Why Attend Every Service

"WHY ATTEND EVERY CHURCH SERVICE?"

INTRODUCTION

1. In my life as a Christian, I have noticed the following in every church...

a. There are some Christians who attend every service of the church whenever

possible

1) They are present for Bible study on Sunday morning and Wednesday

evening

2) They attend both Sunday morning and evening worship services

3) When the church has a gospel meeting, they attend each service

4) They frequently attend gospel meetings at other congregations

b. There are other Christians whose attendance is infrequent

1) They attend only once on Sunday, and that sporadically

2) They do not participate in the Bible studies

3) They are not present for most services during local gospel meetings

4) As for attending a gospel meeting elsewhere...very unlikely

2. Why the difference?

a. Why do some Christians attend every service, and others do not?

b. Does it really make a difference?

3. I am of the conviction that it makes a very real difference!

a. It makes a difference in the spiritual life of the Christian

b. It makes a difference in the spiritual life of the congregation

[I wish to share with you some reasons why every Christian ought to attend every

service, unless hindered by illness or circumstances beyond their control. There

are several reasons why many Christians have chosen to attend as they do. For

example, we should attend every service...]

I. TO FULFILL THE COMMANDS OF GOD

A. THE COMMAND NOT TO FORSAKE OUR ASSEMBLING...

1. This command is found in He 10:25

2. It is warning against the complete abandonment of assembling with others

3. While one may not have abandoned our assembling by attending only once

a week...

a. Forsaking that one assembly a week becomes a lot easier when you have

been in the habit of forsaking many other assemblies!

b. Those in the habit of attending every service are not likely to begin

skipping services that can lead to stopping attending altogether!

B. THE COMMAND TO EDIFY ONE ANOTHER...

1. We have a responsibility to build up one another - Ro 14:19;

15:1-3; He 3:12-14

2. Simply our presence alone encourages others in attendance

3. Can we really say that we are edifying others...

a. When we are absent most of the time?

b. When we attend so infrequently, we hardly know the other members?

c. When we are not present to notice that others have stopped attending?

C. THE COMMAND TO SEEK FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD...

1. Jesus commands us to put the kingdom of God first - Mt 6:33

a. We all have priorities, we must simply put them in the right order

1) Many Christians will not accept a job if it means missing services, and

yet they find that God provides for their needs

2) Many Christians will not play sports, or other extracurricular activities

that conflict with their service to God

ƒÞ It is one thing to miss because one provides critical services to others

ƒÞ (such as medical needs), but to miss just to make money?

b. Some stay home on Sunday because of aches and pains, but on

Monday go to work, the grocery store, or the mall with the same aches and

pains (???)

2. Putting Christ first even before family - Mt 10:37-38; Lk 14:26

a. Some stay home because of family visiting - is that putting Christ first?

b. Who is our true family? - cf. Mt 12:46-50

[Can anyone say that they can faithfully keep such commands when they consistently miss most of the services of the church? Consider also that we should attend every service...]

II. TO GROW AND DEVELOP SPIRITUALLY

A. THE SERVICES ARE DESIGNED FOR SPIRITUAL GROWTH...

1. Hearing the sermons and attending the Bible classes helps one to grow and

develop into a mature Christian - cf. He 5:12-14

2. Even the songs are designed to teach as well as praise ¡V Col 3:16

3. Prayer, the Lord’s Supper, even the collection, are designed to bring us

closer to God as well as to one another

B. OUR GROWTH IS DEPENDENT UPON OUR DIET...

1. One cannot grow as God intended on a starvation diet

2. Those who attend irregularly eventually suffer from "spiritual malnutrition"

a. Leaving them susceptible to temptation

b. Rather than living strong, joyful, peaceful spiritual lives

[I have never known a person who chose to attend only one service a week to be a

strong, faithful Christian. They were more like the chaff than the rooted tree

described in Psa 1:1-6. Another reason to attend every service is...]

III. TO HELP THE CHURCH FUNCTION PROPERLY

A. THE LOCAL CHURCH NEEDS WORKERS...

1. The church is like a body, needing every individual part to do its share ¡V

Ep 4:15-16

2. No one can say they’re not needed, nor that they do not need others ¡V