Is It Really Important?
By Kerry Knight, Minister for the Emerald Beach Church of Christ
I’ll never forget a conversation I had with someone while inviting them to our church services. Their response stopped me cold. “I don’t do church.” Like many others, he thought attending church was unnecessary. “I can have a relationship with Christ without church,” he mused. The Bible seems to always anticipate many of the ridiculous notions we come up with, and it offers an answer if we’re willing to listen.
First, there is Ephesians 5:25 which states that “Christ died for the church.” How can anyone, in light of His sacrifice for building the church, view attendance as unimportant? Second, view carefully the wording of Hebrews 20:24-25. We come together in our church assembly to encourage one another as well as offering praise to God. Then the words become very forceful by condemning the “forsaking of the assembly,” which is our gathering together on the Lord’s Day. Collectively, we are the church. To say or even think that church attendance can be a weekly option is missing the point of true commitment.
Those who neglect church attendance are typically seeking excuses to avoid their loyalty to Christ. It’s hard to miss the point of Matthew 6:33 which reminds us that we must “seek first the kingdom of God.”
Emerald Beach Church of Christ is located at 301 Alf Coleman Road in Panama City Beach.
