The Need to be a Part of a Church Family

(From My Bring One to Christ Post of June 16, 2010)

Is there a need for us to be a part of a church family? I will start with the meaning of the word “church” and hopefully answer the question as I go along. When you look up the word “church” in the dictionary you will find that the first definition states that it is “a building for public worship, especially in the Christian religion.”  When you ask people to define the word “church” most will tell you the same thing. I found this very interesting because that is not the correct meaning of the word yet most of us use it in that manner and our dictionaries describe it as such.  In the New Testament the Greek word “ecclesia” appears approx. 115 times and it has been translated as “church” in these passages.  Ecclesia was a common Greek word that meant “the gathering of people” or “to call people together” it never stood for a building or a place of worship.  As a matter of fact, most of the “gatherings” in biblical times occurred at believer’s residences, outside by the water or on mountains (as Jesus did during his sermons).  Why is knowing the meaning of the word so important? One reason is because we use it often but most importantly because we should not assume that if a person does not attend a “building of worship” they are therefore, not attending “church” or that they are not part of a church.  I know a family that is doing amazing missionary work in Nepal, bringing the word of our Lord to a country that is in much need of it.  This family goes to villages that are a couple of hours away from their residence, to preach the Word of God and to have fellowship with the natives there.  This family is gathering an assembly of believers in Jesus’ name. That is, in my opinion, the true meaning of the word “church.”  So if you are gathering at a beautiful building, someone’s residence, by a lake or in the mountains it is extremely important and even essential to continue (or start) do so.  Christians need to gather together in Jesus Christ our Lord, we need to encourage one another in His Name.  We need our Christian family to hold us accountable for our actions and we need our fellow brothers and sisters-in Christ to lift us up when we are down. We need their prayers and they need ours.  We live in this world, but as children of the Most High, we are no longer of this world.  Depending on where you live, you could be very much outnumbered, making the need for fellowship and prayer even more crucial. Find what “church” setting works for you and your family and do it. The people you will meet (or have already met) will change you, support you, share with you, love you and pray for you…who wants to miss out on that?

                                                                                                                               

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