The Question: Why do “Christians” end up only coming on certain days and feel they are doing what is needed to be a Christian? I know that an every-Sunday commitment is a lot, but there are many people that only attend on instances such as Christmas and Easter. These people believe that they will be saved, and they may not be, but why doesn't the church educate these individuals and hold them accountable?
The Answer: This question is happening at a GREAT TIME, since Easter is coming up this Sunday. As I’ve been doing, we’ll pick this apart and work through each question specifically… So, here we go.
“Why do certain ‘Christians’ end up only coming on certain days and feel they are doing what they need to be a ‘Christian’?” - well, let’s bypass what I think, or you may think, or what anyone else thinks and go back to what God has already said. We’ll use that as our foundation and go from there. Titus 3:5 tells us that we are Christians (or “saved”) because God in His grace and mercy saves us - not because we’ve done or not done something right (like go to church regularly). We don’t go to church in order to be saved, but we are encouraged (in fact, some would say commanded) in Hebrews 10:25 to go to church to worship Jesus, learn about Jesus, grow deeper in our faith and take it out to a world that is lost without Jesus. Many who go to church find the Truth being preached and taught and lived out there, and they hear about and accept the Christ around Whom and for Whom and because of Whom the church exists.
So, the bottom line is this - they only come on a few days a year because they’re either most likely not actually a Christian and are believing that just because they prayed a few words that they now have “fire insurance,” or because they may be Christians, but are not being taught or not being obedient to the teaching that Christ is to be preeminent in all parts of our lives, so that regular attendance in Church should be a priority for the glory of God and the good of those in the Church.
Now, you’d finished with “these people believe that they will be saved, and they may not be, but why doesn't the church educate these individuals and hold them accountable?” While encouragement and possibly some admonishment can be done on a Sunday morning service, the deeper education and discussion and accountability should be happening in a smaller and more intimate setting… which, if someone isn’t connected to the church (i.e., they only attend 2-5 times per year), can be very difficult conversations to have.
That’s not to say those conversations shouldn’t happen, or that they don’t happen, but there is generally a balance that is sought to encourage a deeper ownership of their own faith that becomes evidenced in their actions… and that encouragement is to be balanced with admonishment that their current level of evidence of their faith may not be very high and they may want to consider if their faith is placed in Jesus Christ and Him alone or in their own actions (or inaction as the case may be).
This is generally where many churches (including CommUNITY Church at times) don’t do well. Sometimes the reason is immaturity and not knowing what to do or say… sometimes it’s indifference, showing a lack of true community and fellowship between brothers and sisters in Christ. This is where we need to continue to grow in our own understanding and teaching of those that have opportunity to speak truth into the lives of others.
So, what do we do with this? We learn to love Jesus more… and love others more… so that we speak truth into their lives in a way that is real and authentic, and not coming across as judgmental.
And for those that do come to church only on Christmas and Easter, we still welcome them with open arms so that we can love them and speak truth to them as they’ll accept it as well… because that’s exactly what Jesus did with us, using others in our lives.
“Why do certain ‘Christians’ end up only coming on certain days and feel they are doing what they need to be a ‘Christian’?” - well, let’s bypass what I think, or you may think, or what anyone else thinks and go back to what God has already said. We’ll use that as our foundation and go from there. Titus 3:5 tells us that we are Christians (or “saved”) because God in His grace and mercy saves us - not because we’ve done or not done something right (like go to church regularly). We don’t go to church in order to be saved, but we are encouraged (in fact, some would say commanded) in Hebrews 10:25 to go to church to worship Jesus, learn about Jesus, grow deeper in our faith and take it out to a world that is lost without Jesus. Many who go to church find the Truth being preached and taught and lived out there, and they hear about and accept the Christ around Whom and for Whom and because of Whom the church exists.
So, the bottom line is this - they only come on a few days a year because they’re either most likely not actually a Christian and are believing that just because they prayed a few words that they now have “fire insurance,” or because they may be Christians, but are not being taught or not being obedient to the teaching that Christ is to be preeminent in all parts of our lives, so that regular attendance in Church should be a priority for the glory of God and the good of those in the Church.
Now, you’d finished with “these people believe that they will be saved, and they may not be, but why doesn't the church educate these individuals and hold them accountable?” While encouragement and possibly some admonishment can be done on a Sunday morning service, the deeper education and discussion and accountability should be happening in a smaller and more intimate setting… which, if someone isn’t connected to the church (i.e., they only attend 2-5 times per year), can be very difficult conversations to have.
That’s not to say those conversations shouldn’t happen, or that they don’t happen, but there is generally a balance that is sought to encourage a deeper ownership of their own faith that becomes evidenced in their actions… and that encouragement is to be balanced with admonishment that their current level of evidence of their faith may not be very high and they may want to consider if their faith is placed in Jesus Christ and Him alone or in their own actions (or inaction as the case may be).
This is generally where many churches (including CommUNITY Church at times) don’t do well. Sometimes the reason is immaturity and not knowing what to do or say… sometimes it’s indifference, showing a lack of true community and fellowship between brothers and sisters in Christ. This is where we need to continue to grow in our own understanding and teaching of those that have opportunity to speak truth into the lives of others.
So, what do we do with this? We learn to love Jesus more… and love others more… so that we speak truth into their lives in a way that is real and authentic, and not coming across as judgmental.
And for those that do come to church only on Christmas and Easter, we still welcome them with open arms so that we can love them and speak truth to them as they’ll accept it as well… because that’s exactly what Jesus did with us, using others in our lives.
RSS Feed