Sermons

“Hey, you want to go to church with me?”
“No, I’m tired, busy, sick…”

Have you ever had this kind of conversation?  It seems there is always some reason that gets in the way of people wanting to come to church.  Sometimes it is easy to blame other things like baseball, equestrian, chores, work, Seahawks, ____________________.  You can fill it in.  But deep down the rule is, “PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY WANT” or as one old-timer said, “IF YOU DON’T WANT TO DO SOMETHING, ANY EXCUSE WILL DO.”

The real issue is, what is in the way?  Sometimes it is just the flesh. We must recognize that our flesh will resist anything that brings us closer to the Spirit.  The Holy Spirit has a power draw on our hearts.  And deep down in the heart of every child of God, is a desire to gather with God’s family.  So what gets in the way?  Why are we so easily dissuaded to attend worship and gatherings?  This Sunday, I will start a series of messages titled, WHY CHURCH MATTERS.  In this series we will explore what the reasons are for resistance. We will learn what we can do as a community to change our lives and church culture make people want to come.  We will learn how to take down unnecessary barriers to people who need the gospel.  We will confront things we don’t see that can block our view of our amazing savior.  So come hear message number one – WHY CHURCH DOESN’T MATTER.

Remember if you come Sunday you will have perfect attendance for the whole year so far!

I can’t wait to see you,

Joe

Small Group Questions

Please read the following scriptures and prepare to discuss the questions.

1. What is a church? Please take turns describing or defining a church to someone who has never gone to a church.
   COMMON WORDS FOR CHURCH
   ἐκκλησία
   ekklēsia
   ek-klay-see’-ah; a calling out, that is, (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both): – assembly, church.κοινωνία
   koinōnia
   koy-nohn-ee’-ah; partnership, that is, (literally) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction: – (to) communicate (-ation), communion, (contri-), distribution, fellowship.

2. Please share a good memory of you in church.
3. What kinds of things have made you not want to be in a church?
4. How can legalism make people not want to be part of a church?
   Rom 14:4-12, Who are you to judge the servant of another? To his own master he stands or falls; and he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. ⁵One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind. ⁶He who observes the day, observes it for the Lord, and he who eats, does so for the Lord, for he gives thanks to God; and he who eats not, for the Lord he does not eat, and gives thanks to God. ⁷For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; ⁸for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. ⁹For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living. ¹⁰But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. ¹¹For it is written, “AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD, EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW TO ME, AND EVERY TONGUE SHALL GIVE PRAISE TO GOD.” ¹²So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.

5. How might rejecting the clear teachings of the bible cause people to forsake their church?
   Heb 10:23-25, Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; ²⁴and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, ²⁵not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

6. What part does factions and hurt feelings play in not wanting to be in a church?
   1 Co 1:10-13, Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. ¹¹For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you.  ¹²Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” ¹³Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

7. What are ways we can take down unneeded barriers into our community?