church

My new job puts me in contact with churches, and being an active part in my church (youth pastor hubby), I've seen churches offering all sorts of programs. One church I know even has it's own gym, pool, school, sports teams, afterschool program, etc. Wow. Talk about a busy place. What concerns me is when too many of those programs overshadow the first calling of a church. A church is a body of believers, true. That simple definition could be extended to include "a body of believers that... work out together, play sports together, etc." But, in order for us to grow deeper that's got to include "a body of believers that... study the Bible together, that worship together, that praises God together." Acts chapter 14 is so energizing to read - Paul racing through the cities, converting unbelievers to a saving knowledge of Christ Jesus, then in verse 27, "they had come and gathered the church together, they reported all that God had done with them, and that He had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles." Despite persecution and setbacks (Paul getting nearly stoned to death, the people continuing to worship Zeus, etc), God's church grew and they stopped to give Him praise for it, gathering and sharing together. Praise God for His saving grace and power then and now. I encourage you to get involved in a Bible-believing church that "keeps the main thing the main thing." If it's got other cool perks, wonderful, but take time today to find a church or thank God for giving you one... a body of believers that worships our one, true, amazing God.