I Have This Friend…Who Doesn’t Think Going To Church Matters | I Have This Friend, Part 4

 I Have This Friend…Who Doesn’t Think Going To Church Matters | I Have This Friend, Part 4

What does my friend believe, think, or feel…

Hypocrisy

Judgmental Attitudes

Irrelevant

Previous hurts and hangups

Lack of time

Carey Nieuwhof highlights 10 reasons for a decrease in church attendance in our culture:

1. Affluence (more money, more options)

2. Higher Focus on Kids’ Activities

3. Blended and Single-Parent Families

4. Online options

5. The Cultural Disappearance of Guilt

What does the Bible have to say….

The Church is the Body of Christ…

Ephesians 1:22-23

And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,

which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

Ephesians 5:27

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

The Church is a family of believers…

Ephesians 2:19

Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people

and also members of his household

John 1:12

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children

of God, The Church is the gathering of God’s people…

Hebrews 10:24-25

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to

meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you

see the Day drawing near.

2

Acts 2:42

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of

bread and the prayers.

Why did Jesus establish the church?

1. For God’s glory

2. For our benefit & sanctification

3. For the hope of the world

2 Corinthians 5:17-20

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the

new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us

the ministry of reconciliation; 19 that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not

counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.

20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us.

How do I have meaningful conversations with this friend…

1. Express your concern for them

2. Tell them why you love your church

3. Invite them to join you

4. Share Biblically why church matters

• Communicate the benefit of fellowship

• Communicate the joy of worship

• Communicate the importance of discipleship

• Communicate the significance of their contribution

• Communication the responsibility of evangelism

5. Keep loving them…sometimes it takes time

What is one prayer that I can consistently pray for them…

“Lord, help my friend who claims to be part of the Body see the beauty, function, and

significance of the church. Remove any obstacles or excuses they may have for gathering

together with the rest of their church family”

What next step do I need to take…

1. Set the example

2. Offer to go with them

3. Be a resource for your friend