Do you go to socialize?
We should enjoy the company of others when at church. We should enjoy friends that have the same goals and share common interests.
Do you go to get a pat on the back from the pastor or other people?
We should go to church to be encouraged and also to encourage others but that should not be our primary purpose.
Do you complain about how services are organized or what music is played?
If God is calling you to help with the job then you should be sure to step forward to see where you could be of help. If not, then you should enjoy the parts you like and ask God to help you with the parts that are meant for others to enjoy.
Do you complain about the message?
If the pastor is not preaching from God’s Word then you may want to seek another church. If he is preaching the Bible then you should probably tune in. You can read with him or go home and read the scripture reverence but be sure to ask God what He is telling you on a personal basis. The amazing part of God’s Word is that it is alive. It is the Living Word. It speaks to all of us individually. It can even tell us something difference at another time in our life when we reread something we have read before.
The main reasons for church should be to worship God and to draw closer to God. You should worship in whatever way you enjoy and being obedient to what God asks of you including using your talents that He has given you. We can draw closer to Him by discussion in a Sunday School class or small group studies. We also can draw closer through the message the pastor brings to the service. If He has taken time to pray and study so that He can give someone insight and make their life more meaningful, we should praise God even if it was for someone else’s betterment. If you gain a deeper understanding of God’s word from the message, then your life should be blessed and you could pass that on by sharing your thankfulness to the pastor for caring enough to bring the message to his congregation. If you are displeased with the message, you should probably take that up with God. You should probably ask if it was delivered for your growth. We don’t usually get offended when we think a message was meant for someone else. We have a tendency to be offended when we feel we have been corrected or asked to step out and do something.
What kind of message do you want to hear?
A message that tells us how good we are doing will keep us where we are. You will be encouraged to keep on doing what you are doing and you will never be any more than you already are.
A message of truth that comes from God should encourage you to step out in your faith to do whatever God is asking you to do. It may speak differently to each person but it should still help you to grow closer to God and help you to become a better person than you already are. It may be tough and it may hurt a little but those are the things that cause growth. God’s word was created to show us how to live and help us make our lives better. If the message brings us the Word, we should be willing to walk in it. We should also be reading on our own and praying to God to reveal the truth to us. When this all works together, the message will be able to be accepted and applied in the way it was intended and the whole body of Christ can move forward.
Do you want to move forward or remain stagnant?
Your approach and attitude will reflect your desire and commitment.
Why does God want you in church? What is God telling you? Are you talking to Him? Are you asking Him to show you what He wants to do in your life?