by Pastor John Kim

The hymn, “I Love Thy Kingdom Lord” by Timothy Dwight is one that I recall singing often when I attended Grace Community Church in my youth. I really loved going to church on Sundays. It was pretty much an all day affair – it really was the Lord’s Day, not the Lord’s hour and a half. I started attending in the summer before 9th grade and would go the main service, then the Sunday school service, then spend the afternoon with my small group, and then return to church for the evening service. I spent most of my high school years doing the same and then joined the junior high staff my first couple of years in college. So every Sunday was pretty full and I loved it. Sure, there were times when I was tired and sometimes there was some drama and challenges and even conflicts but it never crossed my mind to minimize being at church on Sundays.

Then I became a pastor. I quickly found out that many people didn’t share my enthusiasm to be at church. In fact, attending even just one service was enough for most people and if the sermon was too long or if the song selection was boring or if the snacks were stale, there was always a reason to complain or be critical and people would drop off in their attendance or just disappear.

I understand that many people have had disappointing and difficult church experiences. Believe me, I have had my share and I completely understand why some people would rather have nothing to do with the hypocrites, the legalistic Pharisees, the scammers, the creepers, and the host of other problematic people that make church not too attractive. Sadly, there are some churches that are devoid of the presence of God and that is the reason why it is not a good place to be.

But even in the best of churches where there is a commitment to worship God, a high view of Scripture, a mission to make disciples, a vision to plant churches, and a conviction to love God and people, why is it that there are still many who struggle in even regularly attending church and getting involved in the lives of the members?

Could it be that there is a simple and fundamental lack of love for the church? I think we all understand that there is no perfect church, that we are all sinners, and that we will have to face the reality of all the weaknesses and shortcomings and failures that any church would share. It is often surprising and even shocking at how indifferent and apathetic many professing Christians are toward the church. The mean-spirited and the hard-hearted emerge to crush and destroy people, all in the name of Christ. The refusal to forgive and reconcile, while dividing and fracturing the fellowship of believers instead, reaches epidemic levels at many churches; it is no surprise we see the departures of many not only from the church but even some from the faith.
I would like to encourage those who might be quick to point the finger at others and take a long hard look in the mirror and answer a few questions:

1. Are you loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37-40)?
2. Does the love of Christ control you (2 Corinthians 5:14-15)?
3. Are you kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving in the way Christ has forgiven you (Ephesians 4:31)?
4. Are you patient and kind in a way that bears all things, hopes all things, believes all things, and endures all things (1 Corinthian 13:4-7)?
5. Do you go to church with the deliberate and purposeful intention of stimulating others to love and good deeds and to encourage (Hebrews 10:24-25)?
6. Do you remember that Christ is the ultimate head of the church and that your heart attitude and conduct must first and foremost consider His glory?

Everyone will have reasons to find it difficult to love your church and yet we must consider how much we are either contributing to the difficulty or seeking to address the lack of love by choosing to love first before waiting to be loved by others. We are already loved (1 John 4:19) and so we are able to love. The stakes are high – we cannot say that we love God and hate our brother (1 John 4) and so we must all consider the accountability we have before God and His Word to carry out what is most basic and foundational to the Christian life. It also affects our testimony to the world as loving one another shows that we belong to Christ (John 13:34-35).

Do you love your church? I pray that you would indeed love your church with the love of Christ to His glory.