A few months ago, I met with a group of Pastors. One of the things we discussed was how incredibly 'sporadic' people are in attending church nowadays. It seems the majority of people feel like they are a part of a church, regardless if they attend once every 3 weeks or so.
As one Pastor said, "I have a rotating congregation. One third come 1 week, the next third the next week, then the last third, the 3rd week. But they are consistent in that!"
I definitely don't see that extreme at Harvest. BUT.....no doubt, things have changed since Deb and I first became Christians. Back then, you just didn't miss church hardly at all. It was a priority, not another option. There are definitely a good number who lack this conviction of the importance of church attendance.
So, here are a few reasons I think it is important to be consistent with attending church regularly:
- Creating good HABITS is what creates a good life. I have a saying that goes like this: Sow an action, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny. The Bible is clear on this, where it says in Hebrews 10:25, "Let us not NEGLECT meeting together, as some people are in the HABIT of doing...." Good habits form a good life, and church attendance is a good start.
- It is a DISCIPLINE. Lets face it, I am a Pastor, and there are Sundays I would much prefer to sleep in. I dont (of course!), but even when I wasnt a Pastor, we just didn't do that. Like Bible reading, prayer, tithing and other 'disciplines' of the Christian life, church attendance is a discipline that breaks laziness, that 'disease' that all too easy affects humankind.
- We need regular ENCOURAGEMENT. Hebrews 10:25 continues the fact that we get ENCOURAGEMENT from our regular meeting with fellow believers. Just think for a minute: When you skip church, did you do something that led to being encouraged in the Lord? Probably not. On the other hand, when you went, even though you didnt feel like it, didn't you leave feeling more encouraged than when you came? God honors our sacrifices and usually meets with us in those low times in a special way.
- God wants to MEET YOU there. Yes, God can meet us anywhere, but I have found He usually does it in meeting with other believers. When we come to church expecting God to speak to us, to meet us in worship, to speak to us in a conversation with a fellow brother or sister in Christ....again, I have found God honors our just being there. I am sure you would agree.
- Your kids are watching. Honestly, I am blown away by how many families just dont make church attendance a priority. Deb and I scheduled our trips around church, as we wanted to be there! I asked one guy a few months back, who had kids and missed pretty regularly, if he wanted his kids to be church attenders when they grew up. He said, "Of course I do!" My reply? "Why in the world would you expect THEM to value it when YOU clearly don't?" He was shocked. It was like he had never put 2 and 2 together. Simply put, "Monkey see, monkey do." If you want your monkeys to be committed to church later, you better let them see YOU doing it now!
Had to get that off my chest today. People don't seem to 'get it'. They complain about the fruit of their life, but don't do the 'basics'.
I am preparing for our new 2 week Christmas series on "Forgiveness" today. God gave me the 'ka-chink' 2 days ago. I am excited about Sunday. Be a church ATTENDER, not a church MISSER! :)
Grace,
PB
