Discern Daily
Ep. 8 – Responsible Disciples Don’t Skip Church
The number of Christians who attend a worship service every week at their local church is a disappointingly low number compared to the total amount of professing Christians. Faithful disciples of Christ should not regularly skip church for a number of important reasons.
On this episode of Discern Daily, we discussed an article written by Nathan Rose, titled, “5 Spiritual Dangers of Skipping Church,” published on For The Church. Let’s take a look at the piece and seek the truth.
Top Quotes from Nathan’s Article
“I read recently that my denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, has a total of 16 million members, but on a typical Sunday only 6 million of those members attend their local church’s corporate worship gathering.”
“Below, I want to list some reasons and explain why skipping church is a really bad idea.
1. You will miss out on God’s primary design for your spiritual growth and well-being.
2. You disobey God.
3. You make a statement to the world that God is not worthy of worship.
4. You can’t minister to anyone.
5. You skip out on a foretaste of heaven.”
[Posted as a footnote] “These reasons do not pertain to people who are providentially hindered. I believe there are circumstances in which it is appropriate and even necessary to miss corporate worship with your church family. Sickness, physical disablement, being out of town to take care of one’s elderly parents are just a few examples.”
“Too often people think that corporate worship is only about getting their own spiritual needs met. And therefore if they don’t have any spiritual needs at that time then there is no reason for them to attend.”
“Missing church robs you of an opportunity to serve someone other than yourself.”
Read Nathan’s full article on For The Church here.
Episode Highlights
I really appreciated Nathan’s article. It’s not a newly published article, but it resonated with me this week. As a pastor, I can tell you from experience that not all Christians care to serve at church each week.
Number four on Nathan’s list is worth discussing. If we are going to be fruitful, responsible ministers of the gospel, we must be consistently involved in a local church. By skipping church, you really can’t minister to anyone.
The Apostle Paul talks about spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12. In this passage of Scripture, Paul is not spreading compliments, but delegating responsibilities. We have a role to play for the body of Christ to function well.
Our spiritual gifts aren’t given to us to make us feel better about ourselves. They’re meant to benefit others in the church. Others miss out when you skip church.
You cannot practice the “one another’s” in the Bible — love one another, serve one another, submit to one another — if you’re not around one another.
We need to appreciate being members of the body of Christ and learn how to better function as a single member of an entire body of believers.
Let’s Seek the Truth
What spoke to you in this episode? Do you agree with Nathan’s 5 reasons why skipping church is a bad idea? Share in the comments below and let’s connect!
Responses
My comment is that the hatred for sin that must accompany true repentance is pleasing to God who will also give his grace to say “No” to ungodliness and yes to living for Him (Titus 2:11-14). That deals a fatal blow to sin having power over someone to keep him/her captive to it (Romans 6:14-16; 2 Timothy 2:26), so long as the receiver of God’s grace uses it for it’s given purpose. And that hatred for sin will be proven by the evidence of it in someone’s new life: love of the light, zeal for righteousness, awareness of the influence of false teachings, concern for the salvation of others, openness to correction, etc.
The reality of false repentance is a given, but so is the reality of the false messages that do not bring one to “meet Jesus” at the point of contrition and surrender (“godly grief”) where He will say, “I forgive you; now go, and sin no more” as in John 8:11. That is what the apostle Paul tried to do with governor Felix (Acts 24:24-25). The apostle Peter did the same on the day of Pentecost; he preached and set the stage (Acts 2:22-37) for the call to repentance (Acts 2:38). We see the outcomes in each case. By the Holy Spirit the hearer is convicted of sin, righteousness and judgment (John 16:8). Then there is no excuse for not truly repenting. While some are saved (set free from their sins) by coming to true repentance, preaching the Gospel must make the point that Jesus came to end a slave/master relationship that every sinner has with sin (John 8:34-36), not to offer a way forward with sin (very popular). And that way forward with sin is one that many support with Bible passages. That is the spirit of error (1 John 4:6).
As long as the loudest voice is preaching a false message that claims to not condone sin but in practice makes a way for its continuance, the truth that sets free from sin (John 8:32) is likely to still elude those affected by false repentance. It’s no small war in this day when many have received and embraced myths (2 Timothy 4:3-4) to really open eyes and bring someone from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God (Acts 26:18). That is not even how most Christians view their “salvation.” So, I want to say to you who see the reality of false repentance that is indeed “scary,” to stand on that truth and look at where the “gospel” message that is communicated is failing also. It’s true that some believers are hypocrites and don’t truly hate their sins, but others who would gladly receive the truth are also trapped under false teachings that do not drive the point home about “the heinous nature of sin,” as brother Adriel Sanchez pointed it out. The truth will sting but it will heal.
Luke 5:31-32
31 Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.”
I will share with you a video that I have found just to magnify the sense of having not truly repented:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tcqu2WjSOJo
God bless you!