I sat in the coffee shop, chatting with someone I just met. Somehow, the topic of conversation became faith and the church. My new friend adamantly informed me, “I don’t need to go to church. I know Jesus, and that’s all that matters.”
Knowing Jesus is ultimately what matters, but we are to attend worship with other believers. For those in isolated areas where it’s unsafe to worship, that might not be an option, but there is no excuse for the bulk of the people who read Gleanings.
Lots of people have plenty of excuses not to attend. Here’s a partial list. I’m sure you’ve heard and likely used at least some of them.
- The preaching is boring.
- The preacher preaches too much/little from the Bible; is too academic/not academic enough; preaches too long/not long enough.
- The music is too fast/slow/loud/old/new.
- They are too formal/informal.
- The people are too friendly/unfriendly.
- They have/don’t have pews/organs/stained glass/pastoral robes.
- The service is too long/short, too demonstrative/not demonstrative enough.
- There is too much/not enough emphasis on the Holy Spirit.
- They do/don’t ordain women.
- They are too active/not active enough in outreach/missions/politics/social action.
- They talk too much about money, or there isn’t enough emphasis on stewardship.
- Services times are too early/too late.
- The pastor is too young/old.
- The congregation is too big/small.
Have I hit a nerve yet? Have I stepped on your sacred cow? It’s time to recognize that these are simply excuses that hurt you and the local congregation.
Why attend worship?
Some surveys I’ve read show that more than 90% of professing Christians who attend church regularly go because a given church meets the needs of that individual and his/her family. Did you know that’s the wrong reason to attend church?
First and foremost, the church is not primarily about you. Did you know that? Church isn’t about going and feeling good or about having your needs met. Those things can and do happen, but they aren’t the reason we go. We go to glorify God and to minister to others.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts,yet one body. The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. 1 Corinthians 12:14-26 ESV
All true believers belong to the family of God and the church. We are called to be active members. Membership isn’t a ticket to sit around; it is a privilege that comes with responsibility.
When you don’t attend and take an active role, someone else in the body suffers for your absence. That someone might need your ministry. Conversely, that person might be deprived of their ministry to you.
Not attending is a very selfish act. The whole body misses out when parts don’t show up to do their bit.
Can you get to heaven without going to church? Yes! Salvation is by grace and not measured by how often we go. Will the body of Christ be poorer for your absence? Yes? Will you be missing out big time? Absolutely.
Until next time, quit making excuses. It’s time to take an active role in the local congregation.
Be blessed
Kevin
