In today's culture you have a diversity of people, and therefore have a diversity of beliefs on church attendance.
Some believe you shouldn't go to church at all
Some believe you should only go to church for the Christmas Eve and Easter services
Some believe you should only go to church on Sunday morning (excluding Sunday school)
Some believe you should only go to church on Sunday morning (including Sunday school)
Some believe you should only go to church for Sunday morning and Wednesday night
Some believe you should go to church for Sunday school + Sunday morning + Sunday night + Wednesday night + go soul winning every Thursday night + all the fellowships + bus ministry.
It baffles me that the last four are so different! I mean, we all read the same Book and notice how the early church (in Acts) met for worship (which should be the way we do it today), but yet we bend the views to fit whatever we want to do.
Just the other day, a friend asked me what my view of church attendance is, and I thought that I would share it with you.
I believe that believers need to have a place where they can be encouraged + uplifted + worship together in one accord + be edified. I believe that each individual believer is the church … and that the body of believers is the church – not the building … because the building won't stand forever.
I believe that you don't need to go to church for Sunday school + Sunday morning + Sunday night + Wednesday night + Soul Winning + bus ministry in order to truly love the Lord.
When Paul said “do not forsake the gathering of fellow believers” (see Hebrews 10:25) he was talking to the Hebrews. They weren't going to church, because they were afraid of the persecution they would face. It wasn't a matter of not going all the time, it was a matter of not going at all.
I truly believe that this one verse (which happens to be the only verse that talks about “church attendance”) is taken out of context!
Do I think it's wrong if a young couple wants to go to church every time the doors are open?
No – unless it gets in the way of their relationship + is put before our Lord.
Do I think it's wrong if the same couple wants to go to church every time the doors are open once they have children?
Yes – the church isn't called to rear up the children, the parents are.
But how can parents train up their children if they are always attending a church service?
After a while, the parents begin to wonder what went wrong.
“We raised our children up in church – why have they turned out this way?”
The parents were so consumed with church church church, that their children were thrown to the way side and left to fend for themselves.
How fair is that to the children?
It's because the parents have neglected their children that the children start to feel neglected + search for love elsewhere + feel depressed + leave the faith + rebel + try to kill themselves.
I truly think / believe that when children are involved, Sunday school + Sunday morning is plenty.
If the husband wants to be encouraged in his walk + get in the Bible more, then he needs to listen to sermons to and from work – and he also needs to start family devotions. He doesn't need to make his family warm the pews every day of the week.
Most churches are so adamant on “family is the foundation of the church” - which is something I totally 100% agree with. However, how can the family be strengthened, if the family is so consumed with church activities + church services etc.?
Are we married to God or the church?
I for one do not tend to be married to the church – but to my Lord!! Which will you choose??
In HIS grace, Alisha
