Church is Not a Social Gathering

​For many years now, some churches have taken on the mindset of being a social gathering rather than the House of God.  The youth play video games or other relevant activities to pass the time while everyone is there.  The children’s departments play games, watch videos, or do other babysitting activities.  The adults are given 20-minute motivational speeches on a non-convicting topic that pleases everyone, so they all keep returning and giving money.  Coffee and donuts are usually the staple snacks of choice, the pastor dresses in trendy clothes to present himself as everyone’s friend, the praise and worship team looks like they walked off the CMA awards, and nothing truly reflects the Bible’s standards of living as a born-again Christian.  This type of gathering is a social gathering, or a social club focused on consumers rather than disciples.  A social club is a formal association of people with similar interests.  When the people are the focus by pleasing them as consumers to keep returning, God is left outside what is supposed to be His house.  The Bible specifically gives its readers descriptions of what the church is supposed to be.  It is to be a house of prayer (Isaiah 56:7; Mark 11:17; Acts 3:1; Matthew 21:13).  The church is to be a place of truth and wisdom (1 Timothy 3:15; Ephesians 3:10; Matthew 16:18; Acts 17:11).  A place of maturing God’s people (Ephesians 4:11-13; Colossians 1:28; Colossians 3:1-10).  Church is a place of Christians stirring one another up to live for God and to love each other (Hebrews 10:24-25; 2 Timothy 1:6; Acts 17:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:11).  The church is a place of discipleship (Acts 2:42; Hebrews 13:7; 2 Timothy 2:2; 1 Corinthians 11:1; Titus 2:1-6). The church is a place of healing (James 5:14-16; 2 Chronicles 7:14; Luke 13:10-13).  The church is a place of qualified leaders (1 Timothy 3:1-13; Acts 13:1-3; Acts 15:22).  The church is the body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22-23; Ephesians 4:16; Colossians 1:18; Romans 12:4-5; 1 Corinthians 12:12).  Church is a place of holiness and order (1 Corinthians 7:17; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 1 John 1:7; 1 Peter 1:13-16; 1 Corinthians 14:40).  Church is designed to help God’s people overcome the spiritual enemies that desire to see Christians fail.  Social club churches do not assist in having a victorious Christian life but help the spiritual enemy’s cause of being religious while having a façade of being in a relationship with God.  True churches do not have to Bible-thump people in every service but should challenge the congregation to live the Word of God daily.  The Word of God should be the most evident topic and source of all activities within a biblical church.  A church can never go wrong, basing everything on the Bible.  It is when churches begin to do things based on culture or being relevant rather than the Bible that creates a social gathering.  In what the Bible calls the last days, churches should be helping prepare Christians to be soldiers of truth, victorious, and live the Word of God.  Neither a church nor a Christian can be biblical without the Bible.  God’s people are to be led by the Spirit of God, not the spirit of culture or relevance (Romans 8:14; John 14:26; John 16:13; Galatians 5:16; Romans 8:5).  May God’s people be more interested in being part of a biblical church that pleases Jesus Christ rather than playing church and pleasing God’s spiritual enemy.  For more information about Abundant Grace Church visit agcsparta.org.