CHURCH ATTENDANCE
YOU GOTTA HAVE THE “WANT TO”
And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers" (Acts 2:42). "I want to be a worker for the Lord, I want to love and trust His holy word; I want to sing and pray, and be busy every day In the kingdom of the Lord. I will work, I will pray In the vineyard, in the vineyard of the Lord; I will work I will pray, I will labor every day In the vineyard of the Lord," says the first stanza of the popular song: "I Want To Be A Worker."
The Book of Acts is called by many names which attest to its uniqueness among the great company of epistles comprising the Holy Bible. These designations include: the Hub of the Bible, the Book of Conversions and the History of the First Century Church. Therefore, the Book of Acts is an appropriate place to begin a study of "Want-To-Religion And Church Attendance."
The Lord’s church is first acknowledged in Scripture (KJV) in the present tense, already in existence, in Acts 2:47. Before Acts Two, references to the church clearly indicate the church was not yet established (e.g., Matthew 16:18). The church, or kingdom as it was sometimes called (Matthew 16:18-19), was still only a promise in Acts 1:8. However, the Lord’s promise that it should be established with power (Mark 9:1; Matthew 18:18) was fulfilled when the apostles received the baptism of the Holy Spirit in Acts Two (verses 1-4). The power with which the Lord’s church was established or the "keys of the kingdom" (Matthew 16:18-19) began to be demonstrated when the apostles miraculously spoke in languages that they had not studied, styled "tongues" (Acts 2:5-13).
Church Attendance in Acts Two
The Gospel was initially preached in Jerusalem, per Old Testament prophecy (Isaiah 2:2, 3). The first recorded Gospel sermon appears in Acts 2:14-40. Believers were baptized and the Lord added them to the church (Acts 2:41-47). These early Christians enjoyed a close religious and social fellowship (Acts 2:42). Their worship and study assemblies were frequent (often daily, verse 46). Faithful attendance was not a matter of regulation then, as it later became in the context of which Hebrews 10:25 is a part. Christians eagerly assembled for public worship and study, (i.e. in the temple, and in more private settings, from house to house) because they possessed "want-to-religion." This pervading attitude also led these disciples to prefer one another in brotherly love (Romans 12:10), love the brotherhood (1 Peter 2:17) and develop a like precious faith (2 Peter 1:1).
Church Attendance in Acts Four and Five
Upon the apostles’ release from prison and before the Sanhedrin, they returned "to their own company" (4:23) which was "assembled together" (4:31). This was not conclusively a Lord’s Day worship assembly though they were teaching or preaching and praying (Acts 4:23-32). "And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul . . ." (4:32).
Public preaching continued on Solomon’s Porch of the Temple area (5:12-16). Regular assembling, teaching, worshipping and miracles confirming the Word of God resulted in many men and women being added to the multitude of the church. ". . . and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch . . . And the believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women" (5:12, 14). "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ" (5:42). The early church met daily in public (the Temple) and in private (in every member’s home). These daily assemblies included both preaching (formal teaching, usually of a public nature) and teaching (usually less formal than preaching and often in private settings).
From Acts Chapters Four and Five one must conclude: (1) The church was still meeting frequently, not just for Lord’s Day worship. (2) The church’s frequent assembling was not based on "compulsory motivation," but "want-to-religion"; there was an absence of admonition to assemble regularly in the presence of the "want-to" principle. (3) The key to "want-to-religion" and the enthusiasm which prompted the early church to assemble regularly was that the multitude which believed was of "one heart and of one soul" (4:32), truly "one," enjoying unity (John 17:21) and they possessed a disposition to "speak the same thing," have "no divisions" and "be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment" (1 Corinthians 1:10).
Church Attendance in Acts Six:
"And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied . . . And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith" (6:1, 7). By Chapter Six, the early church graduated from addition (Acts 2:47; 5:14) to multiplication. "Want-to-religion" had become contagious! Frequent attendance was edifying and resulted in spiritual and numerical growth.
Church Attendance in Acts Eight and Nine
About the time Stephen was stoned, severe persecution came upon the church. The threat of death and imprisonment scattered Christians throughout Judaea and Samaria and abroad (8:1-4). However, church attendance did not stop; it was just diverted to all parts of the known world as the disciples "went every where preaching the word" (8:4).
Persecution, described as "threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord" (9:1), continued. Yet, the church was still meeting in Jerusalem (9:26). The Jerusalem church still possessed the "want-to" principle. As a result, the Jerusalem church was "edified" and "multiplied" (9:31).
Church Attendance in Acts Twenty and Twenty-One
The apostle Paul was hurriedly en route to Jerusalem, intending to arrive by the time of the Feast of Pentecost. However, he delayed several days in Troas, waiting for the Lord’s Day worship (20:6-8). The Lord’s Day or first day of the week worship was paramount in the mind of Paul and the first century church. Acts 20:7 (cf. Exodus 20:8; I Corinthians 16:1, 2)) prescribes the frequency with which Christians must partake of the Lord’s Supper (every Lord’s Day). This assembling of the church for worship is described by "the disciples came together to break bread" (verse 7) and "they were gathered together" (verse 8).
Later, at another place, Paul again tarried several days though he was in a hurry (20:16; 21:3-4); maybe he was again waiting for the Lord’s Day assembly. The early Christians were still enjoying a heightened religious and social closeness or fellowship. "And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him, Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship"" (20:36-38; cf. 21:5-6).
One can easily see the emphasis placed by first century Christians on Lord’s Day or worship assemblies. However, the Book of Acts is saturated with "assemblies," many of which are in addition to Lord’s Day assemblies. The Lord’s Day worship was an assembly which involved spiritual and physical togetherness.
Hebrews 10:25-27 and Church Attendance
Admonition to not forsake assembling means not to "abandon" the assemblies. "All appointed assemblies" are implied, since Lord’s Day assemblies are not alone specified. Hebrews 10:25 addresses appointed, regular, specified assemblies which if missed was sinful. It is implied that Christians must attend Lord’s Day worship assemblies, the hours of which are designated by the elders (Hebrews 13:17), and other assemblies appointed by the elders (1 Peter 5:1, 2; Acts 20:28). Forsaking appointed or regular assemblies is willful sin, punishable by fiery indignation (10:26, 27).
In essence, Hebrews 10:25-27 says, "Repent or else!" Similarly, especially two of the five churches of Asia which were condemned in Revelation also lost their "want-to-religion." They too, in essence, received the ultimatum: "Repent or else!" The opposite of "lost first love" and "lukewarmness" is "want-to-religion."
The Book of Acts vividly depicts "want-to-religion." Admonitions to not forsake assembling together are absent from the Book of Acts in the presence of "want-to-religion." The "repent or else!" admonition was only issued when some lost their "want-to-religion." It is much better to operate on the "want-to" principle instead of the "repent or else!" principle. "Want-to-religion" led early Christians to exercise special care to worship on the Lord’s Day. They enjoyed assembling for "regular" (sometimes daily), "Lord’s Day" and "special" assemblies.
The early church realized a closeness (oneness) which prompted them to seek both frequent religious and social association. This frequent religious and social fellowship also fortified the oneness they enjoyed. A complete circle of oneness and assembling occurred.
Brethren should prefer one another today (Romans 12:10) much more than they typically do. Preference for brethren helps keep Christians from becoming worldly (John 17:15-16; James 4:4). The religious bond Christians know in Christ should result in a superior social bond as well.
Dear Reader, do you possess an earnest "want-to-religion?" We can do anything we genuinely "want-to." First century Christians and the early church accomplished much with significantly fewer resources than we have — because they "wanted-to."
Question: "Why is church attendance important?"
Answer: The Bible tells us that we need to attend church so we can worship God with other believers and be taught His Word for our spiritual growth (Acts 2:42; Hebrews 10:25). Church is the place where believers can love one another (1 John 4:12), encourage one another (Hebrews 3:13), “spur” one another (Hebrews 10:24), serve one another (Galatians 5:13), instruct one another (Romans 15:14), honor one another (Romans 12:10), and be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32).
When a person trusts Jesus Christ for salvation, he or she is made a member of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27). For a church body to function properly, all of its "body parts" need to be present (1 Corinthians 12:14-20). Likewise, a believer will never reach full spiritual maturity without the assistance and encouragement of other believers (1 Corinthians 12:21-26). For these reasons, church attendance, participation, and fellowship should be regular aspects of a believer’s life. Weekly church attendance is required for believers, someone who has trusted Christ should have a desire to worship God, be taught His Word, and fellowship with other believers.
Why Should We Attend Worship Service Faithfully?
Attending worship services faithfully is of the utmost importance. Many a strong Christian has become weak, and many a weak Christian has totally fallen away because at some point they began to miss worship services and Bible study on a regular basis. A Christian’s attendance of the worship services, as been rightfully declared by many, as a thermometer indicating one’s fervor for the Lord. One cannot truthfully say he is a faithful child of God if he does not attend worship services regularly. Consider now the following reasons why we must attend worship services faithfully.
The Hebrew writer penned the following passage giving us several reasons for not forsaking the assembly of the saints. "Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works; not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as ye see the day drawing nigh" (Heb. 10:24-25). Our assembling together for worship services stimulates the brethren to love and good works, and exhorts and encourages us to greater Christian enthusiasm. It is important, because of the trials, temptation and heartaches we face each week as Christians, to assemble together at each opportunity so that we might be stimulated and encouraged, and to do the same for others. It is reassuring to be around those of "like precious faith" (2 Pet. 1:1). We all need encouragement, but we must attend worship services and Bible study to receive this precious privilege.
Another reason we should attend worship services and Bible study faithfully is seen in Hebrews 10:25 – it is a command of God. Jesus said, "If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments" (Jn. 14:15). Furthermore, we also need to remember, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous" (1 Jn. 5:3). The Lord informs us that we must assemble at every opportunity with the saints. If this were the only reason for attending worship regularly – it would be enough. If you really love the Lord you will keep His commandments.
Still another reason we should attend worship services regularly is that we must be a good example to others. Peter declared, "For hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow his steps" (1 Pet. 2:21). Jesus left us innumerable examples of how we should live. One of these examples is that He kept the Law of Moses perfectly, which included attending all of the different feasts and special days of the Jewish religion. We, too, learning from the example of Jesus, should regularly attend all of the worship services as well as all other gathering for the purpose of study and edification. We should do this to please God, but also to set good examples for others. Paul said that we are to be "an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (1 Tim. 4:12). What kind of example do you think we set for the non-believer by out apathetic attendance, or for the weak Christian? Not a good one I assure you.
Would one consider a car faithful if it only starts every other time? Would you consider you spouse faithful if she cheated on your marriage once a month? Of course not! Then what makes us think that we can be faithful Christians if we are not attending worship services regularly? It is vital that we are faithful in attendance – our eternal destiny is hanging in the balances. We are not condemning those who are ill at home, we speak to those who have no reason for not coming other than being deficient in concern for spiritual matters. We love you and hope to see you in our next scheduled meeting time.
PASTOR CARROLL
