Do I have to go?
This is the sixth, of a hopefully weekly series, that explores faith, religion, and Christianity. The idea is to share with you my faith, issues I am working on, and to promote discussion.
“I would invite you to church with me, but I don’t go.”
I’ve delivered the above line about not going to church as a joke several times over the past few years.
I use humor to cope with pain.
In October of 2013, I accepted a promotion that would change my schedule forever.
When I graduated from college in 2008 my plan was to be a teacher.
Fast forward about 4 years later, after spending that time working as a substitute teacher while looking for more permanent work, I finally landed a full-time position.
The only problem was that it wasn’t a teaching position.
Instead, it was a position working security at the county juvenile detention center in a rehab-type treatment program.
The position was for the second shift which was from 2 pm to 10 pm and had a three week rotating schedule that is complicated to explain.
This was not ideal.
But after spending about four years not knowing if I had work the next day, it was a welcome change.
I worked second shift until the promotion in 2013 where I accepted a position that would change my schedule.
This was for a position supervising the security officers and I would be on first shift from 6 am to 2 pm.
Also instead of a complicated 3 week rotating schedule, I would be working Sunday through Thursday.
Every week.
“Church attendance is as vital to a disciple as a transfusion of rich, healthy blood to a sick man.” - Dwight L. Moody
In my testimony I mention how I attended church growing up.
However, I never really understood fully what it was all about.
Eventually I would end up going to Youth Group for awhile in middle school, before dropping out of church entirely at about the age of 16.
The reason I left the church?
I got a job.
And at this job I eventually got a promotion and had to work Sundays.
But I had not accepted Jesus Christ yet and wasn’t a believer at the time.
In fact, I kinda hated all church stuff and so I didn’t mind not going.
“Faithful attendance at Church meetings brings blessings you can receive in no other way.” - Ezra Taft Benson
The first time I returned to church it was with one of my bosses from work.
I can’t remember how it all came about but he invited me to go to his church one week.
When I got there the sermon was about authority issues.
I was sure I didn’t have authority issues.
Looking back I realized I did.
I had authority issues with God.
I went to this church for a few weeks but quickly realized it wasn’t right for me.
This sent me into a search for what it meant now that I had salvation in Jesus and if that was “good enough” or if I needed to attend church somewhere.
I looked around my dinky 400 square foot apartment and realized something important.
Nothing surrounding me was built by me.
I was interdependent on others.
Most of my belongings were second hand things.
I had either picked up from friends or else was taken from my family when I moved out.
This idea translated into my faith by recognizing that just because I had Jesus and was good, didn’t mean that others didn’t have the same needs that I had and it didn't mean I would be able to do the rest of life on my own.
This wasn’t what I had expected.
When I had fallen away from the church, I blamed it on people not caring about me.
I blamed it on humans who were hypocritical, unreliable and uncaring.
What I realized is that I was putting my trust in the wrong things.
Humans are imperfect.
God is different.
Trusting that it would be good to get into a church I started thinking who I knew who actually went to church.
The answer was just one person.
My older brother.
I didn’t know how to ask him to join him at church.
Instead, I wrote on a note card something to the effect of: “Can you invite me to go to church with you?”
I left this on his kitchen table where I knew he would see it.
Being a man of faith, my older brother wasted no time in following through with my request.
From there I started attending the church he was a part of and grew much in my faith.
While on the second shift I was able to attend church regularly in the mornings on Sunday, but missed on on most evening activities because of the rotating schedule being too hard to coordinate.
When contemplating the opportunity for a promotion, I decided that although I wouldn’t be able to attend worship service on Sunday mornings , I would actively work to be involved as much as possible in the evenings after work.
I had been faithfully attending church for almost 7 years at this point and felt sure in my faith that I would be able to handle this change.
But it has been much harder than I thought.
Do you have to go to church?
No.
A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.
But it is a good idea.
There is nothing else like being in corporate worship with the body of Christ.
Singing praises to the Lord and getting to be in fellowship with others is wonderful.
I have only had a few Sunday’s off here and there since I started my new shift.
And each time I am able to attend church it solidifies my longing to return more and more.
This morning I have a chance again to be at church and will be heading out to praise God shortly after posting this.
My prayer for you is to consider doing the same.
If this relates to you and you are interested in knowing more, please ask someone. Me. My wife. A local pastor. A neighbor you know who is a Christian. But please ask and I guarantee you that they will be excited to tell you more. They will especially appreciate that you asked them so that they are not forcing their beliefs upon you but getting your permission to share. It may even be something they have been praying for.
Lord willing, see you all next Sunday!
Thanks,
@strangerarray
Please follow me, @stragerarray, to keep up to date with my other fiction, nonfiction, and other post. Also feel free to send donations to: PayPal.Me/michaelpaine because we all could use some spare change.
Please check out the previous discussions:
Disparity on Display.
This discussion takes a look at disparity and injustice and proposes guidance on a response.
Comfort and Contentment
This post examines my struggle with the differences between being content and being comfortable.
Testify
This post documents part of my journey that lead me from being an enemy of God to being saved by Jesus Christ.
Praise and Worship
This takes a look at the awkward feelings about publicly praising and worshiping the Lord and what difference that has made in my life.
Reasons to Believe
We take a micro tour of Christian Apologetics and the impact it has had on my faith. I am not the best at it and so I direct to sources greater than myself to help others.
Hey y’all for more great content check out my friends:
(All robot images from steemd.com)
The Lonely Ember
A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending services regularly, stopped going.
After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening. The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.
Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the man welcomed him, led him to a big chair near the fireplace and waited. The pastor made himself comfortable but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated the play of the flames around the burning logs.
After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all this in quiet fascination.
As the one lone ember's flame diminished, there was a momentary glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and "dead as a doornail."
Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.
Just before the pastor was ready to leave, he picked up the cold, dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it began to glow once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals around it.
As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said, "Thank you so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back in church next Sunday."
by Dr. John MacArthur
Amen!
That's a great illustration.
Thanks!
Hebrews 10:24-25
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.
Yes I was going to work that one in, but ran out of time.
Thanks!
This is all wonderful content for an ebook Michael! Bravo!
Thanks!
I actually was thinking about that yesterday...
Maybe with a few more weeks and then a proper introduction, organization and editing, and BAM!
A little book is born.
I used to feel the same way.
I believed in Jesus and felt that my prayer with Him in private was sufficient. I had tried a few churches, but learned that there are people who put on a false image at their church, when in reality they are sinful, judgmental people every day other than Sunday. That is what kept me away from church for years.
But I finally found a church I enjoy, where people are genuine at church and throughout the week when I see them in the community. I love sharing praise for Jesus with a large group. It feels much more rewarding than simply doing it alone in private.
Yes, sadly there are churches were this happens, but that doesn't mean that they are all that way.
Being connected in groups and activities throughout the week help develop authentic relationships that truly make a difference.
Great post. Love your honest and down-too-earth sharing about your faith journey. Bless you my friend.
Thanks
Great post. Going is a discipline, and a discipline that helps you spiritually.
Thank you.
I have been on both sides of the situation before and after my conversion and wanted to share my experience.