Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Why go to church?

Why do you go to church? What motivates us to get up on Sunday mornings and attend worship together with other members of our congregation?

If we sat down together and freely discussed our motivation, we would discover a wide diversity of answers that show how God is calling to each of us. As we talked further and more deeply, we would discover that at a deeper level most of us share a common desire to become closer to God. The words we use to express that yearning for God might be different, but we’d be telling about our common humanity.

As we become confident in God’s love and salvation for us, there is a point when we realize that church participation is no longer about winning the approval of God or other people. Nor is it about earning “Extra Points” or greater rewards. So why do we continue to go to church and why is it important?

Bob Davenport shared his answer to that question with me the other evening. With his permission I share it with you. He said,The reason I go to church is gratitude.”

On the surface, that may seem to be an overly simple answer. However, when you think about it, isn’t thanking God one of the most important things we ever do?

As we gather in worship the thanksgiving we bring has other ripples throughout many lives. Gratitude through worship keeps the spark of our own faith alive. It sets an example that encourages others in their quest for God, and creates a space in which all may grow in serving God through serving others.

When worship is viewed through the lens of gratitude, we no longer ask “What did I get out of this service?” Instead, we ask, “How will my participation honor God as I worship among the Lord’s own people?

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