Christians create all kinds of excuses to escape the mandate not to stop gathering together (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Some believe the lies of secular society, which says that the church is not necessary and that we ourselves can be the authorities of our lives. Others reject the institution of the church because leaders have abused power. Others say they can find God in places like nature or doing his favorite hobbies. For others, they don’t think much about church because they don’t understand its importance to our spiritual lives and as a public witness.
It is sad to see the attitude of many Christians who avoid church, especially when thinking about brothers and sisters in need who make great sacrifices to gather together. I once heard of a pastor who rents a bus for his church services. But it is not to bring more people to the church building: the bus is his building, and the church circles the city to avoid the police and the persecution.
Unfortunately, for many people in more comfortable places, church is not a priority. Things like sleep, soccer games, Netflix, or vacations are the priority.
When we avoid God’s agenda and God’s people, we reap the consequences. If you are already involved in a church, may these truths remind you of all the blessings you enjoy through your body. If you are not, may it serve as encouragement and warning.
50 things you lose
1. You miss out on obeying the command not to stop assembling (Hebrews 10:24-25).
2. You miss out on loving God by your obedience, and as a result, experiencing Him more deeply (John 14:21).
3. You miss out on loving Jesus by loving his wife for whom he gave his life (Ephesians 5:25-27; Acts 20:28).
4. You miss out on hearing God’s Word proclaimed, and the spiritual growth that would come from it.
5. You miss out on hearing the application of God’s Word to your life, your community, and your culture (1 Corinthians 2:5; 2 Timothy 4:1-2).
6. You miss out on learning how to read the Bible better by being instructed by people with divine gifts to teach and preach.
7. You miss out on being equipped to discern deceptive and dangerous doctrines that deny or change the gospel (Ephesians 4:11-14).
8. You miss out on encouraging others to love and good works, and also receiving the encouragement that others can give you (Hebrews 10:25).
9. You miss out on using your gifts to build up the body of Christ to the glory of God (1 Peter 4:10-11; Ephesians 4:11-14).
10. You miss out on the opportunity to benefit from the gifts of other believers (1 Peter 4:10-11; Ephesians 4:11-14).
11. You miss out on benefiting from the leaders God has given you (Ephesians 4:11-14; Hebrews 13:7).
12. You miss out on submitting to the leaders God has given you, and consequently, on submitting to God himself (Hebrews 13:17).
13. You miss out on being shepherded through the joys and difficulties of life (James 5:13-14; 1 Peter 5:1-2).
14. You miss out on learning from and following your pastor’s example (1 Timothy 4:12; Hebrews 13:7; Titus 2:7).
15. You miss out on accountability for your actions through church discipline, which is God’s discipline (Matthew 18:15-17).
16. You miss out on ministering to others with your presence, that is, encouraging others by your presence and commitment to God’s people (Hebrews 10:24-25; Acts 4:32-33).
17. You miss out on being qualified for the work of the ministry and the fruit that such training produces (Ephesians 4:11-14).
18. You miss out on giving and receiving prayer for personal growth and personal needs (James 5:16).
19. You miss out on the blessings of group prayer and the instruction that comes from hearing the prayers of others (1 Timothy 2:1-2; Acts 6:1-6).
20. You miss out on caring for the poor as the body of Christ, or receiving needed care (Acts 11:29; 2 Corinthians 8:4; 1 John 3:17).
21. You miss out on serving others, taking your focus off yourself (Romans 12:9-13).
22. You miss out on being at the center of God’s will, which is further revealed as we obey him and renew our minds on his truth (Proverbs 3:5-6; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 5:15- 18).
23. You miss out on celebrating the gospel through baptism (Romans 6:4; Matthew 28:19).
24. You miss the regular participation in the sacrament to join with believers throughout history to celebrate the saving work of Christ and his coming kingdom (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
25. You miss out on ministering to “one another” among brothers and sisters in Christ (John 13:34-35; Ephesians 4:12; Romans 12:10-16; Galatians 5:16; etc.)
26. You miss singing praises to God with the church of Christ (Colossians 3:16).
27. You miss out on demonstrating the unity of the gospel by making friends with diverse people in a world divided by race, nationality, economic class, and language (Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 4:3; James 2:1; Revelation 5 :9).
28. You miss out on speaking the truth in love to other believers who believe or practice unbiblical doctrines (Ephesians 4:15-16).
29. You miss out on giving joy to the Lord as His gathered people (Zephaniah 3:17; Psalms 149:4).
30. You miss out on rejoicing to see people believe in Christ and embrace them as brothers (Acts 16:5).
31. You miss out on inviting non-believing friends and family to church to hear about the Christ who saves (Matthew 28:18-20; Colossians 4:5).
32. You miss out on accepting others as Christ has accepted you (Romans 15:7).
33. You miss out on experiencing how God’s love is perfected through your body (1 John 4:12).
34. You miss out on receiving the help that the Word of God, the Spirit of God, and the people of God give you to grow in Christian maturity (2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalms 19:7; Ephesians 4:11- 14).
35. You miss out on experiencing the Holy Spirit dwelling in the fellowship of the church (2 Corinthians 13:14).
36. You miss out on receiving reminders of your identity and position in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 3:3-7).
37. You miss out on being influenced by godly men and godly women who love Jesus more than the world, and the opportunity to influence others (Titus 2:1-8).
38. You can see how Jesus, the head of the church, works through his body to carry out his mission in the world (Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18).
39. You miss out on close friendships with people who call on the Lord with a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22).
40. You miss reminders to live a God-centered life, focused on his plans for the world and your role in them (Ephesians 1:3-7; Ephesians 3:9-10).
41. You miss understanding with all the saints what is the breadth, the length, the height, and the depth of the love of Christ (Ephesians 3:18).
42. You miss the opportunity to give God an offering of what he has given you (2 Corinthians 9:6-8).
43. You miss the opportunity for the Word of Christ to dwell in you in abundance through songs, hymns, and spiritual songs (Colossians 3:16).
44. You miss out on sharing in the sufferings of Christ by weeping with those who mourn and carrying the burdens of others (2 Corinthians 1:3-5; Romans 12:15; Galatians 6:2).
45. You miss out on making known the infinite wisdom of God to the principalities and powers in heavenly places through the church (Ephesians 3:9-10).
46. You miss out on the potential to receive a call to ministry (1 Timothy 4:14; 1 Samuel 3).
47. You miss out on teaching others, in word and deed, how to follow Christ (Titus 2).
48. You miss out on receiving help by fighting sin and helping others fight sin (1 Peter 2:11; James 5:16; Galatians 6:1-2).
49. You miss out on supporting missionaries as a church (Philippians 4:16-17).
50. You miss seeing how the church is built up and strengthened when each member of the body functions as it should, maturing the body and building it up in love (1 Corinthians 12:12-20; Ephesians 4:16).
There is much more that I can add… this list is only a start.
The central idea: By God’s perfect design, we need the church.
When Jesus appeared to Saul on the road to Damascus, he did not say, “Why do you persecute my church?” Said Jesus, “Why do you persecute me?” (Acts 9:4). Jesus identifies so much with the church that an attack on his body is an attack on him.
It could be that Jesus himself is saying to you not only, “Why are you avoiding my church?” but also, “Why are you avoiding me?”
My desire is not to force legalistic rules on readers; on the contrary, I want to awaken those who are losing an abundant relationship with the Lord because of avoiding his body. Rather than something to be avoided, the church is a great blessing from God’s hand, and we should love it and rejoice in it.
5 ways to respond
1. Trust in Jesus Christ. Jesus died on the cross to reconcile rebels with God the Father and create a holy people for himself. Believe in Him and His plan for you, which includes the Church.
2. Study to have a biblical perspective of the Church. I recommend that you read Ephesians, because Paul explains God’s glorious purposes for the Church and makes sense of why God commands us not to stop gathering together (Hebrews 10:24-25). You can also listen to a message called “” by Sugel Michelén.
3. If you don’t attend a healthy Bible-preaching church, find one. Consider using or .
4. Get involved. Commit to a good congregation, get involved in a Bible study, or even ask a more mature believer to teach you the truth. Perhaps this is what you need to overcome doubts or weaknesses that impede your spiritual growth.
5. Pray that the Lord will guide you on how to participate in a church and use the gifts it has given you to bless others and build the church.
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