You don’t have to live alone ...
No one likes to live completely alone. God built in all of us the need to be with people. It’s simply not healthy or fun to live entirely by ourselves. That’s why God designed the church. He wants Christians to live in community. The church provides a tremendous opportunity for us to grow up in our faith. It’s important for us to keep in mind that the church is not a building, but a group of people who have Christ in common. Groups of believers can meet anywhere. The place isn’t important -- the belonging is. That’s why the church is considered a community. Here are some of the major “themes” found in Scripture as to why churches exist and God’s design for them: 1) God doesn’t want us to live out our faith all alone. He designed the church to be like a family where a variety of believers with different experiences and circumstances meet together to support and encourage each other. 2) God created the church because He doesn’t want us to stay the same. In the right church our faith will grow and become stronger. As we grow, we will become more like Jesus than we are now. 3) God created the church so that we can celebrate what He has done for us. Without the church, it’s hard to keep focused on God and much easier to stay focused on ourselves. Celebrating and worshipping Him is a way for us to thank Him for all He has done. 4) God wants the church to make a difference in the world. The church is often called the “Body of Christ”. He uses the church to carry the good news of His love and salvation to those who are aching to hear it.