Mike, the preacher of a local congregation thought he recognized a couple leaving at the end of worship one Sunday. Turns out it was his good friend Tom and his wife, from his high school days. “I’m so glad you and your wife decided to come to our church. Where have you been?” the preacher asked. “Well” Tom shared, “when I got my law degree, my wife and I joined the big church across town. It seemed like the smart thing to do. But the preacher there kept harping on faith, and we realized he was requiring more faith than we had. So we changed churches. But the new preacher demanded more service than we were willing to give. I’m a busy man. So last month we decided to connect with your church, and so far, we’ve gotten along great without faith OR service.
If church membership was determined by YOUR level of faith and hours of service, where would YOU stand? Did you become a member of the church because it was the respectable thing to do; what your mom and dad did; or because your friends attended? Or maybe you thought of it a social place where you could sit in the back, enjoy the service and leave when it is over to go out to eat or to go catch your favorite football or basketball game after service? What was your reason?
Ask yourself: Am I a Christian, or just a pew participant?
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (James 2:26)