Why Attend Church Services?

Why Attend Church Services?

Not giving up meeting together … but encouraging one another.—Hebrews 10:25

In America, church attendance seems to be dropping to all-time lows. Although many polls have reported that for the last 70 years about 40% of the population attend church on a regular basis, newer studies (cited in Outreach Magazine, April 10, 2018), have concluded the number to be now less than 20%. This must not be just a current problem because the Book of Hebrews urged the first century church to continue to meet regularly, “not giving up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing” (10:25).

Why do we attend church services? Many would say to worship God. This past Sunday, our worship leader commented that praise, at its simplest, means to compliment someone. In the case of worship, to compliment God. I had never thought of it that way. He went on to encourage us to spend the next 30 seconds complimenting God for who He is to us. These 30 seconds between songs became a very meaningful experience of worship for many of us.

The Oxford Living Dictionary defines “compliment” to mean, “Politely congratulate or praise (someone) for something,” or to “Praise (something) politely.” Some of my favorite persons are those who encourage others. They always seem to compliment things and people. I wonder if that is how God feels about us as we worship.

Many people today say they can worship God anywhere. We have turned church attendance into something we can take or leave because we have reduced worship to something we can do privately anywhere and anytime. It is true that Jesus told the woman at the well that “true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth” (John 4:23). “In the Spirit and in truth” does not mean by oneself.

Reading the context around Hebrews 10:25, we see the motivation for meeting together was not only to worship God, but to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds” and “encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Spurring one another on and encouraging each other are not worship, but when we worship corporately, we become part of something bigger than ourselves and our own private agendas. We are part of a church family.

When we talk of worship, many of us think of singing. This is partially true. Even if we limit worship to singing, we find that we still encourage and spur each other on. Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 both teach us to use “Psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit” to speak to one another and to “teach and admonish one another with all wisdom.”

Our praise and worship are definitely directed toward God. We sing to and compliment an audience of One. I am always reminded that Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is Number One on a list of one, but as we sing and worship the Lord in the Spirit, we also encourage those around us. We worship God as a family. You can surely worship the Lord anytime and by yourself, which you should, but do not give “up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Randy Bain is the Senior Pastor of Oakland UM Church at 1504 Bedford Street, Johnstown, PA 15902. You may reach him through the church website www.oaklandonline.org.