Okay, so I’ll be straightforward about this. I am on staff at a church. In fact I am the lead minister with the church, and there is something that I just don’t understand. Maybe it because I have been in church my whole life. Maybe it’s because I have been working in the church for the last 15 years. Whatever the reason, here it is:

How can someone claim Christ, yet take no active part in living that out? How can they be okay with that? I know that I have never, NEVER, personally taught that just come when you feel like it, or when it’s convenient is okay. I don’t understand that mentality, I don’t understand how people get the impression that skipping out is okay.

No, our church attendance doesn’t save us.
No, we are to saved by human works or effort.

But if you realized that Jesus loved you enough to die for you, and the told you to hang out with the other people that knew that too, wouldn’t you do it? Wouldn’t you purposefully, intentionally make the effort to seek out time with people who believed as you, who know the glorious truth that you know, rather than just staying captive to your bed, or the idea that every weekend has to be a vacation away from everything, even church?

If you are only going to come when the is nothing else going on, if your attendance is based on how sleepy you feel, where is your heart?

Dear God, I hope that I am not so off track here from what You have asked of us, but from reading Your Word, from examining what You have told us, I can’t see any rationalization for the perspective that this kind of wholesale neglect is okay. Father, I pray that You move Your children to greater things than just sleeping in and disregarding their walk with You and their brothers and sisters.

There is so much to be gained from our church communities. There is so much support, so much growth to take place, that we cannot simply set it aside in order to justify our poor planning and bad priorities. Is it okay to go on vacation? Of course, but find a church to go to before you go. We don’t vacation from God. Is it a mortal sin if you get sick and miss a Sunday? No of course not.

God wants our hearts, not our rituals. God desires us, not just a filled seat. It’s not about legalism, it’s about desire. It’s not a show, it’s personal discipline. It’s not an obligation to the ministers, it’s your relationship with Christ and His bride.

Kind of like tithing is difficult at first, and studying the Bible takes some practice, attending church may take some getting used to from the way you lived your life before Jesus came in…but it is something we all should willingly do, and even anticipate, bringing others with us for the journey.

Again, I hope this hasn’t come across as heavy handed, but I can’t understand not having the time with my brothers and sisters each week. It is such a blessing to listen, share and grow together!