How Important Is Church to You?

I cannot tell you how many times I have heard a pastor say something to the effect of, "How many of you would rather be here than in prison?" I cannot imagine anyone not raising their hands after a question like that. But I wonder how many positive responses we would get if we asked this question on Sunday, "How many of you would rather be here than at Disney World?" Or how about this, "How many of you would rather be here than on a beach in Hawaii?"

When was the last time that we took an honest look at our "volunteer" attendance at church. If we were given the opportunity to attend a pro baseball or football game during church service hours, would we attend church? If our children had a school activity or sports game that took place during church service hours, would we attend church? If our family was coming to visit for only a few days, would we attend church? Sadly the answer for most church members in America is "No."

Now I realize that most people who read this are those who attend church regularly. The question is not whether we go, but whether it is where we would rather be? In a country where men and women gave their lives so that we could have the freedom to worship openly without fear of arrest... in churches that follow a Savior who gave His life in our place so that we could spend eternity with Him... why is attending church something that many people dread or at the best tolerate?

Even in churches that have made a business of entertaining their members, people often skip out of church for things that they determine to be more important. When I was a child people used to attend church for 5 hours or more a week (Sunday School, morning worship, Discipleship or Training Union, evening worship, and Wednesday night Bible study/worship/prayer meeting). Now people are considered regular attenders if they attend an hour of worship twice a month. Why does Jesus finish last place among our priorities in life?

Comments

Todd Billingsley said…
Another perspective is that it's not a matter of having other priorities, it's that the institutional church, in baseball speak, is swinging and missing badly. Over the past 1,700 years it has gotten so far off base of what Christ intended, it's going to require a complete do-over.

The church as a body of believers who worship together, love and care for each other on a daily basis, I couldn't do without. The institutional church on the other hand is rather easy to ignore.

Christ attracted thousands, many of which wouldn't set foot inside a church. Yet people are leaving churches today in droves.

What are we missing?
4:17 PM
Unknown said…
Todd, I would agree. Jesus did not like the institutional religion when he walked on earth and I don't like current institutional religion.

I believe that we are missing the core in our churches. We gear everything toward reaching others and have forgotten to disciple the believers to be ministers. Without strong disciples we are ineffective in loving and caring for each other or reaching out to others. The church in general has left all of this to the hired guns (pastors) and the ever decreasing small group of volunteer ministers.

To quote 4Him: "We need to get back to the basics."
4:52 PM
LaVerne said…
A big AMEN there Steve. I've been saying that for years and no one listens. I thought it was just me.
1:17 PM
LaVerne said…
A big AMEN there Steve. I've been saying that for years and no one listens. I thought it was just me.
1:18 PM
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