Many political leaders are questioning whether church is essential in our country. Unfortunately, there are many Christians who allowed church to become non-essential in their personal lives long before this quarantine ever hit.
A family who had been a part of our congregation for years came to me and said they would no longer be part of our church. I asked them if there was anything wrong, and they said, “no.” So, I probed a little deeper and asked if they would attend somewhere else. They responded they wouldn’t be attending anywhere since they no longer felt like church was essential for them.
As a Pastor for nearly 20 years, I wish I could say this was an isolated incident, but unfortunately, this situation is all too common.
Here Are 7 Ways Christians Make Church Non-Essential:
1. Some Christians are forfeiting what they need most in exchange for what they want now.
Just like going to the gym isn’t necessarily fun and eating healthy isn’t always easy, church isn’t always fun and easy either. But it is still healthy to our soul and provides some essential ingredients to living an abundant Christian life. Whether your church is hosting drive-in services, online services, or is meeting in smaller groups, commit to staying involved.
2. Some Christians are allowing the good things in this world to replace the best things God has for them.
Most of the time, what keeps people from church are not bad, wicked, & sinful things, but more than likely, it’s good things that end up crowding out better things, like church. While there are many opportunities in our world, rather than letting other things be your reason for missing church, let church be your reason for missing those other things.
3. Some Christians have allowed weekly church gatherings to become optional in their personal lives.
We like to think we’re too busy, and we don’t quite have the time for church attendance every week. But we typically make time for what’s most important to us. So rather than saying, I’m too busy for church. Be honest with yourself and say, “It’s not my highest priority at this time.”
4. Some Christians are prioritizing their personal church preferences above God’s mission for His church.
There are many stories of people who stopped going to church because they didn’t like the music, or the pastor’s wife didn’t talk to them, or the church was changing some of its methods, or they don’t prefer online church or watching a service on the internet during this season of shelter in place.
However, none of these are good reasons to stop attending your local church. Church was never about getting what you wanted out of it. Church is a place where we serve, love, and sacrifice for others so we can accomplish God’s mission of discipling the world. As long as those things are happening, we should continue to be a part, regardless of whether the church fulfills all our personal preferences.
5. Some Christians are becoming disenchanted when church doesn’t automatically fix their problems.
It’s easy to view church as a lucky charm that should fix all our problems quickly. But attending church doesn’t magically fix your life. Rather, it’s the grace that God provides while living in a healthy community with other loving Christians for an extended period that makes the difference. In that environment, God changes your values, motivations, habits, and ultimately your behaviors that will eventually change the results you see in your everyday life.
6. Some Christians are allowing the hurt they experience from one congregation to keep them out of church completely.
We’ve all heard horror stories about a doctor that was caught in malpractice or did something unethical. But that doesn’t keep us from finding a good doctor somewhere else and going to them. In much the same way, as long as there are humans in the church, there will be hurt. But that doesn’t mean we should stop going to church altogether. I love how author Philip Yancey said it; “I rejected the church for a time because I found so little grace there. I returned to the church later because I found no grace anywhere else.” Just because a church has hurt you in the past doesn’t mean that you let that keep you from finding a place that will minister grace to you and your family in the future.
7. Some Christians have begun to forget the value & importance of a faith community.
It’s easy to forget why church is important. We get bogged down with relational conflict and distracted by our preferences not being met. But ultimately, church is about so much more than those petty things. A faith community is important because it is vital to human flourishing and it’s a significant part of our spiritual formation.
Like the grand sequoia trees who, because of their interconnected roots, have stood tall for thousands of years even in the midst of storms, we too will survive the storms of life as we stay connected to one another through church attendance.
Conclusion:
While I understand that you don’t have to attend church to be a Christian, the truth is, you don’t have to go home to be married either. But it makes your relationship with your spouse better if you do. In the same way, your relationship with God is healthier when you consistently attend your local church.
I fully get that it’s harder to feel connected with your local church family during this quarantine season. Whether your church is gathering as a drive-in service, online, or in small groups during this time, stay involved in consistently gathering with your church family.
So, as we pray for our political leaders to make church essential in our nation, let’s all decide that we will make church essential in our personal lives.
And yet the persecuted will seek what these are so easily casting aside.
A NECESSITY THAT IS BEING FORGOTTEN
Sunday school with dedicated teachers who decorate their classrooms to be interesting and impressive. Teachers who study, teach Bible stories in detail and apply the stories to their students lives. Teachers who visit their classmembers in their homes, call on the phone to ask their students questions. A teacher needs to be involved in the lives of her (his) classs. member.
Maybe today there is a terrible lack of CONNECTION, the fault starts from the top. The church today is a long ways from perfection
The world is the competition. Wednesday night is no longer called, “church night.” Other events are planned. Ball games, horse shows, award shows in dance and tumbling. The world starts with the youth and makes it a difficult decision for parents to deprive their children of events that are not part of the church family. I find it very sad.