Author Description

<p> </p> <p>Why should I go to church? Why can't I just do devotions on my own?</p> <p>GOOD QUESTION </p> <p>It's true that God values personal devotions.In fact, he even commands us to "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). But "going to church" is about more than personal devotion. For Christians, going to church is the gathering together of a family, or as the apostle Paul described it, uniting the members of a body: </p> <p>"For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another." (Romans 12:4-5) </p> <p>Every Christian is a member of the body of Christ, and every member has unique talents and insights. Sharing these gifts with each other as a unified body strengthens us in our common task of glorifying God. In the joy of true community you will experience: </p> <p>1. FELLOWSHIP </p> <p>Regular church attendance allows a Christian to become part of a church family--a community of brothers and sisters in Christ who share true concern for one another. Paul described this kind of fellowship in his letter to the Corinthians: "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together" (1 Corinthians 12:26). When we care for our fellow Christians in this way, not only do we enjoy the security of belonging to a spiritual family, but we also glorify God by revealing his character to the world. </p> <p>2. CORPORATE WORSHIP</p> <p>When God rescued King David from his enemies, David couldn't keep his praise to himself. He cried out, "Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together " (Psalm 34:3). Even Christ, in the darkest hoursof his life, asked three of his closest friends to "watch and pray" with him (Matthew 26:41). Private devotion pleases God, but at times, nothing will do except to join with fellow Christians in praise of our great God. Jesus promised: "For where two or three are gathered