Friday, May 26th
Devotional written by Josh Green, Worship Leader
OBSTACLES TO WORSHIP: DATING MULTIPLE CHURCHES
Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
Hebrews 13:15
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Modern dating is interesting, with many unspoken rules, ghosting, swiping on apps, and sliding into DM’s (Direct Messages). I recently heard that there are stages for romance:
1. You like each other.
2. You hang out.
3. You’re talking.
4. You’re dating.
5. You’re going steady.
6. You’re engaged.
7. You’re married.
I don’t know how accurate and closely followed this list is, but these are dating terms that are thrown around by this generation. I’ve also learned you can hang out with more than one person and go on dates with multiple people. But it’s not until you’re going steady that commitment and exclusivity are expected. If you’re not “going steady” yet, you are keeping your options open and figuring things out.
Dating: I’m available and hoping this works out.
“Going steady”/committed: I want this to work out, and I’m willing to sacrifice for that to happen.
I have found that many Christians treat the church this way. They like the preaching at this church, but the worship at another, the young adults ministry here, the coffee shop there, etc. The next thing you know, they’re essentially dating and entertaining multiple churches to meet their needs and preferences. But the relational aspect with a local church body will always be lacking. There is a different level of worship with your church family versus a primarily entertainment-oriented setting. When you commit to a church, you’re not just committing to receiving discipleship and leadership from that church; you’re committing to giving back to that church and investing your time, talents, and resources. No relationship thrives when it is one way. If you’re lacking in your worship, could you be dating the church? Could it be that church has become just a place where you want your needs met without any sacrifice?
REFLECTION: Is God calling you to commit to a local church body, even if it’s not Calvary Community Church? How are you leveraging your talents, gifts, resources, time, and expertise to bless your local church body and glorify Christ?
SONG RECOMMENDATIONS: Christ be Magnified (Cody Carnes)
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