By Staff
This guy's tackle box was loaded with crank baits, top water plugs, the most exotic lures and all the latest fishing gear.
What a fisherman, this guy had it all.
He could talk fishing with the best of them and often did into the night.
Every summer the guy spent a lot of money and a long month at his favorite fishing lodge.
But he was never seen on the lake.
He'd come just to relax, talk about fishing and listen to fish stories.
One day he promised himself he will get back on the lake to fish!
He called himself a fisherman but I never saw him fishing.
I thought about that fisherman that doesn't fish when I talked with another man, a churchless Christian, the other day.
The thought of a churchless Christian troubles me.
A believer who chooses not to participate in church is a troubling concern.
Someone who wants the benefits of salvation with none of the responsibility ends up with something less than what ought to be.
The churchless Christian is missing something critical.
Jesus said, "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in their midst."
When God's people assemble Jesus is clearly present in a greater way - and the churchless Christian misses that!
The churchless Christian will argue, "There's the hassle of getting ready, getting all the family together to be there on time is a major undertaking. They are always needing volunteers to do something, money, and to come back on Sunday night. For me there are fewer hassles being a churchless Christian. No difficult people to deal with, no guilt nor conviction. I like living life with no hassle, no guilt, no cost."
And with no blessing.
Perhaps churchless Christians will miss the blessing of coming to the end of life and hearing the Savior say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
He set up the church to be composed of His people who would worship Him and serve Him in the world.
Maybe you could be smarter than God and He would make an exception for you being a Christian who doesn't need the church.
Or maybe it's time you fulfill your promise to yourself and God.
Rev. Michael King is the pastor of North Brewton Baptist Church.