Why do we attend church? I really want everyone consider what motivates them to attend church. Take some time and reflect on why you roll out of bed on your day off and travel to church. I’m not asking this question so that I can learn what you want and then offer it here at Lee Creek. I’m asking so that you can learn what motivates you to attend.
Allow me to give you some options, and we’ll start with some of the worst. It’s Christmas or Easter and I owe God a visit. I just go to keep my wife from nagging at me. I want something really bad so I’m here sucking up to God hoping to get it. I’ve done some bad things and I’m here trying to work it off. I’m looking for a new spouse, trying to do better than my last one. I like the music and the free coffee. Laugh or cry, I’ve heard all of theses before.
Alright, how about some holier motives? I’m setting the example for my kids. I want to make Christian friends and be apart of a community. It’s just the way I was raised, I’ve always been in church. I have a job in the church and I need to be there. I want to do my part to make the church full. I like the preacher. All of these have been proudly proclaimed by church goers for years. While you may be able to twist a few Bible verses and justify some of these motives, they are not Biblically consistent reasons to attend church.
There are only two reasons for professing Christians to attend church. The first and most obvious reason it to glorify God. The singing, praying, fellowship, ordinances, preaching and your participation in them are all done for the glory of God. The church is God’s institution and He has designed it to bring Him honor and glory. The second reason is for your own betterment. Through regular church attendance you learn and mature as a Christian. This spiritual growth brings glory to God in your everyday life. So I guess we can say there’s really only one reason to attend church, God’s glory.
Now, knowing that the glory of God is the sole purpose for church attendance, let us consider a few questions. Why do churches employ gimmicks to entice Christians to show up? Why do churches use lights, smoke machines, and stunts in the service? Why do Christians make excuses for skipping church that they wouldn’t use to miss work? Is an hour each week enough? Why does it matter which musical instruments are used? How did we get to this point? It began when churches started saying “Any reason is a good reason to go to church.” But that has left us with churches so focused on reasons to attend that they fail to glorify God when everyone shows up. The solution is simple. Seek to glorify God in the church and Christians will participate.
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