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Church

In Blog, Book Reviews, Church on
July 14, 2024

A Short Guide to Church

It’s becoming increasingly common for Christians to skip church on Sundays. There are numerous reasons for this. Some are traveling on Sunday mornings, whether that be for work, for pleasure, or for their children’s sports tournaments. Others have such busy lives that they just want to sleep in and rest on their one day off from other responsibilities. Some have been hurt by a church in the past and don’t want to find a new church to attend, lest they be hurt again. And still others don’t see a need at all to go to Sunday worship services (after all, the Church isn’t a building, right?).

According to Ligonier’s The State of Theology survey in 2022, forty-four percent of professing Evangelicals do not believe that every Christian is obligated to join a local church, and fifty-six percent believe that worshipping alone or with one’s family is a valid replacement for regular church attendance.[1] This means that about half of self-proclaimed Evangelical believers today do not believe it’s necessary for Christians to attend church regularly or become a member of a local church. This fact is both alarming and problematic, and it’s one reason why Dean Inserra wrote his newest book, A Short Guide to Church.

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In Blog, Church, Theology on
August 14, 2022

One Another

Church attendance in America is steadily declining. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, only thirty-six percent of professing Christians attend a local church at least once a week. Only forty-six percent attend at least once a month. This means that over half of those who claim to be Christian in this country never attend church or only attend a few times a year—probably on Christmas, Easter, and other special occasions.[1]

There are many reasons why someone may have stopped attending church over the past few years. Perhaps after the COVID-19 pandemic, they didn’t see a need to return to an in-person gathering when they can just watch the services online.  Maybe they’ve fallen prey to the deconstruction movement and are rethinking what they believe about God and the Bible. Or it’s possible that the rise of sexual abuse allegations against pastors and other church leaders have convinced them that the church is a broken system that can’t be repaired.

However, the truth is that Christians need the Church. God created human beings for community, and we’re not meant to do life alone (Genesis 2:18). Christians are commanded to gather with a local body of believers because we need the help and encouragement they can provide as we continue in our faith journey (Hebrews 10:24-25). The Church is our community, and as our community, we have a role to play in it. As the Church, we are to welcome one another, grow one another, and serve one another.

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In Bible Study, Blog, Ephesians on
June 28, 2021

Truth in Love

If there’s one thing the American church overemphasizes, it’s this: love. Don’t get me wrong; love is an important thing for Christians to have and to practice in their daily lives. We are called to love God, love our neighbors, and love our enemies (Matthew 22:37-39, Luke 6:35). Love is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22), and it’s greater than faith or hope (1 Corinthians 13:13). Those who do not love don’t know God. How do we know this? Because God is love (1 John 4:8).

Love is important for the Christian. But many people today, including many in the church, are redefining what love is. To them, love is an acceptance and an affirmation of a person and their lifestyle. To them, love means that you cannot judge someone, regardless of the choices they are making in their lives. To them, love equals avoiding controversial or uncomfortable conversations for the sake of “keeping the peace.”

This love is not a biblical form of love. These practices are not what the Bible calls us to. Instead, God’s Word calls us to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). But what exactly does this mean?

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In Blog, Book Reviews, Church on
September 28, 2020

A Place to Belong

Church used to be a much higher priority in our society. Most everyone went to church on Sunday mornings. Businesses were closed and nobody worked so that they could spend their Sabbath worshipping the Lord and fellowshipping with other believers. Over time, things changed. Businesses did open on Sunday, which meant people had to work at those businesses. Other things such as sports games and self-care were prioritized over attending church services. 

Nowadays, church is no longer deemed “essential.” It is seen as something that is good to be a part of, but it is totally okay and normal if you only make it there fifty percent of the time. According to Ligonier Ministries’ 2018 State of Theology survey, fifty-eight percent of American adults agree with the statement, “Worshiping alone or with one’s family is a valid replacement for regularly attending church.”[1]

Yet, the Bible discusses the church and its importance often in the New Testament. Can worshipping alone, worshipping as a family, or watching an online service really be a replacement for going to church every week?

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In Bible Study, Blog, Galatians on
October 28, 2019

One in Christ Jesus

We live in a beautifully diverse world. No two people are the same. God created all of us different. We all look different, act differently, and think differently. And this is truly beautiful! Unfortunately, our diverse thoughts and opinions are often the cause of a lot of division and disunity. Gone are the days when people could civilly disagree with each other. Nowadays, if you disagree with someone, you are looked down upon and shunned, or, in more extreme cases, you are harassed and attacked. Though the people of our world are divided against each other, the people of God are to be united.

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