You still go to church twice a week? Why?
I recently was catching up with someone that has known me for over 25 years, and they asked about church. As I was talking, they then said, “Why do you go week after week, let alone twice a week? Do you learn anything? I mean, you have been going for years, do you have to go all the time?”
In today’s culture of one hour services once a week, I suppose this was a fair question. I mean, two hour services twice a week, minimum, not counting other activities, is highly unusual today.
The questions not only caught me off guard, but it also began a soul searching in myself to be better prepared the next time I was asked something like this. I realized there are several reasons that I attend church at least twice a week and it also reminded me of how thankful I am that I can and also that I am a part of such an awesome body of believers!
Here is what I came up with:
The Bible says to forsake not the assembling of yourselves together. (Hebrews 10:25) It also says in John, if we love Jesus we will be obedient to Him and His ways. I desire to be an obedient daughter of God. For God would rather have obedience than sacrifice! (1 Sam 15:22)And there is a blessing that God bestows upon obedient people. (See Deuteronomy 28)
I love being a part of something bigger than myself. Many times during the week we can feel so isolated and alone. We all work at different jobs and face different situations, but when we all arrive at church we are there together for one thing: to worship our God. The Bible says that one of us can put a thousand to flight and two of us an rout legions. (Joshua 23:10) When we come together to worship, pray and hear the word, we foster unity and where there is unity, God commands a blessing! (Ps 133) Not to mention the warfare that is accomplished on our behalf. (more on that later)
Why twice a week???? Do you need all that? Hmmmmm I wanted to reply – “Why do you go to the same bar over and over, do you need all that? Don’t you get tired of seeing the same people all the time? Hearing the same things, drinking the same drink? LOL
I attend church twice a week 95% of the time. And when we have special services, I also attend those. Why? Well, the world is rough. The news can be scary. People can be mean. Burdens get heavy. (add in your own troubles!) If I can go mid-week and be refreshed and uplifted, why not? Besides, I am always afraid I will miss something when I am not there! Who knows if that would be the night that God will give my pastor the words I need to solve a dilemma, or give another person a word of knowledge or word of wisdom. I have a better chance of that happening in a gathering than with just me sitting at home with the TV! Besides, TV has almost ZERO encouragement or life to ever give me. Unless I find a biblical show – so I might as well go ahead and get the real thing in person!
Do I learn anything? I actually had to think about this one. I’ve been in church all of my life. I love to learn even though I don’t always learn something new at each service. And that is okay! However, I always get my faith stirred and strengthened! Oh! Don’t you see the value in that? When you know something, and someone else shares a word that confirms it, or when our pastor expounds on a principle that reaffirms your faith, how awesome is that?! I mean, once you learn about verbs and adjectives, you don’t quit doing them or discussing them in school, you learn them so that you can practice them and use them whenever you need them! This is the same way with the Word of God. You learn a principle and then you dig in and get the meaning of it, and you figure out how to apply it to your life situations. Oh, of course I read the Bible and study outside of church. Friends, if you only read and study your Bible at church, you are missing it! In the times we live in, it is imperative that we study for ourselves and then when we come to church, what we hear should confirm what is already in our hearts if it is not something brand new to us. AND if it is new to us, then we have the responsibility to take notes and go home and study it out. See how this cycle works? Faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God. (Romans 10:17) It is not a one time thing!
There is nothing like corporate worship! We can all worship God at home and in our car, etc., and we should. But, there is nothing like coming together with people of like-minded faith and worshiping together. When we all assemble, and are singing the same thing at the same time, it brings unity. Oh, it may take a song or two to get the “junk” of the day out of our minds, but when we all focus on Him and do it together in one accord, WOW! He inhabits the praises of His people! (Ps 22:3) It reminds me of the story of King Jehoshaphat in the Bible. He was surrounded by enemies and didn’t know what to do! So he ASSEMBLED his people together, and said we are going to praise and worship our God. He sent the praise team first and they declared God’s goodness. WOW – do you know that this threw the enemy into confusion and they killed themselves? And not only that, but it took the “assembly” THREE DAYS to carry off the spoils left behind. So, not only did God defeat their enemies while they were gathered together and praising Him, but He provided for them as well. We have no idea the work going on in the spirit when we gather and praise our God. No doubt God is defeating enemies on our behalf and providing for us! Why? Because He is not a man that He should lie and is true to His word! He’s a good, good Father!
I love my tribe. Yes, tribe. I love being with people of like-minded faith and prayer. A community of believers that love and care for one another. Look at the dictionary meaning for tribe: a social division in a traditional society consisting of families or communities linked by social, economic, religious, or blood ties, with a common culture and dialect, typically having a recognized leader. How cool is that? It is an honor to serve our Lord in such an awesome place of community and love. It is a joy to be a part of something that is bigger than myself, that is making a difference in the community and in our region. It is exciting to support my church with ten percent of my income plus offerings. Tithing is a whole other teaching, but it was instituted before the law of Moses and it is viable in the New Testament. I know that God has blessed me and kept me because I am a tither and a giver and no one will ever be able to talk me out of that. Besides, I don’t feel like I would be a part of something if I did not give back. We are designed to serve and to give. God gave and we are made in His image.
So, why do I go to church week after week, month after month, year after year? It’s biblical, it’s fulfilling, it encourages me and it’s working. Even when things don’t seem to be working, the principles and laws of God work. It is the kingdom way of life. I have chosen to serve Jesus and in doing so, I have died to my own thinking and desires. Easy? No. Worth it? Yes. And I have testimony after testimony how God has kept His word to me. How I have been blessed in the House of God. God is faithful, even when people are not, God is good and faithful.
So, I will leave you with this verse and hope that a love for the House of the Lord increases in your life, and becomes a part of who you are and what you do. Let it be a legacy that you pass to your children’s children and may God bless you richly in this revelation as you are obedient to His word!
Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.
- Date - October 31, 2018
- Author - David Chisholm
