“Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together”—unless, of course, the Lord reveals to you that you are the church, as one lady said to me. Or, that you are smarter than the preacher, the deacons are trying to run the church, or no one in the congregation will speak to you. Hebrews 10:25, sort of. All these could be reasons why someone would quit going to church.
When you don’t want to do something, you shouldn’t have to have an excuse.
If you do not want to go to church, for instance, if you can skip church for a whole year and never miss it, you should “man up” and admit, “I’m not a Christian and don’t believe all that Bible stuff. Church is for people who take the Lord seriously. Not me. So, I don’t go.”
Hmm. That felt ‘mean,’ didn’t it? But it’s dead on accurate.
Please read on.
By “go to church,” we don’t necessarily mean a building with a steeple on it. It could be a group of God’s people gathered in a living room to sing and pray and study the Word. Or, 50 people in a storefront. The point is not the location or the structure but God’s people meeting on a regular basis for the work and worship of the Lord.
Why Would People Quit Going to Church?
The redeemed of the Lord will be drawn to one another. They love each other. Jesus said so. They will not never go to church.
I heard of a pastor somewhere who collected excuses on “why people who call themselves Christians don’t go to church.” He did not make these up…
1. A lady in the hills of North Georgia said, “In the winter it’s too cold, and in the summer I’m afraid of rattlesnakes.”
2. A farmer said, “One of my cows gets out of the pasture every Sunday. Keeps me home all four Sundays every month.” When asked about the fifth Sunday, he said, “They all get out on the fifth Sunday!”
3. A lady told her pastor, “I’m a shut-in and I’m offended you haven’t been to visit me.” He kept trying, but she was never home.
4. “We’re not settled in yet.” Oh, I’m sorry. How long have you lived here? “Only 7 years.”
