Attendance at Assemblies of the Church
Why You Should Attend Every Service of the Local Church
- The Lord has commanded it. “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24-25)
- Your Savior, Jesus Christ, is there in a special way (Matthew 18:20). Though He is with the Christian at all times, His promise is to be in the midst of His disciples when they have gathered in His name.
- Do you have the right to think it is the responsibility of other members but not your responsibility? God is not partial (Acts 10:34-35), therefore, He does not require of one of His children what he does not require of all.
- Ask yourself this question frequently, “What kind of church would this be if everyone in it were just like me?” Would the Lord be pleased if everyone attended sporadically?
- It is the will of Christ that members of the church edify or build up one another (Ephesians 4:16). One of the ways in which they do that is by coming together for worship. When Christians do not assemble as they should, they discourage one another and show indifference to each other by failing to be where they can exhort and admonish. Lack of attendance to assemblies shows that the person is putting the church and spiritual matters second in his life.
- You need to be where spiritual food is being provided so that you may grow spiritually (1 Peter 2:1-2).
- You need, along with others, to be showing in a public way your thanksgiving to God for His blessings (Ephesians 5:20).
- You will be able to give back to the Lord as you have prospered on the day He has appointed for you to give (1 Corinthians 16:1-2).
- Christ commands you to remember Him in the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:24). If He said, “this do” and you do not do it, you are in rebellion against His authority.
- You will be showing the world you believe the Lord’s promise to come again and you will be proclaiming that belief to all by partaking of the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11:26).
If You Fail to Attend Regularly
- You sin! Knowing that you ought to do a thing but failing to do it is clearly a sin (James 4:17).
- Others have to take on extra work—the work that you ought to be doing (Galatians 6:4-5). You are creating a problem and a burden which keeps faithful Christians from the work of seeking those outside of Christ. How much better it is when you and others can spend time and effort in bringing the lost to the Lord.
- It sets a bad example and could lead others to commit sin.
- It hinders the teaching of those in sin and error. Some only see the church through you (Colossians 4:5).
The Action of the Church Toward Those Who Do Not Faithfully Worship
“Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). Those who are not attending its services and supporting its work must be warned by the local church. Romans 16:17 says, “Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and avoid them.” A brother who walks disorderly must be withdrawn from (2 Thessalonians 3:6) so that he might be ashamed of his sins (2 Thessalonians 3:14). Those who are spiritual should seek to restore such an erring brother all the while realizing that they could fall in the same way (Galatians 6:1).