The Importance of a Home Church
ICS Daily Devotions
God is a God of order, and He has put in place an order and a system for the church to function effectively and efficiently. Sadly, recent findings by research done by Barna show that many pastors are burnt out or on the verge of it, with 46% of pastors under the age of 45 and 34% of those who are 45 or older saying they are considering quitting full-time ministry.
One of the key challenges faced by local pastors in this day and age is the easy access to many kinds of teaching on the Internet. Knowingly or unknowingly, church members come to church for worship, but they have lost their respect for the local pastor due to comparison with the world-acclaimed preachers that they read or hear online, and some may even start to criticise the local pastor. These criticisms can greatly discourage the pastor contributing to their burnout.
Due to the pandemic, many Christians have stopped attending church altogether and opted for online church services. It is unhealthy for them because their choice will be based on what is palatable to them. As for the body of believers, there are two dangers. First, the local church will suffer from a drop in attendance, and second, no proper pastoral care will be shown to those who don’t commit to a local church. Not only does this send a message to their children that church is a last priority, but they also will not know who to call for pastoral care when they encounter an emergency, marital issues, or any other need that arises.
When you relocate or repatriate, many of you may visit different churches to choose the most suitable one. Here are some tips. You should listen to what God has called the church to do in the community and check out the different ministries in the church to know whether they cater to the needs of your family. More importantly, you need to check whether the church is sound biblically through the preaching of the Word. If you can worship God, serve in the church, be ministered to by the different ministries, and grow through the teaching of the Word, you should stay in that church!
One last important consideration is whether you can have respect for the Lead or Senior Pastor because if you are unhappy with them, you will not receive the Word of God from the pulpit ministry. Finally, if you do decide to stay with the local church and identify it as your home church, you should be a strong advocate of what God has called the church to do by aligning your words and actions with the home church.
Sermon Series: The Pastor
