Excited about Church

That's what makes church really exciting: we get to learn how to connect with the true and living God.

Several weeks ago, I was at a gathering of Christian leaders. We discussed about the upcoming generations of believers. Some lamented about how the next generations don't seem all that interested in "going to church" (this was from a North American context). I humorously pointed out that many in the current generation don't seem all that excited about church either. Just look at our faces on a Sunday morning. Very exciting indeed. We had a good laugh and we agreed that the current generation has much work to do in re-discovering the joy and excitement of being part of a church community. If we're not excited about church, can we really expect the next generations to be?

We can try to fix the "problem" by attempting to create better programs and activities that would interest the next generations. But honestly, how exciting can our programs be compared to television, sports leagues, extra-curricular activities, and video games? I don't think we can really "compete" on the level of entertainment. Something else will always be more entertaining.

Here's an insight that occurred to me while we continued discussing the topic. The church actually offers something that no other entity in the world offers: help and support in growing a relationship with God where people ultimately hear from God and are led by Him. We believe in a God who is real and who loves to speak to His children. Many simply don't know how to connect with Christ and actually hear from Him for themselves. That's where the church can step in and help.

The church helps and supports believers in connecting deeply with Christ so that they can hear from Him and be led by Him in their personal everyday lives. That's what makes church really exciting: we get to learn how to connect with the true and living God. I think the next generations would be excited about church if they witnessed real changes in their lives because of them personally hearing from God and obeying Him.

I find it incredibly exciting and satisfying to hear from God and receive instructions on a regular basis. I believe God knows what's best for my life. Wouldn't it be wise for me to seek His counsel every day? My daily times in prayer, Scripture, worship, and contemplation help me connect with God so that I can hear from Him for my own life. That's what we, Christian leaders, can really offer the next generations. We can help them cultivate their own relationships with Christ to the point where they, themselves, hear from God and are led by Him. I think they'll get really excited about Jesus and the church if they can start to see genuine changes in their lives because they've learned how to personally hear from the Lord for themselves.

Barnabas the Monastic

Servant of Christ. Husband. Dad. Modern Monastic. I have a wild ambition in life: get as close to the Lord Jesus Christ as I can while on earth. I explore and integrate ancient Christian monk wisdom in modern everyday life. Lives in Canada.