Fruitful Living
10 reasons we should attend church
“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.” – Hebrews 10:25
INTRODUCTION
Church is not a place to go, rather it is a living body where God wants you to become a part––for your good and His glory.
Let’s look at only 10 of many reasons to go to church––even when we don’t feel like it.
1. TO HEAR THE PREACHING OF THE WORD
If the word of God is quick, powerful and sharper than a sword (Hebrews 4:12), then hearing the preaching of Scripture is vital to our spiritual well-being.
If we are physically unable to attend church, watching it on television or online is a wonderful resource. This allows us to stay in communion with our church family, learning what they are learning, and growing as they grow.
The Word of God:
- Penetrates hearts and transforms lives.
- Calls sinners to repentance.
- Encourages the downtrodden.
- Inspires the Lord’s servants to love and serve Christ Lights the way God would have you go
2. TO PARTICIPATE IN CORPORATE WORSHIP
Worshiping God alone is wonderful, but nothing can replace the beauty of coming together corporately to worship Him with others who also have His Spirit in them through the redeeming work of salvation.
Worshiping God comes as a response to our humble gratitude for His love for us. Knowing God and His character as revealed in Scripture will stir in His children a heart of thankfulness that is expressed in worship that brings Him glory––rather than a self-serving emotional experience. The Spirit causes true worshipers to long to come together with other believers to honour Christ.
3. BECAUSE IRON SHARPENS IRON – Proverbs 27:17
Meeting regularly with other believers is a source of encouragement and strength. But know this: when iron rubs against iron, not only does it become sharper, it causes also parks!
God uses our interactions with others to show us the areas He would have us repent and turn to reflect more the image of His Son. Working alongside Christians in a church fellowship is a wonderful way to grow our love for God and for others. And it is also God’s way of showing us areas He wants to mature our walk with Christ.
4. TO EXERCISE OUR GIFT
From preaching to encouraging, hospitality to administration, God equips His children with gifts to serve Christ. When a church body is healthy, its members realise they are part of the congregation not only to receive but also to be a blessing.
5. TO ENCOURAGE OUR PASTOR
“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now… And it is right for me to feel this way about you all for I hold you in my heart” – Philippians 1:3-7. Can’t we just hear Paul’s affection for these precious people who partnered with him in spreading the glorious gospel of grace?
In the same way, when we become a partner in ministry with our pastor we bring joy to his heart, grow his love for us and cause him to joyfully thank God for our faithful service to Christ.
6. TO FIND GODLY MENTORS
In church we discover many people who have walked the road ahead of us. Their wisdom, insights, and even vulnerability to teach us from their mistakes is one way God provides to help us grow. Titus chapter 2 is a great place to learn how much God values mentorship. It is His plan for the older men and women to come alongside of the younger to train them in godliness, and guide them toward building a life of no regrets.
7. TO TEACH OUR CHILDREN TO LOVE THE CHURCH
If we want to teach our children to love God, they need to see that we love God too. And if we want them to learn to love God’s people, they have to observe us loving God’s people. Luke 6:40 says the student will become like his teacher. Notice Jesus didn’t say the student will become as the teacher teaches him to be, rather he will be like his teacher.
8. TO BE A LIGHT TO OUR COMMUNITY
When we commit to loving God and loving others, the light shining from our Christ-honouring love is what the Spirit can use to draw others to know Jesus.
When God’s people commit to fiercely love one another by covering sins with love and readily forgiving one another, their love will be a light that shines brightly in a crooked and perverse generation. Let it begin with us.
9. TO BEAR EACH OTHER’S BURDENS
Galatians 6:2 teaches us to bear each other’s burdens to fulfill the law of Christ. In a moment everything can change. Just when things are going great, a phone call, diagnosis, or a host of other mishaps can leave you feeling afraid and alone. But to those who are a part of a church family never feel alone. When life is going great, they have the affirmation of others. And when life throws a curve, they’re blessed by loving concern, support, and prayer.
10. BECAUSE GOD SAYS TO
Hebrews 10:25 says, “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.” I don’t think the writer of Hebrews could make any more clear God’s desire to have us regularly assemble together with His people. Realise that God wanting us to regularly attend church is for our good. He wants us, and His people, to exhort one another especially as the days grow darker and the time of Christ’s return approaches.
CONCLUSION
I remember one man from China explaining how they had to sing hymns no louder than a whisper for fear they would be discovered. Discovery would mean physical abuse, their children and possessions seized, and imprisonment––yet still they met together. Their story should stir our hearts to see the value and incredible privilege we have to meet openly together to worship God and hear the preaching of the Word.
I pray the Holy Spirit stirs in us a zeal and commitment to meet together with God’s people to praise Him, love others, and shine brightly the hope of Christ to a generation who is desperate to believe that what we say we believe is true––is in fact true.
Stay blessed!
For further inquiries please contact us on Tel Nos. 0302-772013 or 0268130615
Email: saltnlightministries@gmail.com
Website: saltandlightministriesgh.org
Fruitful Living
The Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah: The Islamic framework for addressing contemporary social challenges
In the Name of Allah, The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds. We send peace and blessings upon the noble Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), his family, his companions, and all those who stand for justice until the Day of Judgment.
Introduction
We live in an era of rapid social transformation. Technological advancement, urbanization, changing family structures, health crises, unemployment, moral decadence, drug abuse, cybercrime, and weakening social bonds have created enormous challenges for Muslim communities across the world. The Muslim Ummah in Ghana is not immune to these realities.
Islam is not merely a religion of rituals. Islam provides guidance for every aspect of life— spiritual, social, economic, educational, political and health-related.
Allah said in the holy Quran “We have neglected nothing in the Book.” (Qur’an 6:38).
Before discussing the practical challenges facing our communities today, it is important to understand that Islamic law was revealed to achieve specific objectives known as Maqāṣid al-Sharī’ah (The Higher Objectives of Islamic Law).
The great scholar, Imam Abu Ishaq al-Shatibi, explained that all Islamic laws aim at securing benefit (Maslahah) and preventing harm (Mafsadah).
The scholars have summarized these objectives into five fundamental necessities known as:
Hifz ad-Din (Protection of Religion)
Islam seeks to preserve faith, worship, Islamic identity and moral values.
Allah said, “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me.”
(Qur’an 51:56)
Therefore, strengthening Islamic education, supporting the mosque, preserving family values, and protecting the next generation from immoral influences are all means of preserving the Islamic religion identity.
Today, social media abuse, drug addiction, pornography, cybercrime, and moral decay threaten the faith of many Muslim youth. The Muslim Ummah must equip itself with sound Islamic knowledge to preserve its religious identity.
Hifz an-Nafs (Protection of Life)
One of the greatest objectives of Islam is the preservation of human life.”And do not kill yourselves. Indeed, Allah is Most Merciful to you.” (Qur’an 4:29)
This objective forms the basis for:
• Public health programmes
• Vaccination campaigns
• NHIS registration
• Hospital care
• Disease prevention
• Environmental sanitation
• Road safety
• Maternal and child healthcare
Every effort to save lives is an act of worship.
“Whoever saves a life, it is as though he has saved all mankind.” (Qur’an 5:32)
Throughout the Old Testament, God’s presence was associated with a particular location the Tabernacle and later the Temple. These sacred places represented the meeting point between heaven and earth.
But Pentecost changed everything
When the wind and fire entered the house where the disciples were gathered, God was revealing a new reality. His presence would no longer be confined to a building made by human hands.
The Temple was no longer merely a structure in Jerusalem.
The Temple had become a community of believers.
Every follower of Jesus would now become a dwelling place of God through the Holy Spirit.
This was a revolutionary truth. The overlap between heaven and earth was no longer limited to one geographical location. Wherever believers gathered and wherever the Spirit dwelt, God’s presence was manifested.
As the Apostle Paul later wrote: “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16).
Gods desire to dwell with his people
From the very beginning, God’s desire has always been to live among His people.
We see this desire in:
- The Garden of Eden
- The Tabernacle
- The Temple
Yet sin continually created separation between God and humanity. A holy God could not fully dwell among a sinful people without judgment.
But Jesus made a way.
Through His death and resurrection, Jesus dealt with the problem of sin once and for all.
John beautifully describes this truth: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
Because of Christ’s redemptive work on the cross, our sins are forgiven and we are reconciled to God. The Holy Spirit can now live within believers, making us the new temple of God.
To be continued!
Stay blessed!
Please note that the preaching programme on Sunny 88.7 FM – Tuesdays at 5:30 am has been temporarily put on hold. However, please continue to join us on Asempa 94.7 FM – Sundays at 5:30 am and YFM 107.9 – Sundays at 6:30 am for our Radio Bible Study, as well as on Sunny 88.7 FM every Sunday at 3:30 pm for Hymns and Their Stories.
By Rev Dr. Joyce
