Category Archives: Attendance

What We Gain Every Time We Meet

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Sometimes we approach our service to God with questions like, “Do I have to?” This tends to take an approach that leads to the feeling of forced service or drudgery. Instead, what if we focused on the positive benefits that we gain when we meet together? To that end, I’d like to remind us of what we are doing when we come together as a church. Another reason for this reminder is that it is all too easy for us to get wrapped up in the entanglements of the world, even though they might be matters that are not in themselves sinful. Even so, they take time and energy, and sometimes God and His people get pushed to the back seat of busy lives. We’ve all struggled with this. We don’t usually do this purposefully, but gradually over time we allow more and more of the activities of the busy world take time and energy from us and we lose out on the ability to make the most of opportunities as we face evil days (Eph. 5:15-17).

“Opportunities” is the operative term. Meeting together is indeed a commitment of time and energy, but these are also great opportunities to learn, grow, and come away with a renewed sense of zeal and purpose. We find the time to do what we value and love, so let’s be reminded of the value

of coming together as a congregation dedicated to serving the Lord.

Every time we meet, we gain opportunities:

  1. To Praise God in Unity with Others. We have been redeemed to the praise and glory of God (see Eph. 1:3-14). We want to be with other redeemed people so that we can praise and glorify Him together. After making the point that we need to redeem the time because the days are evil, Paul continued, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father” (Eph. 5:18-20). By doing this together, we show unity and encourage each other.
  2. To Receive Strong Biblical Teaching. The word of God will be read and taught, whether in classes or general assemblies. Even in our singings, we are teaching biblical concepts and principles. But make no mistake: we are committed here to present the strongest biblical messages we can. We are committed to Scripture as God’s word, and we will hold this standard out for all to hear and follow. As Paul told Timothy, so we will do: “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction” (2 Tim. 4:2). You will, therefore, have opportunities to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord (2 Pet. 3:18).
  3. To Have Fellowship with other Christians. Do not underestimate the power and importance of having fellowship in person with brothers and sisters in Christ. We are here to share jointly in the spiritual blessings of Christ. When we meet, we will see examples of faith and love. We will see godly people showing us what it means to be faithful. We will see Christians loving one another. We want to develop that family bond, and we need each other present to do so. By this, we will have the opportunity to lift up and encourage others who might be weak or struggling (Heb. 12:12). We will stimulate one another to love and good works (Heb. 10:23-25). We need this time of fellowship together.
  4. To Recommit ourselves to the Lord. Of course we can do this anytime, but when we come together we are especially reminded of how important it is to be dedicated and committed to the Lord every day. By meeting with the brethren every opportunity we have, we will be showing our commitment and will be reminded of the need to cast off the old man of sin to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Rom. 12:1-2). We ought to leave every meeting with a renewed commitment to serve our great God daily.

We realize that there are issues that can prevent us from attending (e.g., sickness), and some situations are difficult. Nevertheless, we need to see the value of what we gain when we are present, and what we miss when we are absent, whatever the reason. We need to develop a longing and love for the assemblies. Think, also, of the impact this love and commitment will have on our children and future generations. If you’ve not been in the habit of coming every time the doors are open for classes and assemblies, please reconsider and think of what you are missing and what you will gain, and how you will help so many others. Let’s cherish our times together.

By Doy Moyer

Which Ones Have You Encouraged?

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The Lord’s church is composed of both strong and weak members. Each one needs encouragement at times, but certainly the weaker brethren need a greater amount of special attention. Also, there are some members who are not necessarily weak, but who have special physical problems, causing them to need special attention. The apostle Paul taught that the responsibility of helping the weaker members rested upon the shoulders of those who were mature, full-grown Christians (Romans 15:1; Galatians 6:1-2). In the minds of some, this type of responsibility is the work of the elders, deacons, or preachers. Indeed it is; but the instruction is given to all Christians. Sometimes elders and preachers are negligent. Sometimes there is simply more work to be done than a limited number of men can accomplish. Which ones have you encouraged?

Some Members Are Forsaking the Assembling of the Saints

This sign of weakness is obvious to any mature Christian. It takes no special training or skills to make a phone call, write a note, or drop by for a short visit to say, “I’ve missed you.” Would it be presumptuous to say almost all Christians could render service in this area?

Some Members Are Attending Without the Support (Perhaps With the Hindrance) Of Their Spouse

A mother rises early on Sunday morning to prepare breakfast and dress the children to get them to Bible class; and they leave home with the father still in bed. Sometimes the fathers have the same problem, leaving the mother at home. All recognize the special problems faced by such parents, admire their effort, and are encouraged by their faithful attendance under less than ideal circumstances. Are we not obliged to reciprocate some type of encouragement to these faithful parents?

Some Members Are Presently Experiencing Family Problems

There are parents who are struggling with a rebellious child. There are married couples who are experiencing serious problems, perhaps resulting from an immature spiritual life. There are adults who have aging parents who are sick or confined, and demand much of their time and attention. In many cases, an encouraging word may be all that can be offered. Who offers it?

Some Members Are Facing Problems Associated With Aging

The elderly and widows find it more and more difficult to do the basics, such as driving to services, shopping at the market, visiting with others, etc. Many live alone, without the encouragement or support of a faithful companion. Encouragement may be extended both verbally and actively.

This list could go on and on, but the initial question would remain the same, namely, “Which ones have you encouraged?” As the members of a congregation consider one another, the opportunities to serve are abundant. Christians may avoid the question for the present, but one day all will stand and give an answer.

By David Thomley

 

 

Count It Joy

As humans, we have a tendency to ask “why” when we experience difficulties in our lives. We may look at a situation as being the victim. God gives insight on how to handle these situations so that we may look at them as being a victor. We can expect experience difficulties as a Christian. After all, Jesus, the apostles and first century Christians endured hard times. James tells us how to approach these times in chapter 1.

We must first embrace the trial and count it joy (v.2).  Jesus said that we will have trials (John 16:33), so we should not be caught off guard when they occur.  These trials may be caused by satan, the world, our family and even brethren.   Peter tells us not to be surprised by these trials, but to rejoice in them (1 Peter 4:12-13).  Rejoicing occurred after suffering persecution for the cause of the gospel (Acts 5:41).  These times bring about perseverance (Romans 5:3).  We should look at the difficulty and thank God while adopting a joyful attitude when trials occur.  Persecution, in whatever form it may be, is a part of Christianity and when we suffer for Jesus, we should look at it as a good thing, especially since He suffered for us.

In verse 3, James says that the testing of our faith produces endurance.  Just as athletes train for their sport, we must train for Christianity.  Faith tested brings out the best in us if we remain focused on God.   Trials help us mature as Christians.  If we never have these, then we expect everything will be easy and as a result, we do not grow stronger.  Endurance denotes the ability to have consistency in the face of adversity.  We must stand firm with God, no matter what is thrown at us.  Testing can work for us, not against us (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Endurance must have its perfect result (verse 4).  Too often, we want the hard times to be over with immediately.  Instead of complaining or questioning God, we should simply endure it.   We learn to continue to seek God’s will during the hard times.

Lastly, we must look to God for wisdom (verse 5).  Wisdom is demonstrated when we take what Scripture says and apply it to our own lives.  We must look to the One who is all knowing for guidance.  Persistency must characterize our prayer life.  Especially in times of difficulty, we should become more dependent on God, looking to Him for strength, guidance and comfort.  James tells us to ask God in faith, without doubting (verse 6).

Seeing trials as an opportunity to rejoice is contrary to what the world thinks. Christianity is about seeking to please God.  It is about humbling ourselves in good times and in difficult times.  Christians are commanded to have a joy in all circumstances of life.  This joy occurs because, no matter what we endure, we have the hope of heaven.

By Randy Case Jr.

Our Bible Classes

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[Editor’s Note: We have run this article before in our bulletin, however, I felt it to be a timely reminder as we are set to begin a new teaching quarter in two weeks. It is my hope that all will give serious consideration to the things set forth.]

The church that meets and works together at Chapman Acres has decided to set aside 45-50 minutes every Sunday morning and Wednesday evening to study the Bible in the form of a class. If you will join us at 9 A.M. on Sundays and 7 P.M. on Wednesdays, you too can join us in this engaging study of God’s holy word. At these studies you can expect, first and foremost, teaching from the Bible, teachers who have prepared to instruct the students and who care for the souls of those whom they teach, and fellow truth-seekers who desire to know and understand God’s will more than all else. All adults are welcome and encouraged to join us for these profitable studies (even if it is not your custom to attend these on a regular basis).

These Bible classes are not just for adults; young children and adolescents will greatly benefit from age-appropriate studies as well. Two separate classes are offered for the younger people. It is not the responsibility of the local church to raise children; that responsibility is placed on the shoulders of parents (Ephesians 6:4), however we believe that the studies offered here at Chapman Acres can be of aid to parents in that most important task of raising godly children. To that end, we would encourage all parents to bring their children to these Bible classes. Grandparents, we would ask you to consider this an opportunity to help mold the spiritual future of your precious grandchildren. We may not all be Bible class teachers and have the opportunity of directly influencing the future generation, however more of us can play the pivotal role that Lois and Eunice played in the rearing of Timothy (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14, 15).

Attendance to these studies is an obvious way we will benefit from these Bible classes, however, if we think that by simply attending these studies we will grow spiritually mature, we are mistaken. In the continuation of this article, let us offer some other ways we can help our spiritual walk as it relates to our Bible classes.

Pray

One of the best things we can do as we try to improve our Bible classes is pray. There are so many things to pray for. You can pray for your understanding of the text. You can pray for open hearts to the word. You can pray for the instructors who will be leading the studies. You can pray for resolve to follow and apply what you learn from the studies. As you can see, there are many things that we can pray for as it relates to our studies. While this is a good start, it should not be the only step.

Prepare

I think most would agree that when only the teacher is prepared for Bible class, it is usually not one of the best classes. Certainly, the teacher has the responsibility of preparing and doing his homework for the class, but should he be the only one?

In two weeks, the adults will begin a study through material titled A Solid Foundation. Wednesdays we are studying through the Old Testament. The children’s classes will begin a three year study of the Old and New Testaments. Most of us have plenty of time during the week where we can get ready for these Bible classes. Read the text before you come to class. Lesson sheets have been made and everyone is encouraged to have those filled out before class. If you wish to gain much good from these classes, remember that you must put forth your best effort as well.

Participate

Once you have prayed and prepared yourself for Bible class, you will now be in a good position to participate in the class and help make it engaging for others with your contributions. As always, any and all comments and questions are always welcome. One of the advantages of studying the Bible in a class setting is that you have so many sharp minds also studying the material. This can incredibly helpful as often others can shed light and bring clarity to what otherwise be a tough subject. Not everyone feels comfortable speaking up in a public setting, and that is fine, but remember that there are other ways of participating other than by speaking up.

Practice

The goal of Bible study is not to simply memorize Bible facts. While facts can be extremely helpful, the true purpose of Bible study is to reform us. The reason we study, meditate, learn, and teach is so that our hearts and lives might be changed. We always want to conform our will to the Scriptures.

As we go through our material in our Bible classes, remember to let God’s word change you and to practice the things we learn from our Bible studies. “Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:21, 22).

 

Isaac Muñoz

He Missed One Service

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Paul Harvey once reported on his noon news of a 73 year old man who was pinned beneath his farm tractor for four days and nights in driving rain and a terrible storm. Concerned friends went to see about him just in time. It seems that he is going to live after his ordeal, but he will lose a leg below the knee.

Several newspapers picked up on this little story and centered upon the amazing fact that a 73 year old man could live after being pinned beneath a tractor for four days. Yes, all of that is amazing, but a more amazing fact is what caused his friends to go to see about him. One friend gave as the reason for this visit that, “He missed prayer meeting Wednesday night.” That’s all? He just missed one service and his friends went to check on him?

One preacher remarked, “I believe there are two possible suppositions we can make about this incident.” Consider the following:

On the one hand we could suppose that this man was so faithful and regular in his church attendance that everyone knew that if he was not there, something had to be seriously wrong. A question: What if you had been the one pinned under the tractor? Would your absence have been noticed? Or, are you so irregular in attendance that everyone would assume you decided to sleep in, or go to the lake? How many services have you missed in the last three months? Could you honestly classify yourself as a faithful, regular worshipper?

On the other hand, we could assume that the people in this man’s congregation have such a concern for the souls of men that when anyone, no matter how regular or irregular they are in attendance, missed a service they went to see about them.

I don’t know which of the preacher’s assumptions might be the more plausible, but I would like to see more men and more congregations like what he describes.

Christians need to remember Hebrews 10:22-25. No Christian can draw near unto God, hold fast the confession of his hope, or consider his brethren to provoke them unto love and good works who forsakes the assembling of the brethren together.

I have observed some church members that pick and choose which services to attend according to their mood or according to what TV program is scheduled. These folks are here-again-gone-again and hit-and-miss at the services.

Weak brethren seem to think, “Well, so what if I’m just at services every now and then? If that’s the worst sin I ever commit, I’ll make it to heaven.” But are you sure of that? The Bible says that all sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2; Romans 6:23). We can lose our souls over just one unrepented sin (Acts 8:13-24).

How many times does a person have to miss to be wrong? The first time is a sin as much as the fourth time or the fortieth time—if it is willful absence.

Jesus said, “I know thy works, that thou are neither cold not hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou are lukewarm, and neither cold not hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16).

Are you cold? Just exactly how faithful are you? Would you be missed if you missed just one service? Do you check on your missing brethren?

“…let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:22-25

 

Author Unknown