One thing I love about attending worship programs at Church is that it forces me to do things I would not do naturally.

Every week, it forces me to spend an hour or two focused on God.

Every week, it forces me to spend time with other believers.

Every week, it forces me to sing or at least listen to songs that give glory to God.

Every week, it forces me to pray or at least listen to other people pray.

Every week, it forces me to hear scripture read out loud and then have someone explain it.

Every week, it forces me to evaluate my actions, ponder my motives, and improve my relationships, including those with God.

Do I love attending Church programs? Honestly, not always.

Do I always walk away with a heart, mind, and soul filled with a love for God? Honestly, not always.

But when I am a part of these gatherings, I open up myself to the things of God that I do not do any other day of the week in the same way. My struggle is that the rest of the week, I adjust according to my feelings. I sing, pray, and read when I feel like it. However, being a part of a group of people pushes me to do things that I do not feel comfortable with.

I need a reminder that God deserves my praise even when I do not feel like giving it. God is all-powerful, and I pray because of his sovereignty, not my feelings. I focus on him because I am a mess, and he can make sense of it all, even when I don’t want to.

Church forces me in directions I often do not want to go, but I am thankful for it, as odd as it sounds.

My wife and I went to the Sight and Sound Theater in Branson, Missouri, to watch their production of the play “Miracle of Christmas.” It is the backstory of the birth of Jesus set to music, singing, and dancing.

The man who sat next to us began to tell us that his son was in the show. He loved the performing arts and went to college with the purpose of joining the theater. The man then went on to explain that there is an audition for every show and that the more than 300 paid employees take their jobs very seriously.

I saw this illustrated when the show began. I watched the opening scene with curiosity as over 50 performers filled the stage and acted out Mary and Joseph’s betrothal to one another. As I gazed on, I began to notice three men on a balcony during the scene, and I could not take my eyes off them. They were up to the left above all the others, but they were also a little hidden by the staging. I am not sure how many people could even see them, but I observed that each one of them acted, sang, and danced as if they were center stage. Every one of them, including the third townsperson in green who was almost hidden by a pole, gave their full effort to the scene. What makes the productions of the Sight and Sound Theater so captivating is that every single person, no matter how small their part, works with all their ability.

I could not help but mentally note that for the Church to be all that God wants it to be, every person who is a part of the body of Christ must give a full effort to their role. We often focus our attention on the people who are on center stage, like the preacher or the worship leaders, but if other people don’t serve or give a full effort, the whole thing falls apart.

Your part in the drama of God’s redemption of the world may only be the third townsperson, but know that someone is watching you. And your contribution is vital to the whole production.

Numerous people have told me their story of faith, and I hear a similar phrase. Somewhere in their sharing of events, they say, “Then (fill in the blank) happened.”

The blank can be anything. Then, they found cancer. Then I got the phone call that Dad was gone. Then, my spouse left me. Then I lost my job. There are hundreds of events that hit people unexpectedly and knock them down emotionally.

Then, the fantastic part of the story is that they turned to faith. They went to Church for the first time. Someone prayed with them or served them in the name of Jesus. Their eyes were opened to the goodness of God in their darkest moment.

The good news is that God can use even the most terrible situations to draw people closer to him. It may be difficult to see that in your current circumstance, but the gospel truly does create light at the end of every tunnel if we choose to see it.

I heard someone describe Christmas as receiving a set of 3D glasses when you have only lived in a 2D world, and I thought it was a perfect description.

When Jesus comes, suddenly, you see the Old Testament differently as our Faithful God brings his blessing of grace into the world.

When Jesus comes, you understand God as loving and compassionate, not only as wrath and vengeance.

When Jesus comes, you understand that sin can be defeated and death removed.

When Jesus comes, you see the life God desires, which is illustrated clearly in everything Jesus does.

When Jesus comes, the light of the world shines into every corner, and the value of every human is highlighted.

Jesus adds dimension, color, and warmth to a world that was formerly flat, gray, and cold. That mighty work begins on page one of Jesus’ story. His birth ushers in a new way of viewing the world and changes our perspective on everything.

Why do I celebrate Christmas? Because it pulls back the cover of this world and begins to reveal God in a new and loving way.

Every week, I have to sit down with my sermon and say, “What am I assuming these people know about the Bible?”

Do the people I am speaking to know what an Ephesian is or why they have a letter? Do they even know there are two testaments? Do they know who the Apostle Paul is?

What do I, as a preacher and teacher, assume others know when I am speaking to them?

If I am speaking to a group of Christians, I might start by saying, “Take out your Bibles.”

If I am speaking to non-Christians, I might start with a story that raises an issue many people struggle with today. Then say, “There was once a guy who lived in the first century who struggled with that very issue, and he wrote to some Christians who lived in the city of Ephesus. Let us open our New Testament that is, the second half of your Bible, to the letter named Ephesians.”

This also applies to the conversations you have every day with people about faith as well. We tend to assume that other people know the things we know, and that is seldom true. When we do this, we build up walls in our communication caused simply by a lack of understanding, not a rejection of content.

One rule I try to use when talking about things of faith to anyone is to assume they know nothing about religion or the Bible and start there. That way, you are always sure you are on the same page.

I do not feel like God is doing great things because I am a special tool in his toolbox.

God is doing great things through me in spite of me.

I firmly believe that is how he wants it. The goal of my life is not for people to say, “I want to be like him.” Instead, it is for people to say, “I want to worship his God.”

If God can lead people to a relationship with him through MY emotions, insecurities, anger, frustration, ignorance, and mistakes, then he can use anyone for his glory.

Great things happen in the hands of a master builder; the tools are irrelevant.

To truly understand people, you will have to invest enough time into them to learn their backstory.

If you knew how her parents treated her, her depressed attitude would not surprise you anymore.

If you knew how his first wife spoke to him, you would understand his constant anger.

If you knew about the cancer he survived ten years ago, it would be clear why he was such a grateful person.

If you knew about her multiple miscarriages, maybe you would understand her absolute love for working with babies.

Instead of spending your time and energy trying to figure them out, psychoanalyzing them, or gossiping about them, it is far more productive to get to know them and their backstory. Maybe then you will come to appreciate them and understand their actions just the way people have done with you.

We like the idea of growth. We enjoy talking about sharing Jesus and the good feeling that comes when someone makes their confession of faith and is baptized. But at a certain point, for most people, we would rather our Church stay the same size it is today.

We start attending a place of worship, and something about it “clicks” with us. We like the music, the people are friendly, and we enjoy the sense of connection to this community. Often, we can walk right up to our pastor and talk to him, invite him over to visit, and have him at our beck and call for all things Church related. We can use the building whenever we like for whatever we like. We can share our insights on what we enjoy and want at a Church, and other people will agree, value our opinions, and make adjustments.

Then, when a Church crests over 250 in average attendance, everything changes. EVERYTHING.

It is too great of a change for most people. Many quit and search for another small Church which feels more comfortable.

The Church we once loved now has people we do not know. The pastor is not always available. Building use has to be scheduled, and restrictions must be applied. Worship changes. No longer is everything comfortable the way it once was to us, and our opinions no longer seem to have the value they once did.

One of the biggest challenges for Churches is to keep reaching new people despite the displeasure of the Christians who attend currently. The biggest hurdle to a Church reaching new people with faith is often moving past the comfort level of its members.

It is a strange thing to recognize, but liking the “idea” of a Church reaching lots of new people is not the same thing as actually wanting your Church to do it.

Two things determine the longevity of your walk with Jesus.

1. Your Habits. Do you pray daily? Do you participate in worship weekly? Do you read your Bible regularly? How often do you serve, give, and fellowship with other believers? Every person I have met with a vibrant faith has developed habits that feed their soul.
2. Your Relationships. Do the people around you push you to grow in your walk of faith? If your friends do not have regular spiritual habits, the chances significantly increase that you will not have them either. If those around you have a “lukewarm” faith, then so will you. Do the people in your life inspire you to greater faith or reduce you to weaker faith? Show me the people who are closest to you in life, and I will be able to predict the long-term vibrancy of your convictions.

People are always looking for quick fixes to their spiritual life through the latest book or teacher. I believe the strongest Christians are the result of keeping good habits and developing quality relationships that help them grow closer to Jesus with time.