Why Do I Go to Church?

Taken from http://www.heartlight.org
by Sarah Stirman

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Newsflash: I don't go to church to worship God.

Oh, I DO worship God when I go, but if MY church were going to be all about ME and MY best way to worship God, MY church would only have ME in attendance, and I would be outside somewhere talking with and worshipping God. I have had the privilege and responsibility of being in on some discussion about "worship planning" recently. I finally told the group: "Not gonna happen — you will NEVER plan a worship service that is perfect for me, or anyone else for that matter. I don't worship best in 'the pink room' (what I call our horribly outdated auditorium)."

Besides not lovin' the setting for "corporate worship," I'm generally busy. I interpret services for the deaf. That means I'm HEARING what is said and sung and prayed, but I can only process it in the part of my brain that translates it into another language, not the part that absorbs it and lets it transform me or reflect praise to our Father. Even when I'm not "working" by interpreting, I'm "feeding" signs to the person who is interpreting. (The very funny part about our deaf ministry is that we are positioned in the auditorium where the speakers shoot the sound over us — the interpreters can't hear a thing where we are!) Again, even if being surrounded by hundreds of people were my "thing" for worship, I'm a little occupied.

But, I do GO to church: I'm one of those "every-time-the-doors-are-open" kind of people. (I'm also one of those "last-ones-leaving-because-they're-turning-off-the-lights," but that's a whole other issue.) Even though I am openly professing to not attend church for the number one cited reason for attending, I think it is a crucial part of my faith and "Christian walk." I'm also teaching that to my children. My children know where we will be "every-time-the doors-are-open," and they know we don't plan events or things that would interfere with our attending.

So ... you GO to church, but you don't go to church to worship God? HUH?

So, why do I go to church?

I actually started thinking about all of this for several reasons. First, the church where I worship has started making an intentional difference in our two morning services. The second service is "less traditional" in nature. And our "more traditional" service is struggling over some bumps of its own. This, as you might imagine if you are a regular attender somewhere, has ruffled a few feathers and created some exciting end-of-the-pew discussion. I have also been included in some committee discussions regarding planning worship. Our "corporate worship" time has been on my mind lately.

Someone is unhappy with the song choices ... or song tempo ... or song leader. Others aren't happy with the screens or temperature or preacher or what-have-you. And — true confessions — I'm right there with them in many regards. As I mentioned — you can't plan a perfect worship for me, especially if there are people involved!

While all of this ha-rumphing was fresh on my mind, I sat down and encountered notes from a worship conference I attended last summer. This was on the top page:

Evaluating worship based on doing the right things in the right way or 'did it make me feel good' is having low expectations. Instead, evaluate worship on whether or not God showed up. There is NO worship renewal without expecting to meet the Almighty God. (Randy Harris)

That quote makes me feel better about not feeling like I am really able to worship at church. Oh, I feel certain the Almighty God is THERE — but I am only able to worship Him by serving His people while in "the assembly," not by chatting with Him and listening to Him. The best part is, I'm not missing my time with God if I don't get it inside the church building. The Almighty God shows up to talk to me and walk beside me on my morning walk. He listens so patiently while I fold the clothes. He blesses us again and again while I pray over carpool. My entire life — SHOULD I CHOOSE TO DO SO — can be a time of worship, complete with the presence of the Almighty God. Because He will ALWAYS show up — I just have to show up, as well.

And while the songs sung or words said and images displayed at church may or may not stir my soul, I can still worship because I will be in the presence of the Almighty God.

May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice (Psalm 141:2).

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I will be in the presence of the Almighty God.

Sarah is part of The Coffee Group, a varied group of women who express their love, faith, and praise for God with ladies they love. They do ladies' retreats and special speaking on God's work in their lives, as well as the importance of sharing your faith story.

Check out their website:
http://www.thecoffeegroup.net

Come visit them on their blog:
http://www.espressohislove.blogspot.com

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Charlotte's Thoughts

It's true. I sometimes forget too, how to expect God's presence in church.

We get distracted by so much "works" (programs, quality of music, people attending, pastor's message depth, etc) that we lose the meaning of the church and why we go to church.

Let's pull our minds back to God's way of thinking...

Let's go back to wanting to meet God, face to face.

It's Almost The End of the Year... again

Here we are, in September, with another 3 months to December 25th.

How time flies...

I just remembered how we went door-to-door caroling last year. And how we were at shopping complexes the previous year in 2006. It's already 2008 and here we are, still wondering what to do for this Christmas.

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Now, I need to sit myself down and wonder, what IS the purpose we try to do so much during Christmas every year?

What is the meaning of Christmas IF we don't do all that we do every year.

What if we didn't do a single thing this year?

Or what if we did something ELSE other than what we did last year and the year before that?

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Before I go into a round of stressful rantings, let's just talk about the birth of Jesus.

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Jesus was born. Jesus is the reason we are called Christians.

Then with the birth of Jesus, I want to only mention two main reasons for Christmas:

Firstly...
To remember how God sent His one and only Son - that whoever would believe in Jesus, will have eternal life.

Secondly...
To show the world about God's love, joy, peace and His power and majesty.

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The first point is on salvation.

We're so engrossed with the politics within the country and we get so worked up at our countries leaders, we tend to forget that the same things are happening right next to us.

We have our own politics in our office, in our homes, in the church and even with our neighbours.

Sometimes, we choose to rave and rant about the 'bigger macro picture' because we don't want to deal with our more personal issues.

But then, it's not everyone who is like that.

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The second point covers basically who GOD is.

"I AM WHO I AM" (Exodus 3:14)

Christmas is the one time, for our church, to reach out to our community.

It doesn't seem like much. But it's something. So we can't take it away at all, or else we will have nothing.

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We are the body of Christ, many parts.
(excerpt from 1 Corinthians 12:12)

This is my prayer:


Dear Lord,

Let us all remember our roles as part of Your body and with Christ as the head. If we think ourselves as without a function or talent, I pray you help us know it's not how much we can do, but that You see our hearts and desire to serve You and glorify You.

Let the Christmas 2008 be a time where we can fully make known who God is.

In Jesus' name we pray...
Amen.


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Find - Feel - Found

"His purpose in all of this was that the nations should seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him – though he is not far from any one of us."

[Acts 17:27 NLT]

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Have you ever had the occasion when you felt like God was not by your side and you were all alone trying to tackle the problem?

The above puts it such that you 'feel' your way towards Him and 'find' Him.

The NKJV puts it as:
"so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us"
(italics and bold mine)

Grope? Find? Are you lost? Were you lost?

Grope comes to mind of being in the dark. Being in a place you can't see. So you need to grope your way around until you find the switch and turn on the lights.

So the lights and switch is ALWAYS there. It didn't suddenly move while you were finding your way or while you were out of the room.

God is a permanent fixture! He's not going anywhere.

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while in the dark
    i couldn't quite see
        where i was heading to
  where the road led

but i knew in my heart
      there is no fear
          for you are near
    and you are there beside me

  my heart. my soul, my mind
          they are comforted
    to know that you are near
to know that i am safe

Father's Love - A Recap

The 3-day rally was truly a reminder for me. A reminder that we are all God's children and no matter what we have done, He will run towards us with open arms and embrace us home.

Luke 15:11-32 - THE PRODIGAL SON

The prodigal son runs off and gets himself all poor and dirty. His very rich and powerful father sees him come home and runs to his son who previously 'demanded' for his inheritance.

The forgiveness and love a Father has for His children cannot be measured.

He never fails to tell you that it is because of His love that you were created. We often 'degrade' ourselves and with all our sins and wrongs and all-that-is-bad, we reject ourselves, hence, think that God rejects us as well.

Our view of God the Father is directly affected by our view of our earthly father.

Was your father the fierce, authoratative type? Or was he never around the house? Or was he someone who never provided for the home?

How you see your earthly dad will be - unconciously - how you see God your heavenly Father.

Hence, you need to know more about God your Father is a closer sense.

1. Father God is love. (John 3:16)

Zephaniah 3:17
The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing."


2. He waits for you. (Luke 15:20)

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

3. He provides for you. (Luke 15:22)

"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.


God has a home for us, waiting for us. Our stay here on earth is just a 'passing through'. It's temporary. We will always be dissatisfied with what we have - because we were made for more than what is here and now.

God's fatherly love is what drives and motivates us to worship Him.

Only with the Father's love, will we be able to fully love others as ourselves. It's a chain reaction.

Church of the Good Shepherd - An Introduction

COGS Christmas Presentation 2006 @ City Square Johor Bahru

Church of the Good Shepherd started in 1993, as a small service with a congregation of about 20 people. Services were held at St Christopher's Church in JB until we shifted out to hold services in a bungalow.

Services were mainly in Mandarin, although there were a few members who were english-speaking. However, we started off as a chinese church. After being in the bungalow for a few months, the church shifted to the first floor of a shoplot.

The church started growing to about 80 people within the first 5 years.

The church was at Jalan Kuning for many years, until we bought a two storey shoplot at Taman Kebun Teh at about 5 years ago, which was fully renovated to suit our growing needs.

This is where we are now and we currently have about 200+ members and we also have an Iban church at Seri Alam that has about 300+ members.

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We're an Anglican church with a flair.

We have three service on Sunday:

9:00am - Chinese Service (where it's purely in Mandarin)

11:00am - Bilingual Service (in Mandarin and English)

6:00pm - English Service

Our services all start with a time of praise & worship and we usually have a full band playing for all three services.

God has been good to us and we truly have seen His hand at work throughout these 15 years.

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I have personally been in this church since they started and it has been a blessing to me to be able to see the growth of the church not only in numbers but also in the number of lives that God has touched through this church.

We may not be perfect, but we strive to do as God would want us to and we are not ashamed to say that we will continue to need and depend on God's love, grace and mercy.

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Drop by one Sunday and look for Charlotte. I'll shake your hand!

I go for the 11am service...


God is I AM.

HAVE YOU REGISTERED?

Dear all,

Have you registered for the Family Church Camp 2008?

Venue: Kuantan

Staying at: Grand Continental Hotel

Dates: 30 May - 1 June 2008

Speaker: Pastor Douglas Koh

Camp Fees: RM150 per adult / RM80 per child (5 - 12 yrs old)

Bus Coach Fees: RM60 per person

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We have ended up thinking about church camps in terms of fun and enjoyment.

We have forgotten that church camps are meant as a 'getaway' from our daily routines, to get closer to God, our Father.

See you there!!!