We are in the 5th message of the What Now series. This series has looked at topics regarding what is important for those who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior to be doing. We have talked about pleasing God, trusting God, loving God with our minds and the Holy Spirit’s role in a believer’s life.
This morning we are going to talk about the church. Why is the church so important? Why should you and I attend church? What is the value of the church?
I started to attend church six months before I came to faith in Jesus Christ as Savior. The church was foreign to me and I did not understand a lot about it. The church I attended was the Glezen General Baptist Church. Glezen is a little town in Pike County and Oakland City where I went to college and Petersburg were the only towns close to Glezen that had much population. Glezen is so small that it is not even registered in the census. My guess would be that the actual population of Glezen was 25-75 people when I attended church there in the early 1980’s. On a good Sunday the Glezen General Baptist Church would have 20-25 attendees. It was pastored by a retired army sergeant by the name of Leonard Blaize. I am for ever thankful that Leonard faithfully preached the gospel because I had never heard it. We would get together each Sunday and sing, pray, listen to a message and take up an offering. We would take communion once a month and take up special offerings to support missionaries occasionally. This was my initial experience with church and I am thankful that I had it.