The importance of ‘showing up’ for church
Published 9:04 am Wednesday, June 5, 2019
To the Editor:
“Ninety percent of life is just showing up,” was once a popular saying. There’s truth to it if you add showing up where God wants you to show up. It’s even recorded in the Bible that God’s people won battles by just showing up. It’s more important than ever for all Christians to show up at church. Christians are told not to neglect meeting together — especially as you see the day (return of Jesus) drawing near (Heb. 10:25). Church attendance could save your marriage and life. Research shows those attending church have a lower divorce rate and a seven-year longer life.
According to www.christianheadlines.com, “Southern Baptist church attendance hits a 30 year low.” This is sad. Most people in Carter County are Southern Baptist. The Bible says it’s especially important to attend church in these last days before the return of Jesus. Perry Stone says the church will soon see the world-wide outpouring of the Holy Spirit as mentioned in James 5. Stone believes the “latter rain” will be a second world-wide outpouring of the Holy Spirit just before the return of Jesus. Stone says history repeats itself. (Ecclesiastes 1) Dr. John McTernan said all Christians should pray for this outpouring because the Holy Spirit is what Christians need the most. No Christian would want to miss this. Although this could happen anytime the best chance for it to happen would be on Pentecost because God likes to do big things on His seven feast. As it says in Colossians 2 the holy days or feast are a shadow of things to come. In 1948 Israel was born again on Pentecost. Will the Holy Spirit pour out and the lukewarm church be born again on Pentecost this year? We shall see on Sunday, June 9, 2019.
According to www.prophecywatchers.com Pentecost arrives this year on June 9 and provides a perfect picture of the rapture of the Christian church in many ways. The website interviews Jack Langford, author of the book, “Pentecostal Rapture of the Church of Jesus Christ.” Langford makes a strong case that every Pentecost is a high watch day for the rapture. On the first Pentecost after hearing the trump of God Moses went up. Soon at the rapture after hearing the trump of God Christians go up. King David was born and died on Pentecost. Enoch was born and then raptured on Pentecost!
Christianity isn’t a solitary religion. Jesus said when two or more are gathered together He would be in their midst. Christians need real fellowship and encouragement from one another. The church is to help members bear one another’s burdens. (Gal. 6:2) Without the support of a church the burdens can be very heavy. Jesus promised that He would build His church and the “gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16:18) However, churches still have their conflicts and theological and moral failures. These problems existed even in the earliest New Testament churches, as evident in Paul’s letters. The tares (unbelievers/unrepentant sinners) will grow up with the wheat (believers/repentant sinners). Sin and conflict doesn’t refute Christianity; rather they are evidence of the truth and need for Christianity. Christians are believers in the death and resurrection of Jesus and in His payment for their sins and have repented of their sins by turning from it and asking Jesus to forgive them and control and change their life and mind. Millions today call their self Christians even though they don’t attend church and have never repented as required by Acts. The Holy Spirit helps us repent which is to change your mind. God tells us to be patient for He will soon do some separating. (rapture)
Jesus still promises to work in and through His church, which He calls His body (Eph. 1:23). William Smith said, “No other organization has the same relationship to Jesus, the saving ministries committed to it by Him, or the spiritual authority to exercise on His behalf. That is why meaningful membership is mandatory. Once you’ve found an expression of the true church (where Jesus and the Bible are the highest authority) join it, enthusiastically support its worship and work, welcome its oversight and help maintain its purity and unity. Don’t expect to receive or grow in salvation outside the church.” God has given us no substitutes for the church, therefore, we must accept no substitutes!
In his “Democracy in America,” Alexis de Tocqueville wrote in 1835 a penetrating study of American society and of the powerful impact of Christianity upon America’s success. “I sought for the greatness and genius of America in her commodious harbors and her ample rivers, and it was not there; in her fertile fields and boundless prairies, and it was not there; in her rich mines and vast world commerce, and it was not there. Not until I went to the churches of America and heard her pulpits aflame with righteousness did I understand the secret of her genius and power. America is great because she is good and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.”
D.D. Nave
Elizabethton