Sullivan church of Christ – Sullivan, MO
Date: August 20, 2006
WHY DON’T YOU GO TO EVERY SERVICE?
—> TOO BUSY ............................................ Read Heb. 9:27
—> TOO MANY HYPOCRITES ................... Read Rev. 3:4
—> TOO TIRED ........................................... Read Matt. 11:28
—> TOO FAR .............................................. Read Rom. 8:38-39
—> SOMEONE HURT MY FEELINGS ......... Read Matt. 6:12
—> CLOTHING NOT GOOD ENOUGH ....... Read James 2:1-5
—> CHURCH NOT POPULAR ..................... Read Matt. 7:13-14
—> HAD COMPANY .................................... Read Luke 10:38-42
—> WEATHER TOO BAD ............................ Read Rom. 8:35
—> I DON’T WANT TO ................................ Read Heb. 4:1
GROWING TIRED OF THE CONGREGATION
WHERE YOU WORSHIP?
Steve Waller
Be careful before you answer the above question! Occasionally, one may be
heard saying something like, “I am so tired of the congregation where I worship.
I want to find someplace else to go!” It’s not that there is anything wrong with
the local church from a doctrinal standpoint, or that there is any great disunity
— one just becomes bored or weary. How can we resolve this situation?
First, remember that life is usually as good or ill, happy or unhappy, as we make
it. The same holds true with one’s marriage! One says, “I’m tired of this life,” or
“I’m tired of my husband.” Such expressions may indicate that we fail to
understand that life, our job, and our marriage take a lot of work — a lot of
maintenance. Some think you get a job and just go to work and one day own the
company; or that you get married and the marriage just kind of grows and takes
care of itself on its own. Of course, that’s why people are bored with life, with
work, and at home. Anything worth doing or having is worth maintaining with all
diligence. This is no less true in the local congregation.
A person or family places membership with a local congregation. At first,
everyone and everything is new, exciting and challenging. The various programs
of work are different than they have experienced before; they get to meet new
people and start developing new friendships, and the preacher and his preaching
style are different from what we have had in the past. Then, reality sets in after
awhile. One begins to learn that people in the congregation are not perfect; and,
we may not get along with one or two, or some problem may arise in the church.
The programs begin to look old and we get tired of looking at and hearing the
same preacher every Sunday. In other words, the honeymoon is over. What do
we do?
Some start looking for another congregation to attend. Some just quit. If that
happened in one’s marriage, and one simply decided to seek another marriage
partner or just quit the marriage, as some do, what a tragic thing that would be!
Others recognize the need for loyalty and steadfastness where they are. They
roll up their sleeves and work more diligently. They begin working harder to
apply the sermons and Bible class lessons to their lives. They become more
actively involved in the work of the church. They start spending more time
learning more of the Bible and developing their talents to be used in the
programs of work in the congregation they now attend. They “stretch”
themselves and grow spiritually.
Brethren, we owe the local church our loyalty, our faithful attendance at all
services (Sunday and Wednesday), our active involvement and participation in
the various works of the congregation, and our full expression of love in our
giving. We owe it our gratitude, our words of encouragement, and our efforts to
strengthen and “talk up” the church everywhere we may go, a positive attitude
toward evangelism, and our whole hearted worship in spirit and in truth. We
owe the local church our cooperation, participation, enthusiasm, and support in
every way that is Scriptural! And, if we aren’t giving it our full and first priority
(Matt. 6:24, 33), then we have little right to complain, or start looking for
“greener pastures.”
The answer does not lie in some unscriptural “gimmick” to keep us happy,
contented, and attending. IT LIES WITHIN OURSELVES! It’s a matter of
getting our thinking and priorities in line with what God requires of us.