Why Do You Go to Church?

November 18, 2025November 18, 2025 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

“Because it’s Sunday.” “I was raised to.” “It makes my mother happy.” “To show off my latest outfit and Louis Vuitton purse.” “I think God takes attendance.” “So, I can talk to someone who accepts me. Otherwise, I’m lonely.” “To try to enlarge my client list.” “To show my spiritual knowledge.”

The truth is, people attend church for various reasons. And while there, their motives may take advantage of others. Sadly, some individuals will go to church to prey upon the weak, the poor, or the young.

Jesus had a few things to say about why we should attend church and what motivates us to do so. We see in Mark chapter 11 that Jesus went into the temple.

He entered Jerusalem, then entered the Temple. He looked around, taking it all in. But by now it was late, so he went back to Bethany with the Twelve. (Vs. 11) MSG

They arrived at Jerusalem. Immediately on entering the Temple, Jesus started throwing out everyone who had set up shop there, buying and selling. He kicked over the tables of the bankers and the stalls of the pigeon merchants. He didn’t let anyone even carry a basket through the Temple. And then he taught them, quoting this text:

My house was designated a house of prayer for the nations;
You’ve turned it into a hangout for thieves.

The high priests and religion scholars heard what was going on and plotted how they might get rid of him. They panicked, for the entire crowd was carried away by his teaching. (Vs. 15-18) MSG

Then, in chapter 12, Jesus continued teaching:

He continued teaching. “Watch out for the religion scholars. They love to walk around in academic gowns, preening in the radiance of public flattery, basking in prominent positions, sitting at the head table at every church function. And all the time they are exploiting the weak and helpless. The longer their prayers, the worse they get. But they’ll pay for it in the end.” (Vs. 28-40) MSG

I must admit I struggled with that last part, “But they’ll pay for it in the end.” Some versions of the Bible say, “they will receive greater damnation.” I spent some time researching the meaning of Mark 12:40. I came upon a very profound explanation via “Copilot”:

In Mark 12:40, Jesus refers to the greater punishment as a severe condemnation for the scribes who exploit widows’ houses and make long prayers for pretense. This punishment is a reflection of the severity of their actions, which were not only hypocritical but also harmful to the vulnerable. The term “greater damnation” suggests that God holds us accountable for our actions, especially when we misuse our power and influence over others.

To fully grasp the weight of Mark 12:40, we must consider the context in which Jesus spoke, which was during a series of confrontations with religious leaders. Just before this, Jesus had been teaching in the Temple, addressing issues of authority and challenging the hypocrisy he saw among those who thought they were righteous. The backdrop of these confrontations was the Temple itself, a place meant for worship, reverence, and connection with God. Yet, the behaviors displayed by the scribes indicated a deep disconnect from the Temple’s true purpose, which is to serve and care for the community.

Then, from Reverend Michael Johnson:

We can guard against spiritual pride by staying humble and recognizing that all our abilities and accomplishments come from God. We should not boast about our spiritual practices or look down on others who may not be as advanced in their faith journey. It is important to remember that true spiritual growth comes through humility and a servant heart, rather than through seeking recognition or praise from others.

To guard against hypocrisy, we must ensure that our actions align with our beliefs and teachings. We should strive to live out our faith in an authentic and genuine way, rather than putting on a facade for others to see. This involves seeking integrity in all areas of our lives and being honest with ourselves about our motivations and intentions. We can guard against the pitfalls of hypocrisy by constantly examining our hearts and striving for consistency between our words and actions.

Application

Think about the scribes from Mark 12:40—condemned for their hypocrisy. Like overloaded employees forgetting honesty, or parents failing to lead by example, they missed the mark. As followers of Christ, let’s be genuine in our service to God and others. Your every action, your every intention, should mirror Jesus’ values of love, compassion, and integrity. Will you step up and live your faith authentically with me?

A 4:46 AM Meeting

August 12, 2022August 9, 2022 / Mark Brady / Leave a comment

My wife, April, starts her work day early in the mornings. Sometimes, due to the number of pending orders to get out, she has to be there by 4 AM. The other day was one of those mornings. Because I drive her to and from work, I also have to get up early.

“I would like mornings better if they started later.” Garfield

I certainly agree with Garfield. So, as a result, I do not have the best demeanor that early. As is usually the case, now I can’t even recall what April did that I chose to get upset about. I dropped her off without a proper “Goodbye” and proceeded home.

On the drive home, I remember the Holy Spirit whispering, “Watch Steven Furtick.” He comes on a local TV channel at 4:30 AM. I responded with a, “No! I don’t want to.” When I got home, I knew I needed to do as God instructed me, so I did. Sure enough, Rev. Furtick was delivering a message that had to do with attitudes. The word of God ministered to me as well as convicted me. I prayed and asked God for forgiveness and to help catch those situations before they escalated.

Later that morning, April texted me about something going on in our life. I responded with the requested information and included some humor with a “Love you!” After reading my reply, she texted back, “What happened? Your attitude is much better.” I wrote back, “God called a meeting.”

I don’t like it when my attitude gets out of alignment, but when it does, I am so thankful that God is right there and quick to make the necessary adjustments. That’s the work of a loving Father.

^19-21Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life. James 1:19-21 (MSG)

“Open?”

July 5, 2022July 4, 2022 / Mark Brady / 2 Comments

I am writing this blog post while at a church. I’m not listening to the sermon, for one is not being given. That’s because today is Thursday. I’m assuming the main doors are closed. The office is probably open, but I have no business inside. Although I would prefer to be inside because it is warm outside and there is not much breeze.

Some churches utilize their buildings all week while others do not. Kind of like people. Some people only have a use for God on Sundays. The rest of the week, they live however they want to. It seems as if I will never be able to forget the shocking statement of one of my classmates when I was in the eleventh grade. That was a long time ago! She said, “I love being (popular religion). I can have my sins forgiven on Sundays and live like hell the rest of the week.” I think I recall almost falling out of my desk after she made that declaration.

Her statement seemed to go against everything I had been taught about God and living for him instead of living for myself. Sadly, a few months later, her life was cut short when her husband put a shotgun in her mouth and pulled the trigger. I have often wondered if she regrets living the way she did.

“Going” to church doesn’t guarantee you will make it into heaven. It comes down to accepting Jesus Christ into your life, asking him to forgive you of your sins and wrongdoings, and then living for him. It’s about the attitude of your heart, and only God can know that. So maybe it doesn’t matter if the “church” is open or not; God is! It never hurts to attend church, though. There you can find people like you, and together you can encourage each other as we all face the challenges of living like God in an ungodly world.

So let’s do it—full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. He always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching. Heb. 10:22-25 (MSG)

I wish this building was open, and I had the nerve to go in and ask to use their bathroom. That is my most significant need right now!

This church’s building is beautiful! I only hope the people who attend here are as well. I know for sure two of them are because they are my neighbors, and this is their church.

(This blog post continues on Friday, July 8th, 2022)

My First Christmas in America

December 24, 2021December 22, 2021 / Mark Brady / 6 Comments

by April Joy Brady (Mark’s wife)

This is my first Christmas in America. My previous ones have been in my home country of the Philippines. People’s attitudes here toward Christmas are a lot different than there. It seems as if some of the people are forgetting the real reason for Christmas. Some even go as far as to remove “Christ” from the word Christmas with “X-mas”. It makes me wonder if they have removed Christ from their hearts as well. I’m not trying to be judging, it would be difficult not to be that way growing up here in America, with constantly being bombarded with TV ads and popular culture.

This season here seems to be more about parties, gifts, and where to spend the holiday. When in the Philippines, where resources don’t flow so freely, Christmas tends to be much simpler, and we are happy to get to see family and share a simple meal, and laugh. There is a lot of laughter back home. I imagine Jesus’s first Christmas was simple as well. Mary and Joseph adoring their new born son, lying still in a feeding trough with some hay, and perhaps an animal’s covering over him. A far cry from a beautiful wooden crib from Ashley Furniture with blankets from Macys!

I think I have been blessed to have my previous life and Christmas’ in the Philippines. I hope in the years to come I do not stray too far from my roots, especially when it comes to the attitude of what Christmas really is, or supposed to be about.

I will enjoy the time spent with my husband and the gifts he has bought for me as well as the other gifts from friends and coworkers, but in my heart I will be in Bethlehem, humming, “Away in the Manger”.

Merry Christmas everyone. May Christ fill your hearts with his love.

April