From The Desk of:

Church Attendance

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Heb. 10:25).

Church attendance is very important to the local congregation and required by God. Every Christian should attempt to assemble whenever and wherever the saints assemble of their congregation. Here in Hebrews chapter 10:25; “Not forsaking (egkataleipo — to abandon, or desert) the assembling of ourselves together.” The immediate context warned and encouraged persecuted Christians of the first century not to “abandon” or give up on their faithful commitment to Jesus Christ. This verse gives proof of how abandonment of the faith is initially witnessed in the failing to faithfully assemble with the saints when one could. Forsaking or abandoning the faith/Christianity can be done by altogether by leaving for good and never returning. But the abandoning the Hebrew writer is speaking of is a habitual, or regular, abandoning. He warned not to do it as the “manner” (habit) of some others. There were some Christians then, as there are now, who regularly/habitually forsake/abandon the assembling of themselves with their brethren. But brethren came together and assembled for prayer, doctrinal matters, and worship (Acts 4:23-31; 12:11-12; 15:1-29; 20:7).

Many brethren have a misunderstanding of church attendance. They fail to see that a congregation is only as strong and encouraging as its attending members. What if everyone decided to take two Sundays off in a month to go visiting? How would brethren be encouraged by showing up for worship only to find half the members there? We are not commanded to visit but we are commanded to assemble. We strengthen one another as well as the church overall when we faithfully attend every service.  It is something we cannot do if we are not there. (1 Cor.11:33).

Richard Stevens III