by Art Kohl
1. The Ceiling Might Fall On Us!
This happens often! It’s always in the news: “Church ceilings falling everywhere hundreds killed each Sunday.” Our church has a fulltime crew, of men that do nothing but fix our ceilings because they are always caving in on people. We may have to go to openair meetings soon.
2. We Don’t Have Anything To Wear
Yes, we all have clothes for work and play. We can find clothes to wear for an occasional funeral or wedding. We have plenty of clothes for school or business or to go shopping with each week, but clothes for church are a scarce commodity. Stores just don’t sell them these days. Well, what are you gonna do, huh?
3. We Don’t Have Any Time
So what if there are 168 hours in a week. Does God expect us to use 1 of those hours to go to church? That would only leave us with 167 hours to do all the other things we have to do! Are you nuts??? Doesn’t God know we work full time? That’s 40 hours a week! That only leaves us with 128 hours of free time. No way, Jose! We’re too busy for church. God will have to understand.
4. All They Want Is Money
That’s absolutely the only reason for the existence of the church in our town, to take our money! Our Pastor preaches over 150 sermons a year and everyone is entitled, “Give us your money!” The stores and the service stations, the bars and the movie house, the fuel company and electric company, the phone company and the water authorities, the government and the post office, the florist and the printer, the carpenter and the mechanic, the insurance company and the recreation areas never ask for money. Why shouldn’t the church operate for nothing too? Who do they think they are, any ways?
5. There Are Too Many Hypocrites At Church
Sure the church is half empty, but there are still too many hypocrites there. Everybody, to some extent, is a hypocrite, but they shouldn’t be allowed in church. Churches should have desks at the door where trained specialists can identify hypocrites trying to sneak in. They should be turned away and barred from going into the service until they’re perfect, Of course, the best place for a hypocrite to be is inside of a good church where they will learn to be honest, sincere Christians who practice what they preach, but until they get rid of the phonies, we’re not going there!
6. Nobody Invited Us Any Ways
Why should you feel as though churches care about YOU? Has the Pastor ever come to your house and given you a personal invitation? Sure, there are 25,000 people living around us, but come on! You’re special! Sure, they advertise just like the stores we patronize and try to help the community just like the businessmen we deal with, but church is different. Until they come to your house personally, DON’T GO!
7. We Can Be Close God Anywhere
The Scripture tells us that God shed His blood for the church (Acts 20:28,) but that’s no big deal. We’d shed our blood for things that aren’t worthwhile to us either. Blood donors don’t give blood to help people. They just don’t have anything else to do. It’s not important to them! We shed our blood for insignificant things all the time, don’t we? Just because we shed our blood for something, doesn’t mean it’s important to us. Same thing with God. Why should we think His church is important to Him? I’m sure He understands. We can be as close to God at home as we can be at the church.
Now, Let’s Be Serious For A Minute
Some of these reasons seem humorous or silly, but as a Pastor, I hear these and so many others all the time. Friends, the church is not perfect; neither an I, and neither are you. The word “Church” means “a called out ASSEMBLY.” It comes from the Greek work “Ekklesia.” It appears in the Bible 80 times. Of those 80, 58 times it refers to a local church in a local town somewhere in the world. The word “churches” appears in the Bible 35 times, meaning there is more than one, and in some towns there needs to be more than just one. The church is an institution of God that is to be operated in different towns. A true church is comprised of people who have been saved first, baptized second, and added to the church third. Notice this in Acts 2:41, “Then they that gladly received His word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.” Acts 2:47 adds this, “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”
Its main obligation is the preaching of the Word of God. Titus 1:3 says, “But hath in due times manifested His word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour.” God’s method of doing this is by saved, ordained Pastors. Jeremiah 3:15 says, “And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding.” Isn’t it time for you to set aside all the excuses and be saved? Those who wait for the 11th hour to repent usually die at 10:30!
Come to the Lord Jesus Christ as you are. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins, and call upon Him right now, where ever you are, to be your Saviour. Ask Him to have mercy on you and save you. (See Acts 4:12, John 1:12, John 14:6, Romans 10:13) Pray from your heart: “Heavenly Father, I do today receive Jesus Christ as my Savior from sin and its penalty. I believe He died for me and was buried and rose again and trust today in His sacrifice and shed blood for the forgiveness of my sin. Please come into my heart and give to me eternal life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
Now, GO TO CHURCH. Find a Bible preaching, teaching and practicing church. The Bible is God’s Word to man that reveals His mind and His will for us. Find a church where the Bible is studied from cover to cover and not just read.
Get yourself a Bible, and read it, then heed it.
by Art Kohl
Original article can be found at http://www.fbbc.com/messages/misschurch.htm