One of the most devastating effects of this so-called pandemic was the closure of churches. For months and months, the body of Christ couldn’t meet and worship together as usual. And it has caused Christians to evaluate the priority of church attendance in their lives. Some realized attending church in person isn’t that important (online church), while others realized its necessity.
In Love Your Church: 8 Great Things About Being a Church Member, Tony Merida reintroduces us to the beauty of the local church and why we must not forsake it. Merida wrote this book so Christians of all convictions can recognize the church’s significance and love it. He says, “I want people to love Jesus and His Church-and to know how to love their church.”
The book is short, with only eight chapters, each addressing the responsibility/privilege of church members. They are: belonging, welcoming, gathering, caring, serving, honoring, witnessing, and sending. Each chapter features a few action steps to help readers practice what they have learned.
I hesitated reading this book because I hadn’t been in church for a long time, and I feared this book would deepen my longings. And it did. Merida gives such a vivid description of the church and the privileges of being a member that I had to read it slowly to ease my thirst for the body of Christ.
Also, the book is not heavy on theology. So if you are looking for a treatise on the doctrine of the church, this is not it. It is, however, a simple guide to what the church is, how we can contribute to it, and love it more. And this matters because if we do not love the bride of Christ despite her imperfections, we cannot love Christ, who purchased her with His precious blood.
If you have been away from the church, need a reminder of why you need it and why it needs you, I recommend this book. And suppose you are a steady church attendee. In that case, this book should rekindle your love for the church and give you practical steps to prioritize it.
The Good Book Company graciously gave me a complimentary copy, and this is my honest review.
