Church Services Should Be A Lot Like Locker Rooms...But Without The Bad Smell

Sports Teams Do Not Stay In Their Locker Rooms.  They Get Equipped, Get Instructed, and Get Inspired In Them Before Heading To The Field. For Churches, The Real "Game" Is Not Inside The Church Building But In The World Outside.

The good is the enemy of the best, as the saying goes.  People often go to church for ,"good" reasons but in doing so they miss out on the best reasons.  Some examples of, "good" reasons to attend church are:  to learn more about the Bible, to grow in your faith, or to be encouraged to overcome sin etc.. However if these are the only reason why we go to church services then something very important is missing.  

Let's take a look at Ephesians 4:11-16 (Emphasis Mine) So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

One of the best reasons to have and attend church services is, "to equip his people for works of service."
Are you getting equipped for works of service at your church?  I hope so.  If not, it could be because the people in your church see the church leaders mentioned in Ephesians 4:11 as the players or performers and the church people as audience or fans.  Instead, this passage shows us that the pastor and other church leaders should be more like coaches, trainers, and even medics.  Obviously all of the coaching staff for any sports team should be good players in their own lives but their main responsibility as coaches is to equip the players to go out on the playing field and win the game.  

What is your playing field as a Christian?  Your family members who are unsaved need to hear the gospel in a clear and convincing manner.  They are more likely to listen to you than your pastor.  Other family members who are new Christians need to be encouraged and equipped as well.  They also are more likely to listen to you than your pastor.  The same is true for your classmates, coworkers, community members, nation, and beyond.  A well equipped Christian has a very broad field that extends well beyond the walls of the church building, if your church even has a building.  

Of course it is nice to have a beautiful and comfortable locker room, but it is not necessary for victory on the playing field.  What really matters is that the players in the locker room are well equipped, trained, and motivated so that they can play their best on the playing field.  Likewise, it is nice to have a stylish church building, but it is not essential for success.  What really matters is the relationships among the people of the church, both the leaders and the regular members, who encourage, equip, train, challenge, and encourage each other so that we all become effective ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20) to a lost world around us.  

With this model, church growth becomes unlimited, because the pastors and church leaders no longer have to do all the work of ministry because the church members are already doing it.  As the church members, including the pastors and leaders, actively evangelize and disciple those around them in their daily lives in their families, schools, workplaces, and communities, then the church will grow as those new believers are brought into the church to also be equipped as ambassadors for Christ to their own families and communities, and so on.  

This model also switches churches from inward-focused to outward-focused and this will also help shift resources into areas where they are most needed.  For example, if the main priority, is equipping the saints for the work of ministry, then the funds will probably be spent toward that end instead of just for decorating the, "locker room."    

Obviously this is just one piece of many pieces of the puzzle, but if we keep this passage from Ephesians 4 in mind, it will help us to come away from church services better prepared to meet our week. 
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