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*Why Attendance Is Important #2*
*By Bill Denton*
*Introduction*
A. Last week I spoke on the subject, "Why Attendance is Important."
1. Heb 10:19-25
2.
To the writer of Hebrews, assembling together is directly connected to the following:
a. drawing near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith
b. holding fast the confession of our hope without wavering
c. considering how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds
3.
The truth of the matter is that the Christian faith is not a "go-it-alone" religion
a. despite the claims of some that they can be just as faithful never, or seldom,
attending church assemblies, it's just not true
b. faith thrives in community, not a vacuum
4.
But, neither is the issue some magic number of acceptable assemblies to attend
a. the question is broader and deeper than that
b. we would be much better off understanding what is the purpose of our
assemblies and connecting to that purpose
c. that was the Hebrew writer's encouragement
B.
I want to address this issue one more time before we move
1.
I want to look a bit more some things that relate to attending church assemblies
2.
It is far more important that most of us understand, and everything to do with the
quality and depth of your faith than you might imagine
I.
Interesting Church Problems
A. You have probably heard about some of the silly laws that have been enacted that either
don't make sense or appear to be completely irrelevant -- did you know that some of them
relate to church assemblies?
1. Illustration
a. Young girls are never allowed to walk a tightrope in Wheeler, Mississippi,
unless it's in a church.
b.
In Blackwater, Kentucky, tickling a woman under her chin with a feather
duster while she's in church service carries a penalty of $10.00 and one day in
jail.
c.
No one can eat unshelled, roasted peanuts while attending church in Idanha,
Oregon.
d.
In Honey Creek, Iowa, no one is permitted to carry a slingshot to church
except a policeman.
e.
No citizen in Leecreek, Arkansas, is allowed to attend church in any red-
colored garment.
f. Swinging a yo-yo in church or anywhere in public on Sunday is prohibited
in Studley, Virginia.
g. Turtle races are not permitted within 100 yards of a local church at any time
in Slaughter, Louisiana.
Robert W. Pelton in The Door.
Christian Reader, Vol.
33, no.
5.
2.
I will have to admit that I do not understand how most of those laws ever came to be,
but I suspect there was an interesting background to each one
B.
Today, churches everywhere are facing problems relating to church assemblies
1. Everybody wants an assembly that caters to their particular likes and dislikes
a. Elmer Towns, "Worship Wars," 1996
1) Historically, when Protestant church members have moved their home
from one location to the next, they usually chose a new local church
on the basis of doctrine, not on the basis of worship style.
While the
style of worship was important to them; doctrine was the final criteria.
The priorities were (1) doctrine, (2) the name of the church and (3)
denominational alliance.
2) Today, Americans are not as choosy about church names.
Now they
choose a church primarily by its style of worship or its philosophy of
ministry.
People are not looking for denominational labels, doctrine or
a predetermined name.
Presbyterians are not necessarily looking for a
church that has Covenant Theology or Reformed Doctrine, or
Presbyterian in name.
They may attend and join a charismatic renewal
church because they enjoy clapping, lifting their hands or singing
praise choruses.
If they feel comfortable, they feel this is the way God
should be worshiped.
So they sublimate their doctrinal preferences and
abandon their tradition for a new philosophy of worship.
What is the
primary source of this change?
It is coming from without the Church,
not within.
Culture is influencing the Church more than the Church is
influencing the culture.
b.
I don't want you to misunderstand my point here - I'm not really talking about
the right or wrong of any particular practice, I'm talking about a problem that
lies behind the whole issue of "worship wars" -- letting culture shape what
happens to the church rather than the church shape our culture.
2.
There are two extremes in response to all these stresses that will not help
a. over-react and establish silly, irrelevant laws to prevent culture's influence
b. over-react and go along with everything that comes down the road
C. Somebody says, "Yes, that's right, culture should never influence what we do as a church,
and especially in our assemblies."
1. Bless your heart, you're just not aware of the many ways culture has already had its
influence on us
2.
Does anyone really believe that the conduct of a modern church assembly really
has much in common with a first-century church assembly?
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