Creekside Church, Sunday, May 5, 2024
I Don't Want to be Part of the Church
Locations & Times
Creekside Church
660 Conservation Dr, Waterloo, ON N2J 3Z4, Canada
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 10:30 AM
Many people in Canada are taking a hard pass on church. There are lots of reasons why, but the reality is that most people in our country are not involved in a church community. A common objection people may have is this – “I don’t want to be part of the church.” Today we will explore “why church?”
God has designed for you to flourish in the church. The church is meant to be a family you belong to and a body you are a member of. Instead of taking a hard pass on church, Jesus invites skeptics to experience His love through engaging in the local church.
EVERYONE HAS A PERCEPTION ABOUT CHURCH
- What’s the first word that comes to mind when I say “church”?
- How do you feel when you think about church?
LOTS OF PEOPLE IN CANADA AND THE U.S. ARE SAYING “NO” TO CHURCH
“About 40 million adults in America today used to go to church but no longer do, which accounts for around 16 percent of our adult population.” The Great De-Churching, Jim Davis and Michael Graham
According to Stats Canada, only 23 per cent of Canadians in 2019 reported attending group religious activities, such as church service, at least once a month. Between 2000 and 2009, that figure was around 30 per cent.
WHY ARE SO MANY PEOPLE SAYING “NO” TO CHURCH?
There are many reasons. Here are four broad categories.
1. Materialism – more affluence and options (skeptical of the value of church)
2. Secular Worldview – self-directed individualism (skeptical of being told how to live)
3. Church Hurt – personal stories and news reports (skeptical of church leaders and culture)
4. Sunday has Changed – so has the family (skeptical of an outdated way of life)
- If you are skeptical of church, are any of these reasons yours? How might you state your reason in one sentence?
WHY CHURCH?
The value of church is predicated on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” NIV
1Corinthians 15:19
“If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” NIV
If Scripture’s testimony about Jesus is false, then we might compare the value of church against the value of any local community group (for example - the Optimist Club). We might even conclude that church has no value because it is purporting a lie. (see 1 Corinthians 15:19)
If Scripture’s testimony about Jesus is true, the reason for church and value of what it can bring to my life is of “first importance”. (see 1 Corinthians 15:3)
WHAT IS CHURCH?
Church is …
a) EKKLESIA (Greek NT word meaning “the called out assembly”)
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 NIV
When you become a follower of Jesus, you are part of the church, God’s called out people.
b) FAMILY
5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:5 NLT
God designed the church to be a family you belong to.
c) A BODY
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Ephesians 4:15-16. NIV
God designed the church to be a body where you grow and serve.
NOT PERFECT, BUT GOOD
Church is not perfect because people are there! But, church is good.
God has designed church to be the place where you will flourish as you learn to FOLLOW JESUS, LOVE GOD and LOVE PEOPLE.
YOU BELONG HERE
Wherever you are at today with church, whatever you feel about church, know this – you belong here. You are welcome here. The church is not perfect, but it’s good. And if you will try engaging with a local church, God can use that decision to lead you into a life that is flourishing and joyful, good and beautiful.
God has designed for you to flourish in the church. The church is meant to be a family you belong to and a body you are a member of. Instead of taking a hard pass on church, Jesus invites skeptics to experience His love through engaging in the local church.
EVERYONE HAS A PERCEPTION ABOUT CHURCH
- What’s the first word that comes to mind when I say “church”?
- How do you feel when you think about church?
LOTS OF PEOPLE IN CANADA AND THE U.S. ARE SAYING “NO” TO CHURCH
“About 40 million adults in America today used to go to church but no longer do, which accounts for around 16 percent of our adult population.” The Great De-Churching, Jim Davis and Michael Graham
According to Stats Canada, only 23 per cent of Canadians in 2019 reported attending group religious activities, such as church service, at least once a month. Between 2000 and 2009, that figure was around 30 per cent.
WHY ARE SO MANY PEOPLE SAYING “NO” TO CHURCH?
There are many reasons. Here are four broad categories.
1. Materialism – more affluence and options (skeptical of the value of church)
2. Secular Worldview – self-directed individualism (skeptical of being told how to live)
3. Church Hurt – personal stories and news reports (skeptical of church leaders and culture)
4. Sunday has Changed – so has the family (skeptical of an outdated way of life)
- If you are skeptical of church, are any of these reasons yours? How might you state your reason in one sentence?
WHY CHURCH?
The value of church is predicated on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4
“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” NIV
1Corinthians 15:19
“If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.” NIV
If Scripture’s testimony about Jesus is false, then we might compare the value of church against the value of any local community group (for example - the Optimist Club). We might even conclude that church has no value because it is purporting a lie. (see 1 Corinthians 15:19)
If Scripture’s testimony about Jesus is true, the reason for church and value of what it can bring to my life is of “first importance”. (see 1 Corinthians 15:3)
WHAT IS CHURCH?
Church is …
a) EKKLESIA (Greek NT word meaning “the called out assembly”)
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9 NIV
When you become a follower of Jesus, you are part of the church, God’s called out people.
b) FAMILY
5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. Ephesians 1:5 NLT
God designed the church to be a family you belong to.
c) A BODY
“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Ephesians 4:15-16. NIV
God designed the church to be a body where you grow and serve.
NOT PERFECT, BUT GOOD
Church is not perfect because people are there! But, church is good.
God has designed church to be the place where you will flourish as you learn to FOLLOW JESUS, LOVE GOD and LOVE PEOPLE.
YOU BELONG HERE
Wherever you are at today with church, whatever you feel about church, know this – you belong here. You are welcome here. The church is not perfect, but it’s good. And if you will try engaging with a local church, God can use that decision to lead you into a life that is flourishing and joyful, good and beautiful.