Go To Church

 

GO TO CHURCH

 

A good way to spend a Sunday morning

My parents are good people. Both are very honest and generous with their neighbors. Now in his mid 70's, my dad visits his 99 year old neighbor daily to see if she needs any help with any chores. I never known either of them to commit any crimes or other despicable acts. One thing though, they never took us to any church. I started going on my own just before I moved out at the age of 23.

While my parents are mostly the same as when I grew up, in the 25 years that followed, I have seen different trajectories that my siblings have taken. My oldest brother has dealt with two broken marriages and wayward step children that got into drugs. My second brother also has two divorces, and is a one time widower. Their son is doing alright, although he is living with his girlfriend and they are having relationship problems at the moment. My sister has a good marriage with a divorcee and raised three step children. Out of us four kids, I had the only completely nuclear family structure. I suppose if you look at divorce rates, us kids would be batting 3 out of 7, which is close to the national average.

My wife on the other hand came from a family that attended church regularly. She has five brothers and all but one has a traditional family structure. The other is deaf and has never married. I know it is anecdotal evidence, but I firmly believe that regular church attendance is a major cause for this discrepancy. 

The reason that I think that is while my parents raised us up with good values, we did not have anything to stay affixed to those values. With time, the influence of media, corrupt friends and this fallen world in general becomes our guide on how to behave if we don’t make a concerted effort to stay on that straight and narrow path laid out by God. Even if we have a firm belief in God and read the Bible regularly, it is not enough to keep us on that path by ourselves. 

Nationwide, there has been a rather disturbing decline in church attendance since the early 1970's. and a sharper decline in the last decade. Along with that, we have seen a collapse in morality and an increase in many social ills. Coincidence?

 

WHY DO WE NEED CHURCH?

My brother and I are avid outdoorsman. We love to climb mountains, explore through the woods or go rock climbing. The beauty of nature is outstanding in many places. One day, we were hiking with another friend to the top of Borah Peak in central Idaho. We stop to take a rest, overlooking the pristine wilderness and he comments, "Just look at this, this is all the church you need". While I agree that we can love and appreciate God's creation everywhere we go and feel the Holy Ghost whispering to us, there are some things that we are missing by not going to church.

It may not be universal, but for most Christian faiths, the main reason we go is to partake of the bread and wine and renew our baptismal covenants with God. The priesthood blesses those emblems and we take them in remembrance of Jesus' sacrifice in which he paid for our sins. As we do this with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, Christ removes those sins from us so we may one day return to live with him in Heaven. 

In addition, there is Sunday School. We go to class to learn the Gospel. Certainly, we can and should read the Bible on our own. But as we come together in unity with other like-minded people to study, we have our testimonies strengthened by one another. We are not left alone to our own understanding of the gospel.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. - Ephesians 5:23-24

As husbands and fathers, it is our duty to lead by example and see that our families are following us as we follow Christ.  

 The Bible teaches that Christ is the head of the church and he appoints priesthood leadership "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" - Ephesians 4:11-12. Christ put together that structure in place for our benefit so we are not just alone without that guiding direction that we need to keep us on the right path. Mountains may be beautiful and inspiring, but they cannot direct us to salvation. 

When we come together with like minded friends and family to worship, we strengthen one another and develop a trusting bond in our faith. Our faith is strengthened as we share with our friends. We develop a unity centered around the Lord.

THINGS KEEPING US AWAY FROM CHURCH

I have visited many people over the years in their homes telling different stories about why they don't go to church anymore. "I never learn anything new", "I don't have the time", "I was offended", "That man is a hypocrite", "I just don't feel worthy with what I've done". The list goes on. 

Personal disappointments in fallible people should never keep us from our own relationship with Christ. Church is full of sinners, just like you and I. But, those going to church are there to learn about Jesus, and hopefully strive to become more like him, just like you and I when we go.

One thing that really helps me in my discipleship is going with not only my sake in mind, but for the sake of people around me. My wife and children need a strong role model in their lives. By setting the example, I help them along the strait and narrow way. In addition, there are people in my community that can and do use my help in building their own faith. As I volunteer in choir, as 9 to 11 year old teacher, as a Scoutmaster, as the Elder's Quorum President and a host of other positions that I've held over the years, I felt needed and a sense of duty that kept me involved.  Through these responsibilities, I have developed many good friendships and like to think that I helped others on their own path.

HELPING OTHERS ATTEND

About 10 years ago, the leader of our church spoke of new members. He said (paraphrasing) "Every new member of the Church needs three things, a friend, a responsibility, and to be nourished by the good word of God". If you are in church and someone shows up that you don't recognize, take the time to introduce yourself and see if you have any mutual interests. If there are any activities, invite them along and see that they feel wanted.

Beyond feeling wanted, people enjoy being needed in a particular position. If you are in a position to do so, see that they have a responsibility, or ask your Priesthood leaders if they could find a responsibility for them. When I was a brand new member of the church, I was given the responsibility to set up chairs for Sunday School. It may not seem like much, but I had to arrive 15 minutes early and drag out 30 folding chairs and set them up for class. This responsibility made it so I was expected to attend church, and I developed some friendships with the more active members as they would arrive early and help me.

Also, make certain that they are continuing to learn the Gospel. Study with them, study on your own. As you do so, the Holy Ghost will work within you and you will become "doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves". - James 1:22. There is power when you learn with others in addition to personal study.

BLESSINGS FROM ATTENDING CHURCH

Honestly, just from a secular point of view, I am happy to attend church regularly. There is a good feeling of comradery and friendship there. Any time that we have moved from one town to another, we have enjoyed a warm welcome from members of the church. There is an instant family of good people that take an interest in our family. Also, we discuss many aspects of self improvement, mostly spiritual but also intellectual and physical on occasion. 

Church goes a long ways to building a strong community structure. People meet and fellowship with one another. There is strength to that, that you don't see in big cities where few attend church.

But most importantly, there is your own eternal salvation. Attending church gives you that "city up on a hill" that you can look to and be guided in what you need. There are the priesthood ordinances you need - John 3:5. Bring your family to church so you can be with them in the eternities. Go and "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven". - Matthew 5:15-16

Please, for the sake of our society, for your own family and for your own salvation, go and attend your churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, or whatever house of worship that you believe in. I may not worship the exact same way that you do, but that’s okay. I would rather see you go to your own church than to stay at home. I believe that God would rather have a people who are zealous in their own belief, doing all they know to follow Him than someone who is lukewarm, staying home or playing on the day of worship and putting in only a half-hearted effort (Rev 3:16) when they know the truth.

A good activity for a Friday, not a Sunday