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by Robin McKinley

Is going to church with the wrong motive right or wrong? The answer should be pretty simple. Here goes, it all depends. Maybe we should ask, it all depends on what? What reasons do you have for attending church?

Let us meet together inside the Temple of God and bolt the doors shut. Your enemies are coming to kill you tonight.   Nehemiah 6:10

In my teenage years, I attended Tuesday night Praise and Prayer services. I initially went for the wrong reason. What was my motive? I wanted to see a girl. That motive changed, however, because I received Christ as my Savior at one of those meetings. So, what began as a wrong motive led to going for the right reason.

A practicing witch began attending the Sunday morning services in one of our neighboring churches. Her intention involved casting a curse on that church. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, she became liberated from witchcraft and started serving the Lord. Another wrong motive turned right.

In the case of Nehemiah in today’s chapter, he was asked to do something contrary to God’s command.  Nehemiah considered running from his enemies and hiding in the temple a sin against God. In his case, entering the house of the Lord with the wrong motive was wrong.

I have seen movies where people have secluded themselves in a church, calling it sanctuary. I guess it makes for good television, but we don’t receive sanctuary from a building; we receive it in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

For the most part, going to church with wrong motives can be made right. There are, however, times when people have entered them to kill, steal, and destroy. Fortunately, there is forgiveness for folks who enter with these types of motives if they repent of their actions. 

The Right Reasons for Attending Church 

The right reasons for attending church consist of the following; 

• Worship God, 
• Fellowship with other Christians and 
• To grow to become an effective disciple of Jesus. 

Much of our work as Christians should happen outside of the church building. Thus requiring our Christianity to become an obvious part of our daily lives, including when we are at work, with friends and family, and with everyone else we come in contact with.

I trust that you enter your church building regularly with the proper motives. I can’t emphasize enough that those motives are to worship God, fellowship with other Christians, and grow to become effective disciples of Jesus. 

We Are The Church 

Of course, a building is only a building. The Bible says, however, that we make up God’s holy temple.

Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself.  We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. Ephesians 2:20-21

Let’s close with these motivating and encouraging words from the writer of the Book of Hebrews.

Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25

Lord, help us keep our motives pure inside and outside the church. Also, keep us safe, especially when we gather together in church to worship you.

About the Author: 

Robin, with his wife Cindy, became children’s evangelists early in their ministry. They ministered to children full time for 8 years. During that time they developed several children’s stories which were told with visuals and puppets.

Robin recently turned two of those stories into children’s books. One is called “The Contest,” a book about the Fruit of the Spirit, and the other is called “Twas the Night of Christmas”.  He has also authored 5 volumes of devotional books called, 3 Minutes Alone with God. Each entry is a product of his personal biblical Journaling.

These and his other writings are available on his website called Christian Perspectives at www.ramckinley.com. When you visit this site, you can sign-up for newly written devotions as they come out which will be emailed to you.

Presently Robin is the pastor of Calvary Christian Center in Pottstown, PA. He is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God. He and his wife make their home in Birdsboro, Pa. He also serves as the president of the local ministerium. He and Cindy have two married sons and four grandchildren.