Why Everyone Should Faithfully Attend Church

Recent trends in Christianity reveal that the church is revamping traditional worship services to accommodate the world. More and more congregations are calling off Sunday evening services in an attempt to promote family and leisure time. Wednesday evening services are reduced to small “connect groups.” Statistics prove that although America is still a religious nation, it is placing less emphasis on faithful church attendance with the average parishioner only attending 2-4 services a month. However, the current trends that de-emphasize church attendance are not producing “on-fire” Christians; on the contrary, the results show that more and more believers are becoming colder in their spirituality.

The Barna Group found some obvious differences in those who do not attend church regularly. Compared to faithful church members those who rarely attend church are:

• More likely to feel stressed out
• Less likely to be concerned about the moral condition of the nation
• Much less likely to believe that they are making a positive difference in the world
• Less optimistic about the future
• Far less likely to believe that the Bible is totally accurate in its principles
• Substantially more likely to believe that Satan and the Holy Spirit are symbolic figures, but are not real
•  More likely to believe that Jesus Christ sinned while He was on earth
• Much more likely to believe that the holy literature of the major faiths all teach the same principles even though they use different stories
• Less likely to believe that a person can be under demonic influence
• More likely to describe their sociopolitical views as “mostly liberal” than “mostly conservative”

The study is conclusive: going to church makes a difference in our spirituality. As a matter of fact Neil MacQueen, National Researcher of Church Attendance discovered some interesting facts about the effects of church attendance in our children. Going to church regularly will:

• Increase the average life expectancy of your children by 8 years
• Significantly reduce your child’s use and risk from Alcohol, Tobacco and Drugs
• Dramatically lower their risk of suicide
• Help children rebound from depression 70% faster
• Dramatically reduce their risk for committing a crime
• Improve their attitude at school and increase their school participation
• Reduce their risk for rebelliousness
• Reduce the likelihood that they would binge drink in college
• Improve their odds for a “very happy” life
• Provide them with a life-long moral compass
• Provide children with a caring extended family

The evidence is overwhelming, church must be a priority. Plan to be in church this Sunday, and every week following. Get plugged into the ministries. Realize the impact and influence it has on your children. Involve yourself in the work of the local church and see the difference it will make. Come in from out of the cold and sit around the fire at God’s House!