Attracting a crowd or building a church?

Most people assume that if you go to religious or spiritual meetings, you are a true believer.

Think about other times and places people gather --

Work, school, restaurants, games, concerts.

Are all those who attend really committed?

Some of our gatherings are voluntary and we look forward to eating at a restaurant or attending some event.

Going to work or school may be because we need the money or have to attend class to earn a diploma.

What about going to church meetings?

Have you been attracted by its marketing? Social media, television, or radio advertisements and broadcasts?

Do you attend because you were invited by a friend, coworker, or family member and don't want to say, "No" because it might offend them?

Do you go to meetings because you believe it's your duty?

When you're in a meeting, do you speak publicly, sharing the unsearchable riches of Christ? Ephesians 3:8

Do you prophesy, one by one, so all may learn and all may be comforted? 1 Corinthians 14:1, 5, 31

Do you lay hands on the sick so that they can recover? Mark 16:17-18; Acts 14:3; 28:8

Or is your attendance at meetings more like the following?

Sit down and obey what the leaders say to do;

Turn to a page in the hymn book, stand up, and sing or follow the words on the room's screen to sing;

Kneel, lift your hands, turn to your fellow attendees around you and say, "Peace be to you," give in the offering, listen to the sermon message, and then go home.

Most who go to meetings expect to be passive, not active participants.

It's because they've not YET seen in the Bible how church meetings are to be so that a church, its people, can be built up in the Lord Jesus Christ, equipped to every good work. Ephesians 4:11-13; 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Consider just a few words to let us know that each believer can take action, especially in church meetings, if we want to follow the New Testament way --

I myself [Paul] am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. Romans 15:14

But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!" 1 Corinthians 14:24-25

What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 1 Corinthians 14:26

Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Take care, brothers and sisters, that there will not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. But encourage one another every day, as long as it is still called "today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:12-13

And let's consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25

We can be attracted to God the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. John 14:15-17, 23

And we can do our part to build the body of Christ by being active participants in His plan to build His Church. Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 5:25-27

Your thoughts?

R. Jason