Up and Down

Just when I think it is time for the heavy coats and gloves, it’s all of a sudden 70. . .or 80 degrees. I know. . .that’s Texas weather. Down at the farm I don’t know whether to put a heater or a air-conditioner in the pump house.

Sometimes the Church of Jesus Christ strikes me the same way. Up and Down. On some Sunday mornings the crowd of folks is wonderful. Family members sharing stories, kids running everywhere, friends walking and talking together, and everyone seems eager to Worship, Praise, Enjoy the presence of the Lord.

Other Sunday mornings are much less exciting. How do so many people pick the same Sunday to visit Grandma, or sleep in, or take the day off from gathering with the family. The  reality is, even though the number of people present does not in any way hinder God at work, the excitement is lessened by the sheer number of folks missing.

I can’t help but believe that consistency in attendance at local Church services has some wonderful effects in both the Believer and the Body of Believers:

1. It is good for the Believer. Worship, prayer, praise, enlightenment, joy, and fellowships are therapeutic for the Spiritual nature.
2. All the folks are blessed and encouraged by the crowd who gather to intertwine their lives together and grow corporately as a Body of Christ
3. The staff senses that they are moving in the right direction as leaders and llovers of God’s people.
4. God is honored by the obedience of His Children (see Hebrews 10:25).
5. Common bonds are strengthened, ministry to one another is affected positively, spiritual growth becomes exponential in its thrust and scope.

I don’t suppose this is a big problem for a Fellowship that has an attendance in the thousands. What’s the difference in a missing few hundred?

But in a congregation of. . .say forty. . .twenty missing is devastating. It is hard to concentrate on the essentials of Worship when our hearts are filled with doubt that what we are doing is being effective in changing lives and moving Believers to fulfill their roles in the Body.

Up and Down is a reality. But it doesn’t have to be. Just make sure you are always (almost) part of the up, and seldom (once in a while) part of the down.