Ephesians 4:11-13

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

The Thompson family is like so many other Christian families—they juggle a long list of obligations and just as many opportunities. Last weekend was typical: a soccer tournament, a recital, yard work, a dinner party, church, plus an invitation to go with friends up to the lake.

Why in situations like this do many Christians make the same choice the Thompsons made—to drop church from the weekend schedule of events? What does that say about our priorities and beliefs?

The New Testament is clear that the church—for all its faults—is God’s primary tool for growing us up in the faith. We need the church. It’s only as we gather regularly with other believers (see Hebrews 10:24-26) in study and worship that we are challenged to grow deeper.

The church also needs us. When we skip an opportunity to gather with other believers, they miss out on the unique gifts we have to offer.

GOD’S PROMISE TO ME:

• I give you spiritual leaders to equip you.

• I want to use you to help others grow, and use them to help you reach spiritual maturity.

MY PRAYER TO GOD:

The church is your plan, Lord, for accomplishing your will on earth. Forgive me for the times I’m critical of my own church. It’s not perfect, but neither am I. Help me to have a deeper appreciation for the way you have designed the body of Christ to work together. Amen.