alone and/or isolated

• Spiritual fire fades by staying away and clear of the fire

Staying in a fog of selfishness

Coals/ambers go out when separated from the fire!

• I can do all of these things on my own; I don’t have to go to church…

• I don’t want to go where Hypocrites attend

• They only want my money

• It is boring and I can’t relate to the service

• You don’t know what Church people have done to me!

• We are to practice our faith, pray, praise, worship, serve, read, study, give ON OUR OWN then, come together and practice the same things with each other! It is not either/or but BOTH!

Individually AND

Corporately

Its BOTH!

• Unfortunately hypocrisy is a problem; however, aren’t we all a bit hypocritical? Don’t we all fall short? (Yet, I know that blatant hypocrisy is a turn off for EVERYONE)

• The Church is a hospital for sinners… with this in mind no one who attends is perfect, far from it; God’s will despite hypocrisy is for us to gather in His name (Church teaching and discipline is to address and correct this problem)

• To disobey God’s command to be involved with a church because of the Hypocrites is to be judgmental! Who are we to judge God’s servants? (We are to

deal with hypocrisy without judging people)

• First, we are stewards in God’s eyes, we DON’T own anything!

• God’s Word teaches us that we cannot serve God AND money.

• Most Churches do NOT spend a great deal of time talking about money.

• Money is God’s test concerning our real motivations! What or how we spend it reflects our heart’s values…

• Part of the problem is our own sin nature is in opposition to Spiritual things…a natural resistance must be overcome.

• We should change Churches if the ritual and repetition is meaningless to us.

• Sometimes saying it is boring is just an excuse.• Remember, our true enemy would rather we be

entertained by the world and distracted from God’s Word.

• All of us are unsafe in some way; yet, I know people can be very difficult (They carry baggage from past experiences).

• If we’ve been hurt or offended there is only one way to escape…forgive and be healed by God AND stop holding a grudge (Being offended is judgmental).

• People can be the problem; however, People through God are also the solution…

• We can only grow in God’s character with others and must learn to run the course of human events!

• It is disobedient to NOT CONNECT to the body of Christ

• It means we are NOT being a team member; not attending practices…

• Selfishness and sinful desires are winning and controlling our lives; we are quarreling against God’s will and wisdom

• We are Committed to other things, cares, lusts, and riches of this world

• Pride is blinding our path to stay apart…• We are NOT overcoming hurts,

pains, and disappointments remaining offended and unforgiving…this is a trap of the evil one…

• There really is NO OBJECTION that God would be satisfied with!

It is willful disobedience on our part when we CHOOSE not be connected to the body of Christ; So Choose to be!

Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Proverbs 18:1 He who separates himself seeks his own desire, He quarrels against all sound wisdom.