Dear Child of God, until we take time to know and do God’s Word, in God’s eyes, we’ll be mere actors and actresses, not worshipers. God’s Word embodies Love as God Himself is love. Unconditional Love. Unfeigned Love towards God and men. And until we live out the knowledge of that truth, you and I will miss the concept of true worship. You can’t claim you are a worshiper of God and be full of yourself (title conscious, greedy of gain, self conceited, proud) and inconsiderate to others. Yes, I got the wake up call too! Worship is way beyond the lifting of holy hands and blasting in numerous tongues. It’s the life style of love. And our claim to truly love is validated by our actions. 

Allow me to ask you a few questions

•  Has anyone ever offended you at your local place of worship? Did the offence affect your service in God’s house? Did you calmly talk about the issue with your offender or did you vent your anger to people other than the offender? Note that while some offences need to be forgiven whether or not the offender acknowledges it, some other offences are not worth being treated at all. They can simply be overlooked. If you are offended because you were referred to as Mr XYZ, instead of Deacon XYZ, I honestly think you need to get off your high horse before title ties you down in this life. Please, never let the words or actions of any man negatively affect your commitment to Jesus Christ.

• Have you noticed one or two (or maybe ten) people who do not act quite right at your local Church (they argue too much, they easily take offences, they are disturbingly lousy, constantly ready to point out a fault, etc.,)? Yes, I bet you and I surely know at least one. Painfully, some of us live with one. More disturbing is the fact that some of us are that one. What do we do about those kind of people? Complain about them and get even with them, feed them with the same kind of energy we get from them, or heartily pray for them? Have you ever taken time to pray for such persons and afterwards, heartily engaged in a conversation with them? Fam, I have tried and tested this! Prayer doesn’t just change situations. It also changes people!

• If you currently do not attend any local church or serve in any capacity at Church, may I ask- is it church drama you are trying to avoid? You don’t want to step on anyone’s toes and you need no one to step on yours? If you do not want to relate with men, if you can’t deal with certain types of characters, how then will your unconditional love for God and His Kingdom be tried and found true? If Church was meant for perfect people only, we’d all be in Heaven conducting non-stop services/masses by now. There is no perfect Church on the earth. All Churches are stewarded by flawed men who rely absolutely on God’s perfect Grace to know and do God’s Word.

• One more question…or, better put, one more thing; you see that Child of God who is not currently standing firm in God? The one who you see in Church not as often or probably not anymore? The One you heard got pregnant out of wedlock, just got divorced, the one whose faith is currently shaky? It is your duty to see that they are restored back to the faith. (See Galatians 6:1-3 and James 5:19) Surely, you won’t get that done  by your power or might, but by love, by hearty prayers and conversations laced with empathy. Rather than tag them as backsliders, be the Lamp that’ll lighten up their darkened paths. Remember Jesus’s Words, “You are the Light of the world.”

Friend, there’s need to check our hearts from time to time-  to ensure that we remain dedicated to living the life of true worship, the life of limitless love. Just as individuals in the world need to be loved, your neighbor in Church needs love. Let’s not be so concerned about populating the Church that we forget the need to genuinely love the ones that sit right next to us at Church.