Every time I think I sound like a scratched CD that keeps playing the same track over and over, or that I may not have to ask this question every week, someone reminds me of how much they need to hear it again and again. The reason we need to hear this is because we live in a culture that is obsessed with individualism and consumerism. It is easy to have a consumer mindset about everything. This attitude has impacted the church's view of worship to the extent that many view it's primary purpose is to make them feel better and to meet their needs. Thus, we have many church worship services becoming like concerts and theater productions to attract and keep their visitors and members. As Kent Hughes states, the worship service "has taken the form of something done for an audience as opposed to something done by a congregation."

I've been thinking about how important it is to ask "why are we here?" not just before corporate worship, but in everything we do as Christians and as church. Shouldn't we use this warm-up every day we get out of bed? While we are at work? When we are at home with the family? Every day when we are deciding what to do with our time, our talents, and our finances? Indeed, this is how Paul exhorted the Colossians when he said "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Col. 3:17) Everything we do should be done with the focus of glorifying Christ in an attitude of thanksgiving in response to the grace we have received by faith from His life, death, and resurrection.

Our church has answered "why are we here?" by stating we believe Scripture says: our mission is to become through God's grace, a growing and dynamic church whose people both attempt great things for God and are actively pursuing the WORSHIP of God, the application of His WORD, the WHOLENESS of each person in Christ, and the relevant WITNESS of His love in the Peachtree City area, the nation and the world. Everything we do at Carriage Lane needs to support God's design and calling for His church.

Why are we here? Isn't this the most important question in life? Aren't we to look for the answer in God's Word in light of eternity and the fleeting amount of time we have on this earth? May God cause us to be a people whose lives are motivated and prioritized each day by the answer to this important question.

Pastor Doug Griffith