Why should people continue to be members of churches and not just Christ's followers?

Why should people continue to be members of churches and not just Christ's followers?

Church. That’s an interesting word; almost as confusing as the word “religion.” Everyone knows that a church is that building that they say you’re supposed to go to every Sunday. Or is it Saturday, those SEVENTH-day Adventists do have a logical argument plus they can sleep in the next day. And what about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Why The Church rather than A Church?

This is the deal followers of Christ are THE church. Political, evangelical, spiritual differences aside, those who choose to follow Christ are members of the church. Now membership at a place of worship, well really I suppose it’s the same reason you’d get a membership at gym; because there’s something there that you want. I won’t get a membership at a gym without a pool. Why? Because that’s what I want, sure cardio kickboxing classes are great, but that comes pretty standard, much like snack time (which as I grew older, turned out to be called “communion”). The reason we go every seven days is because back in the day after seven cycles (usually days) the promise was fulfilled and you were free or could renew the promise again for another seven cycles. You’ll notice that the number seven biblically represents completion. You’ll hear of things happening seven times seven to convey the concept or the having to work seven years only to be married to the wrong sister and another seven years to get it right the second time. But I digress.

Going back to the questions of why be a member of a church; it’s a good question. Why go somewhere that has nothing you want. Personally I say don’t. if there is nothing there for you, if you spirit isn’t moved, if you don’t like the people or it’s the other way, don’t worry about it. I remember talking to a Muslim friend of mine. The people of Islam are called Umah or the people of Islam. He explained to me that the word mosque refers to a place of prayer. Before somebody goes getting an image in their head of some great big place with a bunch of people in suicide vests and turbans on low-flying carpets, chanting death to America, Islam and terrorism are no synonymous. Good Muslim = Bad Terrorist. That prayer rug is all that you need to have your own little mosque, if it’s in the most austere and rugged of places, where a Muslim chooses to pray is their mosque. The church is wherever they need it to be because at the end of the day, the church should be in your heart, simple or grandiose; it’s a place where you close the gap between you and your maker. That being said, if you can’t do that with a particular congregation, then choose another one. If you’ve ever received a courtesy gift from someone who felt obligated and didn’t put any thought or emotion into picking it out, you’ll have an idea how God must feel about people who just go to church (there’s that word again) because they see it as something they’ve got to do versus something they get to do. Follow your heart, it’s a God-given compass, it led you ask the question and that lead you to this answer.