Many of us have non-negotiable events written into our calendars. Whether it is a romantic date, a birthday meal for a sibling, an anniversary celebration for a relative, a child’s school performance, or your favourite band visiting Hong Kong on tour, we mark things into our diary that we have every expectation to attend, come rain or shine.
The Bible expects us to learn to treat our Sunday gathered worship with the same seriousness and priority. The sheer privilege of gathering together with God’s people to hear from and to worship the Sovereign LORD is so great that there is nothing that we prioritise above this weekly fixture of meeting with the household of faith to spur one another on to faith and good deeds. Hebrews 10:25 goes on to say that we are not to give up meeting together. This is God’s way of working in us to bring about growth and to bless us. To neglect God’s people is to neglect God himself. As it says in 1 John 4, ‘Whoever loves God must also love his brother and his sister’. Part of the way we love our fellow believers is by showing up, intentionally and consistently, on Sundays.
Connecting with Christians is what church is all about
So, I warmly encourage you to prioritise involvement with our church family on Sundays. Make it a habit to come to church every week, eager to grow together with fellow believers to know and to love Jesus more deeply.
Here are a few brief things that will help us to make the most of these precious times together:
Pray beforehand. Ask the LORD to bless our time together, that our hearts and minds would be lifted to see Jesus clearly.
Arrive on time. We communicate the importance of a thing by whether we are on time or late. It brings joy and encouragement to those who serve when they see the whole church family present and eager, rather than discouraged by rows of empty seats at the start of the service.
Speak to one another. We gather together for a reason. We are not to be isolated consumers and strangers, but united worshippers, who love the company of brothers and sisters in the faith. Take time to welcome each other, and especially those we may not have met before. Learn one another’s names. This goes a long way towards creating a welcoming community where we all feel a sense of connection and belonging.
Stick around. The time after the service is also part of our worship. It is a bizarre thing to sing God’s praise, to hear from his Word, and then to ignore God’s children as we dash off to our next engagement. The community time that follows is a vital part of our shared life as Christians, offering opportunities to pray, encourage, and minister to one another. Connecting with Christians is what church is all about.
