Not Going to Church?

There are a lot (more than a few) of people who are not attending regularly, if at all,  Church services on Sunday, or some other time when the Church is doing what the Church is supposed to do. (I will assume you know what that task is). I understand that “reasons” change from time to time, and no list of reasons would ever be  broad enough to capture the majority. It is also true that I am, at best, guessing, for there is certainly no pathway which leads to a full knowledge and  coverage of such reasons. I also speak regarding only those persons who have declared themselves to be “children of God,” in relationship with His Church.  Hence, this post is speculative and suspect. I have been a observer of the activity (not regularly attending Church) since my first staff position in a Church (1962 in Shawnee, OK) to this very day, and therefore claim my list is plausible. Please note I chose a list of 5 because I want the post to be relatively short, but it could be infinite.

No. 5: I just don’t like the Preacher. I can’t hear or understand him. If I do hear him he says things that make me feel bad. I don’t go to Church to hear stuff that makes me think a change in my life is in order.  (Editor’s Note: Perhaps one should recognize that real Preachers don’t preach to please people, rather, to please an Omnipotent God of Heaven and Earth.)

No. 4: Someone hurt my feelings, or said something untoward regarding someone about whom I care. I didn’t hear it myself, but there are several others who have told me what was said so it must be true. (Editor’s Note: Perhaps forgiveness and forgetfulness are two Godly characteristics with which you may not be familiar.)

No. 3: I don’t like (or I hate) the music that is a part of the Worship experience. It is either too old (think Hymns from the 17th and 18th Century), or too contemporary (think anything written later than the 17th or 18th Century). (Editor’s Note: Perhaps you fail to recognize that the music is about praising and Worshiping God, not pleasing our musical tastes or showing off our performance skills.)

No. 2: I am very “ill,” or kinda “ill” or getting “ill,” or fear becoming “ill” due to contact with other “ill” persons. This includes everything from Covid 19 (recently popular excuse in the Church) to “colds,” “cancer,” “smallpox,” “hayfever,” and “polio.” (Editor’s Note: Perhaps you have failed to understand the Lord our God is our great Physician, Healer, and Guardian of life who has graciously numbered our days.)

No. 1: I am so very tired! I am so very overworked! I am so busy! I just run out of time. I am so far behind with. . . . (Editor’s Note: Perhaps you have not heard our Lord who said, “I gave my life for you. Greater llove has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”)