5 Reasons To Be Consistent With Church Attendance

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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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 

Comments

[Shelley]

Totally agree, but I must say I was at church every time the doors were open until I had kids. They get sick all the time. It's says a lot about the kids ministry when the kids cry because they can't go to church.

[BobbyLepinay]

Carolyn, you are totally right in the matter of the heart. "People do what people WANT to do" pretty much sums it up. Keith Green was the FIRST Christian album I owned. I will never forget it!

Scott......how could you go from taking every vacation to spend on youth camp to THIS,...asking to sleep in this Sunday?!!? You crack me up my friend..! :)

Stephany, we are starting something called "First Sunday" Feb 5th. It will be a night of worship, communion, ministry, rich in the Presence of God. Be looking for it on the website next month. Of course, it will be the FIRST Sunday evening of each month!

[Carolyn]

Bravo PB. Agreed, things have changed from 28 yrs ago when we first started our journey.1982, Remember good ole Keith Greene "Jesus rose from the dead but you... can't even get out of bed!" Scott took every vacation week he ever had at Damerow Ford to go to Youth Camp...that was our vacation. It's a heart issue. People will live their priorities. Help us God to LOVE you more and the world less. Like Paul mentioned the athlete that's disciplined will Win. Run to Win. Feed the Spirit, Kill the Flesh! :)

[Stephany]

Any chance of having evening church again? It's one of the reasons I started going to Harvest.

[Scott]

Um, I guess this would be a bad time to ask if I could sleep in this Sunday?!!
Scott

[BobbyLepinay]

Rick, love you my friend and miss you! Good thoughts I agree with.

Gail, will pray for you in this matter. Glad you are being blessed by the Podcasts. We are exploring the option of doing a live service on the internet on Sundays for those like yourself that would have a way to participate.

Dave, thanks my friend! You are a tremendous blessing to Harvest.

pb

[Dave Bixler]

Great "mini" sermon. Well written. PB you are definitely a pastor & man just like King David, a man after God's Heart. Would like to see more Pastors in this world like you who puts God First. I feel that Harvest is a Blessed Church Home & would not go anywhere else. It is a great ministry with alot of " mini" ministries on the inside doing the work of the Lord.

[Gail]

Wow! That hit me where it needed. I moved from Hawaii three years ago to PCB. Didn't know anyone. Searched for a church while I was still in a hotel waiting for the closing on a home. Every Sunday and Wednesday I went to a church until I found one. Found it! Was faithfully committed for 2 1/2 years and volunteered twice a week. Respectfully without details here..the church changed (I didn't in this area) and started selling coffee and other drinks inside the front doors and then opened up a dive center seven days a week. So, I have been looking for a church to attend regularly. Pray I find one, the sooner the better. Wishing I would have decided to move to Pensacola - I've been reading and listening to your messages for a couple of months, along with going looking for a church to attend regularly. Thanks!

[rick hubbell]

How About 5 Ways Pastors Can Improve Church Attendance? heehee :)

1. Don't accidentally replace Holy Spirit with with other stuff. Really. Don't. There is NO substitute. None.

2. Become a conduit for solutions, not just explanations. Many should reach well beyond the four walls.

3. Seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness and much more than consistent attenders will be added.

4. Focus truly significant resources toward the needs of the poor & widows in your city.

5. Create such an attractive atmosphere for welcoming the presence of God that people cannot help but be drawn to experience Him and anticipate the next corporate time.

(6. Provide great coffee & allow it in the sanctuary. Okay - that was free.)

Love you PB, just scribbled the first things that came to my heart. Just messing with ya. Go Saints!!!... Rick

[Lori McGhee]

Very well said :)