The church is one of the most attacked organisations in the world

• Post Modernism rejects organised religion
• Atheists mock the concept of church
• Movies and sitcoms make fun of churches.
• Non Christians attack the church to justify why they won’t deal with the God question that their internal thoughts are screaming out to them
• Its full of hypocrites:- apparently.
• Backslidden Christians attack the church to justify their position
  • Church is just about money
  • I felt judged
  • Nobody spoke to me.
• Christians – increasingly busy Christians can’t find the time to be regular
• Church movements attack each other
• There are some genuinely bad churches – Westboro Baptist church
• Demonic aspect of the attack on churches.
• Society in general has had some bad experiences with the church
  • Sexual Abuse and related cover ups

I want to declare that – I love the church.

Here are Bible Verses on the Church

“And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.”
Matthew 16:17 (NKJV)

“I was glad when they said unto me,
Let us go into the house of the LORD.”
Psalm 122:1 (KJV)

“Peter was therefore kept in prison, but constant prayer was offered to God for him by the church.”
Acts 12:5 (NKJV)

“Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”
Acts 20:28 (NKJV)

“And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church”
Ephesians 1:22 (NIV)

“His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms”
Ephesians 3:10 (NIV)

“And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”
Colossians 1:18 (NIV)

“Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church.”
Colossians 1:24 (NIV)

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless”
Ephesians 5:25-27 (NIV)

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching”
Hebrews 10:25 (KJV)

22 Compelling Reasons why I love church

1) There is a dimension of God that you can only get in community

Matthew 18:20
For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them.”

I love the presence of God here at church

What if we principally meet God in community?

The famous Lords Prayer – the Disciples say – teach us how to pray

Matt 6

OUR Father…….

Jesus was saying you meet God by coming to him as the God of Community

2) Keeps the influence of society’s deification of the individual at bay – as I understand that I am part of the body of Christ

3) There is access to God’s power that is only found in the symphony of church

Matthew 18:19

“Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.

Agree = symphonia

4) The habit of going to church is a like bumper bowling – keeps me on the straight and narrow.

5) By being part of a church, I sit under Spiritual Authority – and I love that protection

“And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him
to be head over everything for the church”
Ephesians 1:22 (NIV)

6) Synergy of what the church does makes me feel good.

I love the missions that Nowra City Church is involved in. Certainly alot more than I could do as an individual – we people in the church give money to missions there is a synergy that comes that allows my finance to achieve more in terms of being a positive influence in the lives of others.

7) Feeds me spiritually

8) Helps me fulfil the 23 “one anothers” of the New Testament

List of One Another Commands from the New Testament.

8.1 Accept one another

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to

God. (Romans 15:7)

8.2 Admonish one another

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another

with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude

in your hearts to God. (Colossians 3:16)

8.3 Bear one another’s burdens

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

(Galatians 6:2)

8.4 Bear with one another

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

(Ephesians 4:2)

8.5 Build up one another

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual

“edification” (original=build up one another). (Romans 14:19)

8.6 Care for one another

…so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have

equal concern for each other. (1 Corinthians 12:25)

8.7 Comfort one another

Therefore encourage each other (original=comfort one another) with these words.

(1 Thessalonians 4:18)

8.8 Confess faults to one another

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may

be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)

8.9 Be Devoted to one another

Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. (Romans 12:10a)

8.10 Encourage one another

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are

doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 3:13)

8.11 Forgive one another

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ

God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

8.12 Greet one another

Greet one another with a holy kiss. (Romans 16:16; 1 Corinthians 16:20;

2 Corinthians 13:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:26)

8.13 Be Honest with one another

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices . . .

(Colossians 3:9)

8.14 Honor one another

Honor one another above yourselves. (Romans 12:10b)

8.15 Be Hospitable to one another

Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. (1 Peter. 4:9; Romans 12:13)

8.16 Be Kind to one another

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ

God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

8.17 Love one another

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another . . .

(Romans 13:8)

8.18 Members one of another

So in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the

others. (Romans 12:5)

8.19 Pray for one another

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may

be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)

8.20 Be of the Same Mind with one another

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity

among yourselves (original=same mind among each other) as you follow Christ

Jesus… (Romans 15:5)

8.21 Serve one another

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge

the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. (Galatians 5:13)

8.22 Spur one another on

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

(Hebrews 10:24)

8.23 Submit to one another

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
Hard to do this when you are doing church at home by yourself.

9) By loving the church, I love what God loves

Eph 5:25

²⁵ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

10) By being part of a church, I am involved in a 2000 year old relay race and right now I am carrying the baton, handed to me from my parents generation and I will hand it to my children’s generation.

11) Church is fantastic for my children

I love seeing my children being involved in church. I love seeing them be committed to God and his mission for the world.

12) Great friendships – church is a great place to be loved and encouraged.

Some of my closest friendships have come out of my involvement in churches, in Picton as I was growing up, in Wollongong, Brisbane and Nowra.

13) I love being in church as they affords me the opportunity To pray and be prayed for

14) To break bread together in the Lord’s supper as we remember Christ’s death and resurrection

15) I love the opportunities to To serve and build humility around my life

I have been involved in churches all my life and I have had a serving role since about the age of 10. I love contributing to people’s lives and spiritual journey’s in this manner

16) I love church because it provide a base for me to be able to teach great life principles to my children

i. Others

ii. Spirituality

iii. Serving

17) Church is fun and at times entertaining.

18) I find church inspiring

Because we need an alternative to the constant messages of a culture that ignores God

19) I love church because  I honour God when I come to church

Exodus 20:8-10

⁸ Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

⁹ Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

¹⁰ But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God:

20) I love sowing my money into something that is bigger than me and that has eternal consequences.

21) I love being involved in a church wide organism where membership provides an instant connection

Doesn’t matter where I am in the world – meet another Christian and there is an instant connection.

22) I love coming to church and knowing that I am being obedient to God.

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching”
Hebrews 10:25 (KJV)

So there you go – that is why I love the church.

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Categories: Church related, Nowra City Church

Tags: Compelling reasons to love the local church, Do you love the local church, Loving Nowra City Church, Peter Pilt speaks about the local church., Why I love the church, Why Love church