Church On T.V?

Hmmmm.  That is a good question.  I remember I was out witnessing and I attempted to share the Gospel with a young lady.  I asked my normal question, “where do you feel you are spiritually?” and she answered the way people who normally would answer who have tasted what the Lord have done for them.  I then asked do she attend church often, which she responded in the negative.  When I invited her to visit my church, she was not interested.  She began to say she is tired of the hypocrites who are in church and the no good pastors and so on and so on.  Then she said she did not need to go to the church because she can watch church on the television.  I then asked her what was her favorite sermon that was preached on the television.  Well, that ended our conversation.

Some people feel that it isn’t necessary to go to church to know God.  So, is going to church necessary?  The right answer is anyone who wants a deeper and personal relationship with God would make it their necessity to be there.  One can know about God by looking at nature.  One can know about God by studying the human anatomy.  One can know about God by staring at the starry sky at night.  But to have a true relationship with God, and to see evidence of His love for us by way of His son Jesus Christ, they would have to go to church and hear the word preached.  The bible states “let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.  And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”  Amen!

            When we see commercials for Six Flags, we may get excited seeing the roller coasters and we may even imagine how it might feel to ride one, but we will not experience the thrill until we are physically on it.  When we see commercials advertising these beautiful cars, it may look good, and we may even imagine how it drives, but we will get a better idea when we are physically in the driver’s seat.  The same applies to watching people have church on T.V.  The worship and praise will not be the same.  There is no fellowship with other believers.  You may need to receive prayer; are you going to call into the network and have them say a prayer for you through the flat screen? No, you need the spiritual hands of the shepherd to be placed on your head as he utters words of power to reach heaven by petitioning on your behalf.  You need the congregation touching and agreeing that it will be done.  T.V. does not offer that.

            When you are at home and not surrounded by the anointing power of God fearing people, the devil will find ways to disrupt you hearing of an undisturbed word.  It may come in the form of a phone call.  It may come in the form of noise outside your apartment door or window.  It may come as a knock on the door.  Oh yes, the enemy will find a way to disrupt you receiving any kind of deliverance.  When you are at home watching sermons, the preachers are going to put their best foot first.  You will only hear the feel good messages.  You may need to hear that message that cut through that mess you are engaging in.  You may need to hear a word that brings forth conviction, but at the same time lift you up. 

            Is going to church necessary?  Absolutely!  The world offers things that will only lead one to destruction.  However the church reminds us of the promises God has for His children.  The church teaches us good worshipping habits.  We are able to gauge ourselves with other believers and see where we are failing and receive the help to make us better.  I may be biased; however the church is the best thing that happened in my life.  It was because of the church and the people how I learned I was living in darkness and had to be brought into the light.  Oh thank you Jesus for your church.  Amen!