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Attending church is a testimony

“You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all.” (2 Corinthians 3:2)

The apostle Paul says about the Christians in Corinth that their lives are living letters, known and read by all. This goes for us as well. Our friends, relatives, neighbors, and colleagues will notice if we attend church regularly. This makes a statement about what is important to us. It expresses that we have a spiritual family that we love and value.

This also connects to Jesus’ words in John 13:35, where He says: “By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). This brotherly love is most clearly expressed if we regularly meet and share our faith with our spiritual brothers and sisters.

But if the world around us is to “read” the living letters of our lives, we also need to interact with them — as individuals and as local churches. In some societies, possibilities to be visible as a church are very limited and dangerous. But in most countries, churches can reach out to the needy, invite the lonely and the seeker, and show the world how good it is to belong to God’s family.

Is your local church a witness to outsiders?