07 Feb Church attendance: back in the habit!

​ In her article, “In Defense of Church Hoppers,” Michelle Van Loon wrote:

“My husband and I have been through periods of church hopping during our 33-year marriage. It would have been more pleasant to skip the Sunday morning visitor routine and go out for brunch or take a hike, but our desire for community and meaningful corporate worship overcame our newbie fatigue every time.”

She talks about several friends who might be considered church hoppers. “These wanderers do long to stay put but face steep challenges when it comes to finding a church home.” Michelle mentions several obstacles but concludes, “Despite a negative experience with a toxic church, despite loneliness, despite facing a lack of hospitality or ministry resources, each of these friends continues their hop with the hope of finding a church home.”

I don’t believe they had church hoppers in the first century. There weren’t that many churches to choose from and I would imagine commuting great distances would be slow and difficult. Some churches suffered losses due to persecution, while others experienced loss of fellowship out of apathy, conflict, and other reasons.

The writer of Hebrews challenged the church to remain faithful and hold on to their confidence in Jesus Christ, even when others around them did not. He told them to “not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (10:25).

I still remember when we went “virtual only” due to the pandemic. I looked through a tiny camera on my laptop to livestream Wednesday Bible Study and another one on the Sanctuary balcony for Sunday mornings. The technology enabled us to “stay together, even when we’re apart.”

In the aftermath of that unusual season, I’ve had conversations with those who were once active in church and have since stopped their participation. The popular response has been, “I guess I just got out of the habit of going.”

Yes, we’ve had some bad weather to attend to last month. But beyond this, I want us to give some thought to our own involvement in our fellowship. Your presence and participation make a difference to our church family, as well as guests who are looking for a church home.

I remember hearing about a woman in a wheelchair who went to the gym to work out. She’d been an athlete and prided herself on staying in shape but found it difficult to resume a level of fitness in the aftermath of her injury. It was challenging to navigate around the machines, and she felt self-conscious about people noticing her difficulty.

The woman decided she would quit rather than put herself (and the others) through this awkward and embarrassing situation. As she prepared to leave the weight room, the trainer came over and sat on a bench next to her. He looked at her and simply said, “You’re inspiring me.” This one interaction helped her “keep on keeping on.”

Life in church is a habit, but more importantly it’s a spiritual discipline. It’s not always a sermon or a song that speaks to us. It can be an uplifting or humorous word from a friend, a shared tear, a hug or a fist bump.

I’m grateful to be part of our family of faith and look forward to what the Lord has in store for us this year. Stay encouraged–DC