Why Do We Need the Church? Encourage One Another

I Thessalonians 5:11

Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing.

Let’s do a quick exercise together. Jot down the names of three people who you know to be true encouragers. Maybe you thought of a family member, a neighbor, a co-worker, or fellow church member. Just take a quick minute and write down the names of three people you know to be encouragers. Now, while you have your pen and paper in hand, write down one experience you have had with each of these people that demonstrates how they encouraged you.

Was this easy or hard to do? I hope you had trouble narrowing the list down to three! Encouragers are a joy to be around; their lives are infectious. Whenever I find myself around an encourager, my spirits are lifted and I want to do a better job of encouraging others.

Did you know that as believers we are to be encouragers of one another? That is exactly the admonition Paul gave to the church at Thessalonica. He said, “Encourage one another and build one another up.” I have recently watched this play out in the life of my mom. 

My mom lives with Gina and me and we serve as her caregivers. She can still do much for herself but in recent years, there are some things that we help her with. She always demonstrates a spirit of gratitude and thankfulness and we are equally grateful to be able to assist her. 

Since she is no longer driving, Mom has not been able to attend church as she did in the past. Our Sunday schedules have been filled with traveling doing interims and transitional pastoring for a few years now. Recently, however, Gina and I joined a church a few minutes from our house and when I am not out preaching elsewhere, we take Mom to our church with us. In fact, she has now made that church her home church. Yes, as an 85-year-old, she has joined a new church. Since the first of the year, she has been able to attend with us more frequently than in the past. Each Saturday she tells us that she has laid out everything for church and is excited to go with us. 

Pastor Chris and his wife, Emily, are such encouragers to Mom. Every Sunday they take the time to greet her and have some of the sweetest things to say to her and about her. Then, after church Gina, Mom, and I have lunch together. Nearly every week Mom tells me that she met someone new that day. Or she tells us that this person or that person came over and spoke to her. I wish you could see the joy on her face when talks about the church, our Pastor, and the new things happening all around her. Each week she is encouraged and built up. Each week she smiles and looks forward to going to church. For Mom, this church family has become part of her extended family.

Not only did Paul tell the church at Thessalonica to encourage one another, but the writer of Hebrews did the same thing. 

“And let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds, not abandoning our own meeting together, as is the habit of some people, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10: 24 - 25)

Have you read the headlines of what is happening in our world today? A quick glance at the headlines can be extremely discouraging. There are the issues of war, politics, ethics, morals, cheating, lying, slander, and corruption. Even a glance at the headlines can send a person into depression.

And that is why we need the encouragement of others. In Hebrews 10:25 the Bible tells us that a “day is drawing near.” What day?  That day is the return of Christ. Until that day let’s encourage one another. 

Why do we need the church? For encouragement in dark days. To give us friends to smile with and friends to cry with. To lift us up when we are down.

I am thankful for the church! I need the church! And I love that our church family goes out of their way on Sundays to encourage my mom! 

Remember those names you wrote down? Take a few minutes and write a note, a text, or an email to tell those three people how much you appreciate their encouragement in your life. I suspect that note will be an encouragement to them!