The following was written as a "letter to a friend" assignment in one of my classes.
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Hey, Jack!
It
was so good hanging out with you last week! It seems like it’s been so long since
we have spent some quality time together. It totally felt like the moment we
left off though, as if no time had passed since we last hung out. I’m glad that
we are that close!
You
know that I care about you very much and only want the best things for you. Because
of this, I can tell when you are not doing so well. I have noticed that you
have not been going to church lately. I am not making any accusations and
judgments, merely stating what I have observed. I know that there are dozens of
reasons that people miss church, like sickness or traveling. But since this has
been happening frequently, I have become a bit worried as to why you are
regularly missing church.
The
Bible has quite a bit to say as to why we attend church. First and foremost, it
is a way to preserve and strengthen our faith. We are encouraged to “draw near to God with a
sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts
sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed
with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who
promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward
love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit
of doing, but encouraging one another-and all the more as you see the Day
approaching” (Hebrews 10:22-25).
This section of
Scripture speaks about several reasons we should go to church. First, we go to
church because we are sinful beings. We consistently sin. I mean, we can’t NOT
sin. We always are falling short of what we are supposed to be doing, falling short
of what is expected of us. What better way is there to be reminded of our
forgiveness, to have our consciences cleansed, than immersing ourselves in the
Word in worship?
Another purpose
of church is to get us into the habit of fellowship. The ability to profess
your faith with other Christians is a wonderful experience. Being able to
worship with other Christians helps strengthen our faith. It is also
encouraging to see others in the faith worshipping alongside you. And Christ says
that when two or more are gathered together, he is also there.
Faith needs to
be nourished and stay active. An idle
faith is sure to lead to no good. When we do not use our faith, it is not
growing. It is not doing anything. An idle faith is not prepared for the
temptations and devastations of the world. Regular worship is beneficial to
keeping faith refreshed and prepared for the sin that constantly surrounds us.
Continually going to church is a good way to stay active in our faith.
You might say
that it is not worth going to church when your heart is not in it. While it
might seem that way, it is quite the opposite. Going to church, even when our
hearts are not in the right place, allows the Holy Spirit a chance to enter
into our hearts. Closing our minds to going to church eliminates any chance of
that happening. Going to church might be exactly what our faith needs.
Look, I know
that hearing this from a friend is not the easiest thing to deal with. I know
it might change our friendship a little bit, but I care about your faith-life
enough to express my concerns. This is by no means a way to claim I know
everything about you or to make you feel belittled. I just care enough to try
to be helpful when I can.
If you would
like, I would love to take you to church sometime. We can even explore a new
congregation that we have not been to before, if you’d like. I would not mind
if we went out to brunch afterwards. Just let me know!
Hope to hear from you soon,
Elizabeth
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