I know that there are many reasons and excuses why people do not attend church faithfully. I know that as long as man is involved, that the church will always have her flaws. I totally get that on any given Sunday, there are 1000 other things to do, than to take the time to gather the family and attend a local Church. I also understand that it’s possible, if not likely, for you to actually attend a church, to show up and feel as though you didn’t get anything out of it. (Just so you know, going to Church has more to do with the worship you have to offer than anything you expect to receive. It’s not about you. It’s about God and you giving him your worship and praise).

But for what its worth (which in my opinion, this list is priceless) let me share with you just a few of the many reasons why I believe you should be in Church EACH and EVERY weekend. These are what I call “the benefits of belonging and attending a local congregation”. This is a partial list of why Church should be a priority. While this is a small list, it is a powerful list, because each one is reason enough to attend. Add them or multiply their collective value and you quickly discover it’s the ONLY place to be on Sunday.

1 God will be there…. Enough said.
2 It’s where you learn God’s word…. What is that worth?
3 You are commanded to be there… Sorry, it’s true.
4 Salvation is available and recommended… Why wouldn’t you want that?
5 You’ll discover God’s perfect and pleasing will for your life. Priceless
6 A place of prayer. You actually get to talk to God… wow
7 Communion is served each week, in obedience to Jesus request.
8 People are baptized there, each week, into Christ.
9 It’s literally belonging to the family of God.
10 You’ll find help in resisting all kinds of temptation.
11 A place to use your gifts to serve the Body of Christ.
12 It is an investment in things that are eternal.
13 The best place to reinforce Godly principles to your children.
14 Worship that prepares you for worship in heaven.
15 When Jesus comes back, he’s coming for His Church, the bride.
16 You’ll find accountability in your walk with the Lord.
17 It represents what heaven will look like.
18 It’s a place to find food for your spiritual soul.
19 God’s Spirit moves powerfully through the believer
20 Strengthens one’s walk with the Lord.

What else could I say that would cause you to want to join? I honestly think there is something wrong if you wouldn’t want to join. Seriously, look at the list and think about why you wouldn’t want to attend each week.

Why not make Church a priority and instead of always seeing what’s wrong with the church, find a way to focus on what’s good about the Church. Instead of criticizing the church, why not defend the church and embrace the church.

Don’t forget, she is the Bride of Christ and one day soon, Jesus is going to return for his Bride. Will he find you in the church or will he find you outside the church? I’m praying and trusting that Church will become a priority for each and every person.

Recently, I had the privilege of becoming friends with the former men’s basketball coach of LSU. While I don’t like to speak in generalities, I do agree with much of what he recently posted. Wanted to share his words in his post with you:

Have You Had Enough?

By: Dale Brown

Never have I seen the American public so disgusted with our Congress, Wall Street and the large corporations. Partisan politics, negative campaigning and seemingly no control over big business is literally sickening everyone. I plead with you to lead the way in cleansing a system that is totally out of control.

Americans are not only fed up with the greed, the lies and the cheating but they are angry. Please serve as a beacon light to change a system that so begrudgingly accepts change.

150 years ago, British historian Thomas Macaulay made this dire prediction for America, “Your civilization will be destroyed in the 20th century, as Rome was in the 5th century. But the huns and vandals which will destroy you will come from within, from your own institutions.” Yes, I know this is the 21st century but we had better wake up and demand that our Congress start putting the country first or his prediction could come true.

J. Paul Getty many years ago said, “I fear that unless there are many drastic changes in both basic philosophies and actual practices in every sector of human existence, our society will deteriorate and decline. It may well be wracked with upheavals far greater than any in previous history. It could, and I do not take the possibility lightly, be totally destroyed.”

I now ask you, will you just read this and delete it or will you try to do something about it? It has been said that nobody makes a greater mistake than someone who did nothing because he could do only a little. Please contact your congressman and demand change or vote them out of office.

I have traveled in 90 countries throughout the world and fully realize there is no better place to live but if we truly want to make this a better place to live we should follow Gandhi’s advice, “We must be the change we wish to see.”

When I was visiting Auschwitz I was appalled by seeing what one human being could do to another and thought how could this be possible. As I was leaving I saw a small plaque which gave me the answers, it said, “The road to Auschwitz was built by hate but paved with indifference.” We no longer can be indifferent to the ills of our society. Always remember when truth is in danger, silence equals guilt.

Great social transformation such as the end of slavery, the women’s and Civil Rights movements and the end of colonial rule all began with public awareness and engagement. Political leaders followed rather than led. A few courageous and committed people fed up with the system brought about the change. I sincerely hope that you will be stimulated to do something constructive and demand that we return to the principles that made this country the best in the world.

The system in Washington, D.C. and the large corporations in this country are corrupt. It is rigged by the powerful special interest groups to benefit the very few at the expense of the many. William Bennett in his book, “Death of Outrage” said, “The leader must be whole, he cannot have his public character be honest and his private character be dishonest.” We are to blame for many of our current problems because we have not demanded enough from those in powerful positions.

All of us Americans have a duty to end the corruption, greed, ineptness, and cronyism that have dominated the political and corporate world for far too many years.

What we desperately need today on all fronts are men and women willing to stand up for decency, truth, integrity, morality, law and order and who will respond to their conscience even when it is unpopular to do so – especially when it is unpopular to do so.

So now the question is, can we change a sick system and the answer is emphatically YES but only if we are vigilant, committed, disciplined, determined, and courageous enough to demand good ethics and honorable leadership.

The idea of saviors has been built into our entire culture. We have learned to look to stars, leaders, and experts in every field, thus surrendering our own strength, demeaning our own ability and causing us not to act when we see incompetence, dishonesty, and injustices.

Abraham Lincoln warned us when he said, “At what point is the approach of danger to be expected, if it is to reach us it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot – we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of free men we must live through all time or die by suicide.”

http://coachdalebrown.blogspot.com/2010/08/have-you-had-enough.html