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I have a question and I would like the input of my readers.
How and when did church attendance become the defining characteristic of Christianity? Of course, it shouldn’t be — but in many ways, it is. Think about it: We generally assess someone’s “faithfulness” by their attendance record. We try to persuade unbelievers to “come to church” with us. Most, if not all of our activities involve meeting together at the “church building.” We go to great lengths and spend a fair amount of money to advertise our address and meeting times. We make a big production out of our meetings by dressing up in nice clothes. Try to change one of your weekly meetings to an activity serving the community (away from your “church building”) and see what kind of opposition you face in your congregation — people will think you’ve gone “soft” if you suggest cancelling a “church service.”
Shouldn’t “church service” be a verb instead of a noun?
Don’t get me wrong, I think it is important for believers to meet together on a regular basis, for many reasons. But I don’t hear Jesus saying that His followers will be known by their meetings or their attendance record. It seems we should be known more for our words and activities that take place away from “church.”
If you took away the Sunday morning assembly, what would be left for most churches? Isn’t following Jesus about much more than a Sunday assembly? How did it become the end-all of our faith?
I like this one jeff. It is a hard one too deal with. Take myself for example working 3rds its hard to attend many services other than Sunday Morning so people tend to think bad of me bescause I am not there everytime the door is open. I’d like to be but can’t especially when working seven days a week. I get such a charge from being at worship. Dress up that’s another story in and of itsself. I try not to judge others because they are not there but I do often wonder why and if it is a good reason but lack enough fortatude to pursue checking it out. (need prays for that). I think you are right I think we are going to be judged far more on what we do away from the services then at them. I never heard much of Christ attending regular services as I did him going out and serving the community. By the way great lesson Sunday can’t wait for the rest of this series!
A few years ago the church I attended started a Service Sunday night. I was trying to come up with ideals of how we could serve the commnunity and one of our deacons started a singing class to learn new songs. He thought it was all about making the “Services better”….I think that sums up most of the problem we have had in this area.
As part of this issue, I would like to see more fellowship happen at our services. Being in a big city, many people you don’t get to see except on Sunday Morning so what it amounts to is briefly speaking with them before service and then after…unless it runs over then you have to rush off to get the kids to class and so forth. What’s worse is that many churchs have singing before service starts. This is nice if it is in the background but many times it is so loud you cannot talk so you end up with zero fellowship time.
I just don’t think that 2 hour services are the way to go. Not that we have that now.
I would like to see more times where we don’t have class and just have a time to fellowship…but then you run into the problem of people taking that as a “skip” and they just go home so that has problems of it’s own.
I speak from a different prespecitve since I attend a rather large church but I think the feelings are still there for smaller ones.
I may get some kick back from this but I think that services need to be shorter. Shorter sermon, fewer songs. This would allow more time for fellowship which I feel is really lacking and would give more time for class. I will be honest in that I look much more forward to class time and to our home church then I do to Sunday morning services. In class we get to delve deeper into scripture, get to discuss and provide feedback on things. In homechurh we get to open up, support each other and fellowship with other Christians. We often talk about how we connect with the younger generation and this has evolved into praise songs, drama and the like but the one thing you don’t see is shorter sermons. Don’t know how well that goes over with the Preachers here though.
I think more discussions and openness is what we need. Anyway, I have rambled on too much. I need to get to work.
IS THIS A TRICK QUESTION? I FEEL WE DO NEED THE RESPONSIBILITY(TO GOD, OTHERS AND OURSELVES)OF ATTTENDING SCHEDULED CHURCH SERVICES, MOST OF THE PEOPLE WOULD NOT GET TOGETHER WITH OTHER BELIEVERS IF IT WERE NOT FOR THEM, ARE WE NOT TO EDIFY ONE ANOTHER. ALSO, ATTENDING FAITHFULLY AND SERVING YOUR CHURCH BODY IS VERY REWARDING AND SELF-SACRIFICING OUR NEEDS TO REACH OUT TO OTHERS. WE SHOULD NOT HOLD PEOPLE UP JUST TO THEIR ATTENDANCE, IT IS BETWEEN THEM AND GOD WHY THEY FEEL THEY DO NOT HAVE TO ATTEND REGULARLY, BUT I ALSO FEEL THE ONES THAT HAVE STEPPED UP TO THE PLATE OF PREACHERS, ELDERS,DEACONS AND TEACHERS,AND ALL CHRISTIANS THAT HAVE COMMITTED THEIR LIFE TO CHRIST. JESUS SERVED WHEREVER HE WENT, HE HAD A JOB TO DO AND I FEEL WE ALL HAVE A JOB TO DO FOR HIM. WE ALL NEED TO SET THE EXAMPLE AND BE AT CHURCH UNLESS WE HAVE AN EMERCENCY. YOU CAN’T TEACH AND SAY HOW IMPORTANT IT IS TO COME TO CHURCH SERVICES UNLESS YOU ARE WILLING TO BE THERE. WHEN I TEACH CLASSES AND WE TALK ABOUT INVITING SOMEONE TO COME TO CHURCH, I TELL THEM WE CANNOT FORCE IT UPON ANYONE AND IT SHOULD NOT DRIVE US CRAZY BECAUSE SOMEONE WILL NOT COME, BUT WE NEED TO SET THE EXAMPLE AND PRAY AND LET THEM KNOW WE WANT THEM AND THAT WE MISS THEM WHEN THEY ARE NOT HERE. WE SHOULD VERY MUCH SO REACH OUT WITH OPEN ARMS TO THE COMMUNITY, SERVING THEM IN ANY WAY WE CAN. DOWN IN TEXAS WE SERVED BREAKFAST AND DINNER TO THE HOMELESS AND POOR DURING WORSHIP TIMES. THIS WAS VERY REWARDING SPIRITUALLY AND EMOTIONALLY. TO ME “GOING TO CHURCH” IS GOING TO THE BUILDING WHERE I NEED TO WORSHIP,PRAISE AND SERVE GOD AND OTHERS TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY, WHETHER ITS AT THE CHURCH BUILDING,SOMEONES HOUSE OR A COFFEE SHOP MEETING.
Tami,
I agree with you regarding the importance of meeting together. My point was that church attendance should not be the defining characteristic of Christianity. Our faith is something that is lived 24/7 — not 3 hours a week at “Church Services.”
wow we spend a whole 3 hrs a week there. Someone better talk to that rev slater about shorening his lessons.