Going back

A question I’ve been posing in a sermon series on The Church at our church lately is Why The Church? Why, if at all, does it still matter?

Scripturally, this all became important when Jesus said in Matthew 16: 18-19, “18 "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."

Seems rather important, huh?

I imagine I have readers this morning who are churched-going folks in this town who are saying, “of course it matters.” But the question is probably for those folks who are reading this whom don’t have a church, or attend so irregularly that they can’t even be counted among church going folks.

Is it really important, still? Last Sunday I told our congregation that three reasons the church still matters is because it is a privilege to belong to a church, it is a pledge we make when we join the church we’ve decided to participate in and it is a pleasure to come to church on Sundays.

If it’s not any of those things, well, don’t go. There, I said it.

I recall when Nehemiah and Ezra had rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem and Ezra had his first worship service, if you will. Ezra read from the Law. He “opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. Ezra praised the Lord, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded ‘Amen! Amen’ Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground.”

They did so because it meant something them. It was relevant. It was beyond dragging oneself up on Sunday morning and attending worship. It was WORSHIP.

Is that what we’re inviting folks to these days? Has it become rote? Are we inviting at all?

Let me put it this way. If someone were to say to you, “Hey, how would you like to go to church with me this Sunday?” would that make a difference, if you don’t have a church, or don’t attend regularly?

If someone said that to you this week, what would be your response?

Studies show that 82% of unchurched people would attend church if someone invited them! Yet fewer than 2% of Christians ever invite an unchurched person to come to church! Makes perfect sense to me.

My church, First United Methodist Church Eunice, has joined National Back to Church Sunday movement to help "Invite America Back to Church" on Sept. 16.

Last year, 7600 churches from 34 denominations participated in the national movement, and together they gave out millions of invitations to church. This year, FUMC Eunice is participating and we need your help! Let’s reach out to our friends, family and neighbors. People need to know that there is hope and a community of people like our church who will love them and do life with them.

Did you know that most people who have dropped out of church haven’t lost their faith in God—they simply fell out of the habit of going to church? Some moved, had a change in life circumstances, or had a falling out with their former church and simply drifted away. Most often, life just became too busy. This means many of them could be open to returning.

May we all join together in doing so this coming Sunday and beyond. and let’s see what happens in our community – together. Surprise me, us, with visitors everywhere. It will be worth it.