Why Church?

On people and church. 

For this post, I'm totally blaming Matthew...fellow teacher here in Taiwan. A question he posted on Facebook caught my eye, and started the gears turning in my brain again. 

So here goes:

Question: Why go to church in Taiwan? (and my added questions) Why go to church at all? What is the reason you go to church?

I wondered that very thing when I was considering coming to Tawian, and this is my conclusion:

Church.

Is it about you? About what you get from it each time, and how you feel? 

Well...I don't think so. 

Yes, going to church can be a way for you to grow, and a way to be spiritually fed each week, but that's the easy way. 

Many young people today, (me included) tend to think that they can go to church, be spiritually recharged, hang out with a few friends, and go home. That way, there is no need to read the Bible, or study on your own, because you were emotionally recharged that Sunday, and you're doing 'fine'.

But is that what God say's about our spiritual lives? 

1 Thessalonians 5:17 states: 'Pray without ceasing...' In other words, don't stop focusing your life on God. 

In that case, it isn't the Church that is supposed to be your 'spiritual food', but your every day walk with Him. 

Essentially, I believe that the point in going to church, whether in America, Taiwan, China...etc, is that we are there to bless others. 

To reach out in any way we can to help other humans, so that Jesus may shine through us. And believe me, we don't need to speak the same language to connect. 

There is always a way if you look for it. 

Church is about others. About Jesus, about what He would do. About how we can be God's vessel  so that He can touch other's lives through us. 

That is what the Church means to me, and why I go. For others, not myself.

So today I leave you with this challange: 

Why do you go to church? Do you go anticipating being a channel for God's love? To reach out to those who are hurting, broken, and in pain? Or do you go for yourself?

Shalom, 

Yeshua be with you this week!

~Marissa