“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:23-25).
As Christians, we know that attending church services is an important custom. But in the busyness of life, we can sometimes lose sight of the deeper meaning behind the act of congregating. Then, going to church can become little more than a part of our weekly routine.
But God calls us to this “holy habit” for several vital reasons. He designed us to live in relationship, with Him and with other believers, and church is where we celebrate how God works in and around us as a community.
First, let’s take a look at common reasons people are going to their houses of worship. In a 2018 Pew Survey, Americans Christians gave their responses - here are several of the top ones:
- To become closer to God
- To give my children a good moral foundation
- To make me a better person
- To comfort me in times of sorrow
- Find the sermons valuable
- To be part of a community of faith
- To continue a family’s religious traditions
- Feeling a religious obligation to go
- To meet new people
- To please my family, spouse or partner
Some of those answers might seem more acceptable than others to us. But it can be instructive to honestly ask ourselves how many of them have applied to us at one time or another. This helps us to become aware of how and why we value attending church.
It’s interesting to note that the Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns didn’t change the main purposes people had for attending church, but kept them from doing that physically. And though online meetings brought great comfort and encouragement, they lacked the element of fellowship. Eventually, many people stopped tuning in.
In fact, a recent American Enterprise Institute study reported that in 2020, 13 percent of Americans attended worship services in person. By the spring of 2022 that number increased to 27 percent, but was still lower than before the pandemic started. Now that the immediate threat from the virus has receded, we can remind some of those former churchgoers of the benefits of being there in person.
In the Bible, we can find so many compelling reasons to obey the call to gather. The Old Testament book of Psalms includes passages about believers assembling for worship, praise and prayer.
“I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, Lord, as you know. I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness from the great assembly” (Psalm 40:9-10).
“...my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God, as we walked about among the worshipers” (Psalm 55:13-14).
“I rejoiced with those who said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord.’ Our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. That is where the tribes go up — the tribes of the Lord — to praise the name of the Lord according to the statute given to Israel” (Psalm 122:1-5).
“...these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations” (Psalm 84:10).
In the New Testament, Jesus makes a statement about the power of believers gathering together, as He prepares His Apostles to lead the early church.
“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20).
And many of Paul’s letters contain instructions to congregations.
“What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up” (1 Corinthians 14:26).
“Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:18-20).
“Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that, if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:14-15).
It’s clear that attending church is pleasing to God and part of our mission as Christians. The next step is to assess why He wants us there, and the right mindset to have about going.
In the book of Acts Chapter 2, we see what drove the early church to continue coming together. Each one helps a believer grow more Christ-like.
1. They received instruction
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching…” (v. 42a)
2. They gave God worship
“Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.” (v. 43)
3. They ministered to each other
“All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” (v. 44-45)
4. They enjoyed fellowship
“They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts…” (v. 46)
5. They helped build God’s Kingdom
“And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (v. 47)
As a caution, we can look to the faults of the Pharisees and Sadducees - how they behaved and what they expected to get from church. Jesus’ rebukes to them reveal unhealthy reasons they attended.
“While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets‘” (Luke 20:45-46).
The Pharisees and Sadducees displayed several self-serving impulses:
- To be seen by others
- To impress others
- To be entertained
- To seek attention
The lesson here is: though being with our church family does bring us blessings, we need to balance that with ministering to others.
Our time at church should encourage and equip us. It’s where we give God worship, receive His Word and prepare to take His love out into the world. We can do all these good activities on our own, but spending regular time with our church families will multiply the impact we have for our Lord.
Photo credit: ©Getty Images/Drew Buzz