Gathering Together

8/21/2024

Written By: Frieda Dowler

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25 ESV.

I’ve been involved with church most of my life. When I was born, my parents served in church and I grew up serving in church. I took church for granted. I didn’t realize the purpose and benefits of church when I was young. Over time, I came to appreciate and respect the continual reminder of God’s presence that I was privileged to experience all of my life.

I recently read, “The purpose or function of the church can be summarized into three broad areas: worship of God, edification of the church itself, and evangelization of the world.”

Society takes life for granted as we go through the motions of sleep, eat, work, and play without realizing how beneficial all of those things are. But the church is an intentional decision that is beneficial for society because it serves as a reminder of God’s presence. God is a spirit and, like the wind, we can’t see him. But we can see the physical structures, and hopefully it prompts us to carve out time to be with other believes. And gathering with other believers encourages our faith so we are enthusiastic about telling others about our hope in Jesus.

Going to church can be intimidating. If I was not raised attending church, I might find it a strange experience, too. When inviting people to church, I feel the need to explain what they can expect. When you think about it, where do we gather and greet strangers, sing with them, get a lecture, and receive a challenge to go out and tell others about something intangible?

When inviting people to Victory, I like to mention the three functions of the church when explaining what to expect.

Worship

We honor God with communion. So much is said about this symbolic reminder of the body and blood of Christ that it fills volumes. Mainly, it is a way to connect our thoughts in reflection on what Jesus introduced us to — God’s forgiveness.

We honor God in giving. The Bible tells us that money is the god of this world. When we give to the purposes of God, we are saying that our money doesn’t have a hold on us. We give to increase God’s goodness on earth.

Edification of the Church

Each time we gather on Sunday, we receive instruction to bring our moral condition into alignment with the Bible. The Bible is what makes this inspiration different from other self-help instruction. We seem powerless to create a change within our own self, but with the goal of pleasing God, it is possible.

When we gather in groups, we have the opportunity to learn how others are encouraged through the Bible and to share our experiences. This serves as encouragement for spiritual growth.

Evangelize the World

Like any other good news, we ought to want to share God’s forgiveness through Jesus with the world. Christianity is based on Jesus as the Messiah, meaning He is the king of God’s spiritual kingdom that has no end. It is a kingdom based on God’s love for us. This is something we can only have a glimpse of now, but in the future it will be completely revealed.

We may be reluctant to share news of something that is not tangible. But God gives everyday miracles to prove to us he is real. In church settings, especially in groups, we have the opportunity to share those miracles among ourselves and help our faith grow. Then it becomes easier to share our stories of faith with others.

At Victory, we also have serving events that are opportunities to share God’s love with others. During these serving events, we are helpers and don’t necessarily have to speak our testimony. Our testimony to God’s love is in caring for others.

I’ve come to realize it is the Holy Spirit that draws a person. One can attend the most hyped up, entertaining service and be turned off. Or it can be the simplest message that brings someone to tears and repentance. Our part is to invite without expectation or pressure.