Today my heart is full of so many things concerning our commitment to Christ and His Church. I want to talk to you openly about who we are and what Jesus has called us to do.

At our church in Moscow, the first Sunday of the month is always the biggest crowd we have. Do you know what that tells me? It tells me there is a great number of people who only attend our church once a month. These people are not truly committed to our church.

Now, many people faithfully come to our church as often as they’re able. But people who have a pattern of attending church only once a month show that there is a serious problem in their lives. Their commitment to Christ is not complete. And if going to church once a month is the length of your commitment to Christ, you need to repent from fostering this kind of attitude toward the things of God in your life.

I see this attitude on Sunday mornings when I preach too. Some people are not interested. Sometimes they are a little sleepy — especially in the first service — and I have to push so hard to engage them that it feels like I’m pushing through sludge. This happens because we’re not all coming together with hearts that are full of expectation, ready to encounter God.

 Don’t Get Comfortable

In the 1940s and ’50s, there was a great move of healing power in the United States. Pentecostals came together and held these big, big meetings in tents. People sat in rickety chairs and whatever else they could find — it was a very primitive environment. But the people were just filled with expectation! They were ready for the power of God to move among them.

Then in the ’70s and ’80s, that move of God became sophisticated. The meetings moved out of tents into big, beautiful buildings. And over time, the people became comfortable and complacent. Eventually, the power of God went away.

Was the power of God the problem? No — the people became more comfortable and less expectant. The seats were comfortable. The lights were nice. The buildings were beautiful. And people didn’t have to be inconvenienced or fight to be there the way they once did.

Today we are facing a similar problem. We have to be very careful not to “fall asleep” in the presence of God. It’s not enough for us to just be satisfied. When we gather together, we must continue pressing into His presence.

Raise the Bar

So what does Christ expect of us?

Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us, “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 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.”

We are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. This is what the Bible says.

The word “manner” in verse 25 is the Greek word for habit, meaning there were people who made a habit of not meeting with other believers. It was not a priority in their lives.

Somebody might say, “Well, Rick, I can’t come to church every week.” I understand that is very true at times. But people who regularly do not come or who show up only on the first Sunday of the month, have developed a habit of not coming. They’re not committed to the Church. And the truth is, they’re not committed to the Lord because your commitment to the Lord is revealed in your commitment to His Church.

We are not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. This is what the Bible says.

When the apostle John turned to see Jesus, as recorded in Revelation 1, what did he see first? He saw the seven golden candlesticks, which represent the Church (see Revelation 1:12). And standing in the midst of the seven candlesticks was Jesus (see v. 13). Christ and His Church are inseparable. And how you treat the Church is how you treat Christ.

Where Are You, Church? 

Today I’m speaking to those who are only a part of their local church every once in a while. I’m telling you, it’s time for you to come home. God is calling you to make a deeper commitment to Him and to His Church.

And today I’m also speaking to the people who come every week, who faithfully give their tithe and serve in the church, because He’s calling all of us — me included — to participate with all of our hearts, expecting Him to do something among us.

When we come together, we need to connect with the worship, connect with the Word of God that is preached, and pray with might. And as we are faithful to do this, God will show up in our meetings!

God is calling us to a new and better place, spiritually. Are you ready to go there?

We are more than this — we are the people of God! We are the Kingdom of God. We have a King who conquered death! And we have a Lord who is coming for us again! We ought to demonstrate that this is who we are, especially when we’re together. That is what Jesus is calling us to do.

A Message from Rick Renner