Whenever an article such as this is written, one must concede that every attitude behind a given subject matter may not be realized or covered in an article.  It is not my intention to make this an exhaustive study of the attitudes behind unfaithful attendance.  However, the goal behind the writing of this article is to reach into the hearts of some who are unfaithful in attendance and help them in examining themselves.  This article applies to all in that it will hopefully provide thought provoking material to cause each and every one of us to examine our ideas when it comes to worshipping God and attending the services offered in the local congregations we are members of.

     When addressing the subject of attendance in the local church, it is sure there are some who will take offence.  There are some that are just so hard headed that they do not see the need to attend the services of the local church on a regular basis.  A lack of spirituality and biblical knowledge becomes abundantly clear when the unfaithful in attendance begin to form what they believe are their defenses.  Sadly, many in congregations worldwide do not see the need to faithfully attend EVERY service of the local church.  One problem that is often found is the idea that once is enough.

     One might begin to argue that Acts 20:7 was fulfilled when they assembled to partake of the Lord’s Supper with the local body of saints in their area.  They argue that any service time beyond one on Sunday is not necessary.  Is this true?  The true fact is that saints in the first century came together more often than not (Acts 2:46 and Acts 5:42).  Christians in the New Testament understood the need to exhort one another daily (Hebrews 3:13).  The work of the Lord was so intense that congregations were growing daily through those who obeyed the Gospel (Acts 16:5; cf. Acts 2:41; 47).  If there is any problem when it comes to more than one service a week, it is that we do not assemble enough times.  The idea that once is enough does not come from the word of God.  The excuse is a show of spiritual deficit.

       The question of why we need to meet together as frequently as possible is rarely asked.  The focus is on how little we can assemble to accomplish what is expected of us as Christians.  Many congregations meet on Wednesday evenings because that is just something they have always done.  Spiritually minded people will desire to be with other spiritually minded people as often as possible (Acts 2:42).

     The Apostle Paul penned these words: “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.  For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1-3).  Spiritual people think about spiritual things.  Coming together with Christians to worship God and grow spiritually would be at the top of any faithful Christian’s agenda.  What better place to be than with those of like precious faith?  What better things can one do than have their affections set on spiritual matters?  The church has the work of edifying itself in love (Ephesians 4:16).  How can that work be accomplished when the church is not together?

     Paul had to address the congregation assembling in Corinth as carnal (I Corinthians 3:3).  The brethren there were carnal thinkers.  How is one who does not want to assemble with brethren any less carnal than those who were in Corinth?  How can we claim we are seeking first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33), if assembling together with our brethren is something we try to “get out of doing”.  Do those who are unfaithful in attendance think that Heaven will be full of opportunities not to worship God or be around brethren?  In Heaven God is worshipped (Revelation 4:10; 7:11) and the worship in Heaven to God is something we will do for an eternity.  Thus, how can so many who are unfaithful in attendance look forward to an eternity of something they can’t stand doing on earth for just a few hours a week?  I suppose they will never be faced with finding out what an eternity of worship is like.

     Coming together to worship God and edifying one another is not a chore, it is a privilege.  Those who are faithful to God have renewed their minds (Romans 12:2).  They no longer think of ways to spend their time doing worldly things, they love doing that which is spiritual.  The faithful have realized that: “…to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace” (Romans 8:6).  The carnal in thought are those who continually ask, why do I have to be there?  They sound like a ten year old on his way out the door to go to school.  Carnal thinking must be put behind and we must begin to ask questions such as: why would one not want to assemble with his or her brethren?

     We often spend our time properly pointing out that the Scriptures demand Christians not to forsake the assembling of the saints (Hebrews 10:25).  Why not spend our time questioning why one would not want to assemble with their brethren?  Is it because they do not want to worship God often?   Is it because they do not want learn about the Lord through studying the Scriptures?  Do they hate singing praises unto God?  Is it because they do not like to pray with their brethren?  Is it that they do not like their brothers and sisters in Christ?   Is it because television is more thought provoking as a moral standard than sermons and bible classes?  What possible good reason could one have for not wanting to assemble with their brethren?

     How can we comfort ourselves together, and edify one another without assembling with one another (I Thessalonians 5:11)?  How can we know when our brethren need us to help them overcome spiritual weakness if we are not together enough to realize such problems (Galatians 6:1-2)?  Brethren need to be around each other to be strengthened.  That old serpent the Devil will have a much harder time influencing the weak if the strong are there to help keep them from bending (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).

     The Apostle Paul wrote the following concerning the church: “For the body is not one member, but many.  If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.  And if they were all one member, where were the body?  But now are they many members, yet but one body.  And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.  Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.  For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.  And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular” (I Corinthians 12:14-27).  From what Paul wrote, we can truly conclude that without every member present in our local assemblies, a body part is missing.  Every member of a local congregation is significant in the work of that body!  Brethren, we NEED to be with each other.

     The word of God clearly establishes that we must not forsake the coming together of the saints (Hebrews 10:25).  However, why would we not want to be with our brethren at every service?  There is a huge problem with the supposed Christian who does not assemble with his or her brethren faithfully.  That problem needs addressed.  Discipline needs to be practiced on those who refuse to faithfully serve God and assemble with their brethren, for such an attitude is walking disorderly and is contrary to the doctrine of Christ (II Thessalonians 3:6).  Prayerfully, one who is unfaithful in their attendance will search themselves and find that the root of the problem is deeper than their attendance before they fall too far to be recovered.  There are many attitudes that produce unfaithful attendance, none of which are formed through spiritual thinking!