ONCE A WEEK IS NOT ENOUGH

It’s a long step from Sunday to Sunday! There is surely more to being faithful to the Lord of heaven and earth than “church attendance,” but can one be faithful to Him without? Is it necessary (to please God, to grow spiritually, to be saved) for one to assemble faithfully with the saints? If the New Testament teaches anything, it answers “yes”! We are obviously not speaking of the sick and shut-ins and others who are hindered beyond their control, but those who able to come. We aren’t merely asking if the preacher or elders care, but does God care? Consider the following:

Lord’s Day Assembly

Saints are commanded to partake of the Lord’s Supper to remember Christ (I Corinthians 11:24). The apostolic example (Acts 20:7) and uninspired early church history confirm that the church ate the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week (cf. I Corinthians 16:1-2). These things were to be done “everywhere in every church” (I Corinthians 4:17). To willfully miss the Lord’s day assembly is to disregard these commands.

Other Assemblies

What about Sunday evening, Sunday morning Bible school or Wednesday night? Are such meetings Scriptural or unscriptural? Various meetings besides Sunday were held in the early church with apostolic approval (Acts 2:46; 4:23; 12:12, etc). It is certain that such additional meetings for study, worship and fellowship (Gospel meetings series, vacation Bible schools, workshops, etc.) greatly strength-en those who attend them and do untold good. In spite of Scriptural precedent and practical need for these meetings, some still weakly cling to the “Lord’s Supper only” approach to church attendance.

A Direct Command

As clearly as the New Testament teaches us not to commit adultery, not to steal or not to murder, it teaches “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” (Hebrews 10:25). To forsake is not merely to be absent. The sick man will be absent without forsaking the assembly if he would have been there except for sick-ness. To forsake is to abandon for something deemed more important. It is mere speculation to limit this command only to the Lord’s day assembly. Whenever there is a meeting of the saints at which we could be exhorted to pure living, we ought to be there. Moreover, we ought to want to be there!

Miscellaneous Principles

Lovers of God have always cherished worship and study opportunities (Psalms 42:1-4; 84:1-2, 10; Matthew 5:6). Can one “seek first the kingdom” while forsaking its assemblies? (Matthew 6:33). Does God care where we are when the saints meet?

Author Unknown

Church Attendance

There is surely more to being faithful to the Lord of heaven and earth than “church attendance,” but can one be faithful to Him without it? Is it necessary (to please God, to grow spiritually, to be saved) for one to assemble faithfully with the saints? If the New Testament teaches anything, it answers “yes”! We are obviously not speaking of the sick and shut-ins and others hindered beyond their control, but those who are able to come. We aren’t merely asking if the preacher or elders care, but does God care? Consider the following:

Lord’s Day assembly. Saints are commanded to partake of the Lord’s Supper to remember Christ (I Corinthians 11:24). The apostolic example (Acts 20:7) and uninspired church history confirm that the church ate the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week. To provide the money needed to do the work of the church, the saints were commanded to give of their money every first day of the week (I Corinthians 16:1-2). These things were to be done “everywhere in every church” (I Corinthians 4:17). To willfully miss the Lord’s Day assembly is to disregard these commands.

Other assemblies. What about Sunday evening, Sunday morning Bible school or Wednesday night? Are such meetings Scriptural or unscriptural? Various meetings besides Sunday were held in the early church with apostolic approval (Acts 2:46; 4:23; 12:12, etc.). It is certain additional meetings for study, worship and fellowship (Gospel Meeting series, Vacation Bible Schools, workshops, etc.) greatly strengthen those who attend them and do untold good. In spite of Scriptural precedent and practical need for these meetings, some still weakly cling to the “Lord’s Supper only” approach to church attendance.

A direct command. As clearly as the New Testament teaches not to commit adultery, not to steal, or not to murder, it teaches “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together” (Hebrews 10:25). To forsake is not the same as merely being absent. The sick man will be absent without forsaking the assembly if he would have been there except for sickness. To forsake is to abandon for something deemed more important. It is mere speculation to limit this command only to the Lord’s Day assembly. Whenever there is a meeting of the saints at which we could be exhorted to pure living, we ought to be there. Moreover, we ought to want to be there.

Miscellaneous principles. Lovers of God have always cherished worship and study opportunities (Psalm 42:1-4; 84:1-2, 10; Matthew 5:6). Can one “seek first the kingdom” while forsaking its assemblies? (Matthew 6:33). Does God care where we are when the saints meet?

Author Unknown

Our Second Religion

Sporting activities have been called the “second religion of America.” Whether it is the fast-break, jump shooting, and 3-point shots, or the 55-yard pass for the winning touchdown on the last play of the game, we love sports. It can be ice hockey or air hockey, but it still has its appeal. Hunting moose, elk, deer, quail, doves, and varmints (the four-legged kind) attracts a following. Fishing holes are sometimes marked by nearly as many fishers as fish. They can be the “boys of summer” that win it in the last inning or the sprinter who wins by a nose, but it makes no difference. Football, fishing, baseball, hunting, basketball, track — we love it all.

But, may we call a “time out” to consider a fairly common problem in light of the Bible? Sporting activities are not the second religion of some — collective sporting activities are the first religion to some. Some view sports as of the utmost value and concern in life. Sadly, even some professing to be children of the heavenly Father implicitly tell the God of heaven to “take a number (other than one) and we’ll be right with you after the last quarter.” Sports can be wholesome and good for all who participate or spectate, but Christians are careful to keep such activities in their proper place. The Bible still teaches, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33), and “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).

One brother, speaking to a preacher’s workshop, justified his son missing Wednesday evening services to play ball by asking the teen if he would be willing, come next week, to attend both the regular Wednesday evening services and an area Gospel meeting on Thursday night. Of course, if it is right for a Christian to miss worship assemblies and Bible class to participate in sports, does it not follow that all the brethren can miss the assemblies and classes to watch the ball game or other sporting activities? And, if we can “make up” forsaken assemblies like a student makes up a missed test, then surely we can justify shutting down the church building during the hottest part of the summer and do “make up” worship every night for a few weeks this Autumn.

Bible classes and worship assemblies in some places take a tremendous nose dive in attendance because some brethren worship at the idol of sporting activities. We cannot help but wonder though how important our sporting achievements will seem when we stand before God in judgment. Suddenly the “one that got away” will be insignificant and the state championship trophy will provide as much comfort as a crash helmet to a kamikaze pilot.

I like sporting activities. I have played organized sports. I try to instruct my children in sports. But when the church is working, meeting in assemblies, or studying in Bible classes, my family needs to be present, promoting the work, exhorting the brethren, and receiving exhortation: “For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come” (I Timothy 4:8).

Lynn Parker