GO TO CHURCH

Next to reading the Bible and praying, the most important thing you can do in your Christian life is go to church. That’s because the church is not some human idea or invention. The church is God’s great idea. Church is where the people who “belong to the Lord” and who have been “called out” by God (that’s what the word church literally means) gather regularly to worship God, study the Bible, and encourage one another.

Even though you probably go to a specific church, the definition of church is much broader than a particular location. In reality, the church includes all Christians—those who believe in the God of the Bible and have received Jesus Christ as their personal Savior—for all time. In other words, all Christians living today are part of the church, but so are all believers who have died. Here are some other qualities of the church:

• The church is invisible and visible. Because the church includes all genuine believers for all time, there is a sense in which the church is invisible. From our human perspective, we don’t know for sure who the true believers are, even in the church we attend. That’s because we can’t see people the way God sees them (1 Timothy 2:19). At the same time, the church is definitely visible. Professing Christians are the visible representation of the church.

Metaphors for the Church

To help us understand the true nature of the church, the Bible gives us several helpful metaphors and images. Here are three that relate to the three persons of the Trinity:

• The people of God. In the history of salvation, God has always called out people for Himself, for His purpose, and for His glory. The church can also be called the “family” of God. As believers, God is our heavenly Father (Ephesians 3:14), and we are His sons and daughters (2 Corinthians 6:18).

• The body of Christ. This is the apostle Paul’s favorite metaphor for the church, and he uses it in two ways. First, the body of Christ is the church as a body with various parts or members that function together for service. This part of the metaphor emphasizes the diversity and mutuality of the church. We all have different gifts and we all need each other (1 Corinthians 12:12-17). The other way Paul uses the metaphor emphasizes the unity of the church. We are all one body, and Christ is the head (Ephesians 1:22,23; 4:15,16).

• The temple of the Holy Spirit. A temple is a physical place where God dwells. The church is like that because it is the place where God dwells with His people through the Holy Spirit. This happens to each of us individually (1 Corinthians 6:19) and to the church corporately (1 Corinthians 3:16).


• The church is local and universal. The word church can apply to local groups, and it can also apply to the universal church, which is the church throughout the world. The bottom line is that all those who have been called out by God at any level are part of the church.

What To Expect When You Go to Church

If you’ve been going to church for a while, then none of what we’re about to share with you will be a surprise. But if you’re new to this church business, then you may find some helpful information about what to expect when you go to church.

1. You Will Be Worshiping God. Music, praise, and worship have always been vital parts of the Christian church experience. The apostle Paul says that songs and praises are the natural response of a person who is filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18,19). Worship styles will vary—from traditional to more contemporary. There is no right or wrong way to worship God, as long as you are directing praise to Him.

2. You Will Be Hearing the Word. When you were saved, the Word of God played an important part. Now that you’re a Christian, the Word of God is able to “build you up” (Acts 20:32). That’s why it’s important to go to a church where the Bible is taught consistently and systematically.

3. You Will Be Participating in Communion. The early church met together to participate in the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:44-47), and it’s no different today. When you go to church, you will celebrate the Lord’s Supper, also known as Communion. By using the symbolism of bread and wine, the act of Communion is basically a time to remember the fact that Christ died for our sins (see 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). It is the fact of remembrance that is important, not the way communion is administered.

4. You Will Be Participating in Baptism. Jesus wants His followers to be baptized, not because it’s required for salvation, but because baptism is the way you make a public profession of your new life in Christ. Jesus placed an emphasis on baptism in His “Great Commission” (Matthew 28:18-20), so it must be pretty important. Whenever baptism appears in the Bible, it takes the form of someone being immersed in the water. There is some good symbolism in this: When we accept Christ as Savior, our old nature dies (the “going under the water” part), and we become a new creature in Christ (the “coming out of the water” part). Not all churches baptize by immersion—some prefer to “sprinkle”—which shows us once again that the logistics of baptism aren’t as important as the statement being made by doing it.

5. You Will Be Giving Your Tithes and Offerings. Did you know that the Bible has more to say about money that any other subject other than God? God doesn’t need your money, but you need to give your money as He directs. In addition to honoring God with your finances, God wants you to be a trustworthy steward (manager) of all the resources He has given to you. All of your resources belong to Him, and you should be using them for His glory.

6. You Will Be Putting Your Spiritual Gifts to Work. Your involvement in a local church is essential to your growing life in Christ because that will be the place where you will discover, exercise, and develop your spiritual gifts. As a Christian, you have at least one spiritual gift, which is given to you by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of helping and serving others (1 Corinthians 12:7). A list of the spiritual gifts can be found in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Romans 12:6-8; and 1 Peter 4:10,11.