"Don't Skip Church"

“Don’t Skip Church”

According to a 2017 Gallup survey, about 38% of American adults attend religious services “almost every week” and the percentage is declining by about .5% annually. We can be somewhat encouraged by the poll’s finding that evangelicals’ frequency is around 58% but it also means that 42% of us, or more than two out of five, seldom or never gather with other believers for worship and fellowship. It appears this trend isn’t new because the writer of Hebrews addressed it in the late ‘60’s of the first century, probably shortly before Jerusalem was razed by the Romans, in this way: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25). The relevance of this statement to our present day is astounding but we shouldn’t be surprised as “…there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:9).

The author urges his readers to stop skipping church and encourage their brothers and sisters by assembling for mutual benefit. This seems pretty straightforward but in case they didn’t get it he goes on to give a reason: the Day was approaching. To what is God’s messenger referring? It could be the Roman threat but (more likely) the early church’s belief that Christ would return during their lifetime, judge His enemies and establish an earthly kingdom. This had led some believers to sit back and wait for His appearing, an error which Paul had dealt with strongly about 15 years previously (see 2 Thessalonians 3).

In the challenging days in which we’re living this word of admonition couldn’t be more timely. Many Christians are being persecuted and even martyred for their faith around the world and we often complain that our “rights” are being curtailed in our own nation. So we need one another more than ever but a significant number of us choose to skip associating regularly with God’s people. Please understand I’m not judging anyone—there’s only one Judge and I’m certainly not Him—but asking that we (myself included) “Give careful thought to (our) ways.” (Haggai 1:5,7) and where changes are needed be willing to make them so we might “carry on God’s business until Jesus returns.” (Luke 19:13, my paraphrase) and “…be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.” (1 John 2:28). When this happens would there be a better place to be found than with His people?

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan