Why do you go to church?

​If someone were to come up and ask you, “Why do you go to church?” What would you say? Obviously, you put some kind of effort into coming this morning. It is pouring down rain outside. Why, when you could have sat at home all bundled up by a fire, watching a basketball game – some of you are leaving right now, I noticed – why did you show up this morning? Why do you even come to church? 

You need the Church…The Church needs you. 

Carolinas Cornerstone's Purpose:
We exist to love God, love others, serve others, grow in Christ, and share the Good News!

The purpose of your life is to point people to Jesus Christ! Your time on earth is not primarily about acquiring possessions, attaining status, achieving success, or even experiencing happiness. If you take a real look at these things, they are only secondary issues. Life is all about love and developing relationships with God first and then with other people. 

Listen to me, you may succeed in many areas, but if you fail to learn how to love God and love others, you will miss the reason God created you and placed you on this planet. You and I must learn to LOVE; it is the most important lesson of life. Jesus called it the “greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:38 NIV). Remember, nothing else comes close to its importance.

During World War II, some posters displayed a stern Uncle Sam pointing and saying, “Your country needs you!” Many people responded to that challenge by going to work or fighting for the country, even though they knew it would mean personal sacrifice and a change of priorities. They responded because they believed in the cause they were fighting for.

Chances are, somewhere along the way, many of these people realized that not every decision being made by their own side was perfect. But they knew that it was better to keep on helping the right side, for all its faults, than to quit and sit it out on the sidelines, or even worse, to fight against the right side.

On January 20th, 1961, U.S. President John F. Kennedy spoke some challenging words at his inauguration: “Ask not what your country can do for you,” he said, “ask what you can do for your country.” The motto of our culture is almost a reversal of John Kennedy’s words: “Ask not what you can do for your country or neighbor or family or friend; ask what they can do for you!”

Sadly, those ethics have infected Christians and their churches. Too many Christians approach church with the question, “What’s in it for me?” These are not God’s ethics. They are not the ethics on which a church is built. We are not called so that the church can do things for us. We are to be the church in order that we may do things for others.
Church is not something you go to. Church is something you belong to!

One reason you need to be connected to a church family is to fulfill your calling to serve other believers in practical ways. The Bible says, “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a part of it.”  1 Corinthians 12:27 (NLT).

Your service is desperately needed in the Body of Christ — just ask any local church! Each of us has a role to play, and every role is important. There is no small service to God; it all matters.

Likewise, there are no insignificant ministries in the church. Some are visible, and some are behind the scenes, but all are valuable. Small or hidden ministries often make the biggest difference.

In my home, the most important light is not the large chandelier in our dining room but the little nightlight that keeps me from stubbing my toe when I get up at night. There is no correlation between size and significance. Every person matters because we are all dependent on each other to function.

What happens when one part of your body fails to function? You get sick. The rest of your body suffers. Imagine if your liver decided to start living for itself: “I am tired! I do not want to serve the body anymore! I want a year off just to be fed. I have to do what’s best for me! Let some other part take over.”

What would happen? Your body would die. Today, thousands of local churches are dying because of Christians who are unwilling to serve. They sit on the sidelines as spectators, and the Body suffers.

God calls you to a service far beyond anything you could ever imagine. He created you for a life of honorable deeds, which he has already prepared for you to do (Ephesians 2:10). Whenever you serve others in any way, you are serving God.

Someone in our Church needs your:

• Love: Beloved, let us love one another, 1John 4:7 RSV 
• Help: When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them, Romans 12:13 NLT
• Advice: Use all wisdom to teach and instruct each other, Colossians 3:16 NCV
• Encouragement: We must also consider how to encourage each other, Hebrews 10:24 GWT
• Forgiveness: Forgive others, just as God forgave you because of Christ, Ephesians 4:32 CEV
• Witness: Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works, Matthew 5:16 HCSB

God calls you to a service far beyond anything you could ever imagine. He created you for a life of honorable deeds, which he has already prepared for you to do (Ephesians 2:10). Whenever you serve others in any way, you are serving God.

NEVER SELL YOURSELF SHORT. YOUR CHURCH NEEDS YOU!

The life of Christianity - the life of the church - is the quest to become a better and better servant. I am deeply grateful and appreciative of so many of you who commit your time, talents, and treasure to the work of the church—the local work and the worldwide work. If you have been sitting on the sidelines, I urge you to rejoin us, help us, and support us—and let us support you—as we continue to do the work of Jesus Christ together.

Make Every Day Count

Pastor Barry Yates

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