Are You Prepared For Church?

We recently kicked off a series at church on “How Prepared Are You”. The first of the series was, “Are you prepared for church”. If you are like me, this question posed a, “hmmm”, am I and do I, prepare for church?! Church today can look and feel quite different than it did 20 years ago. Some church services can look and feel like a top notch Christian concert. Filled with lots of pretty lights, fog machines, jumbo screens with lyrics to the songs they sing and an energetic worship team that helps create an atmosphere that is fun. The days of a piano being played and hymnals ready for you in the seat backs for you to sing from are few and far between. Some churches have even watered down sermons, in hopes to make them more appealing to society today and even shorter sermons, because, you know, we have ball games to watch and places to be after church.

I have often used the term “drive through” church. And I say that, because, usually when we head through a drive through restaurant, we already know what we want, we pretty much already know what to expect, because we have eaten the same burger combo for years. The drive through food seems to suffice us for a temporary time or (until we feel hungry again).

Sadly, for many today, they check off the “church” box, maybe they remember what the Pastor said by Tuesday and if not, they will be back next week, to be entertained once again, unless of course, they get an invite to something more appealing. When does the preparedness to go to church come in? When does our focus turn to an expectation of going to church kick in?

Today, we plan and prepare for many things coming up in our lives, but being prepared for church, isn’t something we put much thought into; we just simply show up week after week. In the meantime, our lives are chaos, our finances are always compromised, our health problems grow, our marriages are failing our children are out of control at home and school and substance abuse becomes normal in our every day lives. But, we are quick to say, “we go to church”, well, at least twice a month. What could happen in our lives if we prepared for church by shifting our focus to an expectation to be met when we attended?

When we aren’t prepared to go to church with expectations of what God can do, it makes it easy for the enemy to shift our focus further away from Him.

God is after our hearts to be ready to receive all He has to offer us. Spiritual preparation should happen before we walk through the doors. What we carry into a gathering affects what we receive from it. If we were to walk into a courtroom unprepared and we just show up, the outcome most likely, will not go in our favor.

Preparation is not about perfection - it is about posture! God invites us to come alert, expectant and open to what He wants to do. Spend some time this week, and ask God: “What’s one area of my heart You want to prepare this week”?

Let’s not just show up, let us come ready! Come ready for people to be healed, come ready to encounter the Holy Spirit, come ready for your marriage to blossom, come ready to receive the abundance He wants for us all who are obedient to Him!

I am learning too! I spent many Sunday’s not being prepared for church, just checking that box. As my relationship grew deeper with God, I began to look at church in a totally new way. It has become one of my favorite times to be filled up. I come prepared for miracles to happen! I come prepared to encounter the Holy Spirit! I leave my burdens at the feet of Jesus. If I am walking out the same way I came in, something is wrong and I need to realign my will to God’s will, not the other way around! I pray this touches something in your heart and wherever you gather for church, you take time and pray so you are ready to receive!

Blessings ~ Deena