GUEST POST from Don – Going To Church

WHY YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT GOING TO CHURCH.

Recently I read a couple of short articles in “news” sources which spoke about church attendance. I found that odd since the “news” almost totally ignores churches when there are no scandals. Then I thought, ”Hmmm, maybe we should talk about this??”

First, avoid these churches:

1. Some churches are unhealthy. A few demand way too much conformity or are stuck in 1970. (It is possible the same thing could be said about your local fire department.)
2. Some churches have untenable belief systems. That is, they don’t match anything you could find in New Testament Scriptures. (On the other hand, if you think a church must have the same beliefs as the society in which you live…you won’t find that, nor should you.)
3. Some churches are personality driven. The pastor is the reason for the church, and the church exists solely for the pastor. I believe the most important person in church should be God.
4. Some churches present great theater, but little substance. I enjoy good theater, but depth matters more.

Well, then, why go?

1. Connection. Church is a good place to connect with God and with people who are attempting to serve God. In my 60-plus years of church attendance, I have never found a perfect church. I have also shopped at grocery stores for over 60 years and have also never found a perfect one of those. I still shop.
2. Opportunity. Who said you had to attend every week? You can just go and be a visitor. You don’t have to sing, or pray, or give money. You should turn down your phone ringer and not take videos. Pay attention. Think about the experience. You may feel slightly uncomfortable. Perhaps the songs won’t make sense to you. Then someone will “preach” for what seems a long time…be prepared to write (yes, write) some notes that make sense to you at the time. Reread those notes later, adding your own insights.
3. Expect Hypocrites. Hypocrites are in literally every human endeavor. You probably know several non-church people who have expectations for others which they refuse to live up to themselves. This is not a reason to avoid church. Humans are naturally hypocritical. What should surprise you instead is how often you encounter a regular attender who is NOT hypocritical.
4. Friendship. These people have their own lives and their own worries and frustrations…but so do you. I’ve never been part of a church where I could not make friends. Being friendly costs nothing.
5. Exploration. You may have a different view than someone else there. Sometimes we need to experience a different point of view without trying to argue with the one who believes it. The act of listening often allows us to understand what we had not. Explore your own spiritual side.
6. Engaging with God. You can’t hide anything from God anyway, so tell Him exactly what you think. Christians believe in one God, Who is experienced as 3 personalities (The Father, The Son = Jesus, and The Holy Spirit together form one being = God). Jesus spent lots of time with people who were not religious and with common folk; you would be comfortable around Him.
7. It May Be Right. Some find that attending a church is just what they need to reset their lives.
8. Good For the Family. Rough men who worked in the coal mines in England and Wales back in the 1700s found that connecting with God helped them be better husbands and fathers. Before they drank too much, gambled, and were unkind. In 1739 George Whitefield and John Wesley began having open-air services for them near Kingswood, England. Many thousands were converted. They straightened out their lives and worked their families out of poverty and their kids grew up with parents who spent time educating them. It changed England for the better. France, which did not have this internal change, ended up instead in a revolution where people lost their heads (literally).

Jim Nelles at Fox News said, “This is a dangerous development for when people leave their religious community, they are often left to face the world alone, or worse, they develop an unhealthy “online” addiction, as they look to replace their religious community with any community. People are less and less able to turn to close friendships for support. In 1990, 27% of Americans reported having three or fewer close friends. Today, that number is 49%. Nearly 40% of Americans report only having online friendships, while 12% of Americans report having no friend at all.”

Church can create a culture shock for those who have never attended. Church attendees often behave differently. First, there is very little swearing. It may seem odd that another adult can talk for more than 10 minutes without cursing. Second, often they don’t smoke cigarettes, use e-cigs, or do recreational marijuana . Nothing wrong with not smoking. It is a good habit to break. For one, it has the benefit of saving money. (Factoid: Americans currently spend more on marijuana than on alcohol and tobacco combined.) Third, many attenders also forgo alcohol altogether or are careful to not become tipsy.

Generally, church is a family activity. Children, teens, and senior citizens may be seen sitting near one another (possibly another culture shock!). Most churches are visitor friendly. People won’t mind your visiting and may even introduce themselves. Occasionally, someone may even invite you to Sunday dinner! If this creates discomfort, just politely turn down their offer.

Given that COVID prohibited people from meeting for a long time, connecting in person is more important than ever. If you got out of the habit of going to church, it may be time to go back. Humans need a human touch. While you may likely be the recipient of good will, you likely also have something worthwhile to share. Even I, a SERIOUS introvert, find connecting with others an important part of my week.

I’m looking forward to meeting you this Sunday.

Copyright 2023 Donald Whelpley

[PLEASE NOTE that Don is always open to discussing the thoughts and opinions he shares here and welcomes comments as shared in the comment section. He doesn’t use other social media platforms, as I do, and won’t see whatever you’d like to share with him elsewhere. ~ Sherry]

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