Worship and Church Community

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MONDAY

March 21

Worship and Church Community
Jesus went regularly to the synagogue on Sabbath (Luke 4:16). His example should speak to us of the importance of community. The concept of “a lone Christian,” independent of the body, is not biblical. That there are some occasional examples of this in the Bible doesn’t prove that this is God’s plan. All through the Scriptures we see the model of God’s people as a community, a group working together for the mutual benefit of each other and for the church as a whole.
Read 1 Corinthians 12:12–31 and Ephesians 4:15, 16. What do these verses tell us about our role and place in a larger church community?  

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How interesting, too, that in recent years reputable studies are showing that those who attend and participate in church services (compared to those who don’t) on a regular basis are:

• less likely to suffer from substance abuse.
• more likely to be sexually responsible.
• are less involved in risky behaviors.
• more likely to practice business and work-related ethics.
• more likely to enjoy a richer social network and group support.
• more likely to display higher levels of self-esteem and personal efficacy.
• more likely to cope better with losses (death of dear ones, calamities, health complications, etc.).
• more likely to harbor positive emotions (love, forgiveness, contentment, etc.).
• less likely to harbor negative emotions (guilt, fear, hostility, anger, etc.).

Belonging to a church can be a great source of blessing. Such an environment can be therapeutic for soul and body. True, at times problems arise in the community, and some leave angry and bitter; but more often than not, those who work through their problems can find in the church support and fellowship and encouragement that they might not get anywhere else. Think about what church could be like if every member took to heart these words from Paul: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal. 6:2, NIV).
What is your relationship to your local church body? Are you a giver or a taker? Why, at times, might you need to be a taker? At the same time, if we all went to church with the attitude of giving ourselves when and where we could, what kind of community would we have?