By Rev. Landon Coleman
Pastor, Immanuel
Let me beat you to the punch and say what you’re probably thinking. I’m a pastor, so I go to church because it’s my job and I’m paid to show up on Sunday morning.
The fact of the matter is, I was raised in a family that valued and prioritized going to church. The routine I learned as a child carried over into my life as a teenager, a college student, and a young adult. Furthermore, I am firmly convinced that if the Lord called me out of vocational ministry and into another vocation, I would keep going to church.
This gets to the heart of the issue on my mind with this post … Why do I go to church? Fundamentally, there are two reasons.
First, I go to church because I believe. I believe the Bible really is inspired by the Holy Spirit and inerrant in content. I believe God created the heavens and the earth, and I believe human beings ought to recognize God as the Creator, Provider, and Sustainer. I believe God is supremely holy and worthy of worship. I believe that God (as God) has the right to call his people to worship, and I believe God has the right to set parameters on our worship. I believe human beings are sinful, wicked, and depraved, and I believe it is good for us to confess our sins to God. I believe that God, in eternity past, as an overflow of his infinite mercy, determined to save a people by his grace and for his glory. I believe that in the fullness of time, Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, born under the law, born to redeem sinners. I believe Jesus died as a sin-bearing substitute, was buried, was raised from the dead, and ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven. I believe the Holy Spirit gives life to the dead in the miracle of regeneration. I believe Jesus will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe eternity will be glorious for the redeemed people of God and eternally dreadful for those who do not believe in the name of God’s Son.
I go to church because I believe these things. Church is the place where all of these beliefs come together in worship, prayer, preaching, teaching, fellowship, and mission. I go to church because I believe.
Second, I go to church so that I will continue to believe. I know my heart is fickle and easily led astray. I know the human heart is prone to doubt and question and forget. I know the world pulls on the hearts and minds of all people — even believers. I know the enemy prowls around like a roaring lion seeking people to devour. I know that left to myself, I have no ability to come to Jesus and no ability to keep myself close to Jesus. I know that I need to be reminded of God’s character over and over again. I know that I need to be confronted by the Word of God and convicted about ongoing sin in my life. I know that I need to gather with the people of God to sing the praises of God, and I need this rhythm of worship to be ingrained in the regular pattern of my life. I know my heart is prone to wander, prone to leave the God I love. I know that God’s design for the regular, consistent gathering of his people is a good designed intended to encourage me to press on in the faith until Jesus returns or he takes me home.
I go to church so that I will continue to believe. Church is the place where my faith is strengthened, encouraged, established, refined, and focused. I go to church so that I will continue to believe.
