And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some… (Hebrews 10:24-25, ESV)
Throughout his PGA Tour career, Calvin Peete played in 367 events, a little over 1,200 rounds. According to Golf Digest, he only hit one tee ball out of bounds. One! That’s astonishing, but it also explains his dominance of being the straightest driver on the PGA Tour for ten straight seasons.
If there was ever an unbreakable statistic on the PGA Tour, one ball out of bounds in a career, that has to be it. Imagine hitting 14 out of 14 fairways in one round with your weekly foursome! As great a feat as Peete’s was, it wasn’t perfect.
Perfect is entirely being without fault or defect. There’s not much perfect this side of heaven, especially in the church, and certainly not in golf. Why mention church? Because you may be neglecting the church.
Let’s be clear right off the first tee—not being a part of the fabric of the local church, while claiming to be a Christian, is foreign to the Scriptures. As foreign as saying you’re married, but you never see or do life with your spouse.
If you are looking for a perfect church—one void of error or default, without struggles, conflict, or one that meets all your criteria—you’ll never find it. We all fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), but the Lord calls us to worship, glorify, serve, and grow in Him through the ministry of the church. Here’s a brief survey from the Bible on the importance of the church:
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some…”-Hebrews 10:24-25
At least ⅓ of the New Testament was written to churches.
Pastors/Elders were called to watch over flocks, to practice church discipline, and to feed the sheep. If there is no church, these leaders could not perform their duties.
Simply stated, being a part of the church is a biblical principle.
“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27
If you are a meaningful member of a local church, praise God. Be a leader, a servant, a giver, and a disciple maker. Maybe you are a member of a church, but occasionally attend. Consider what you’re missing, what God is doing there without you.
If you attend church only during special occasions, may today you realize the necessity to be connected to God‘s people and sitting under and being shaped by God‘s Word. And if you never attend church because you hated church as a kid, or you were emotionally scarred by rude church people, or you even disagreed with some of the decisions the church made, please reconsider.
If you profess to be a follower of Christ, and not an active, meaningful member of the body of Christ, you are missing one of life’s greatest blessings. Pursue the Perfect One (1 Peter 2:12) and not the perfect church.
And if you’re not involved in a Gospel teaching and preaching church, reach out to your Area or Regional Director of Links to find help in finding a church close to where you live. Ask a Christian coworker where they attend and visit with them this Sunday. Probe a member of your Links Fellowship on where they attend.
Prayer: Father, may our hearts be stirred to being meaningful members of your body, for your glory. Amen.