As I write this blog, I am sitting in a chair watching the yearly Halloween night fire die. The trick-or-treaters are done, and I am listening to the Braves’ World Series game on the radio.  Trust me.  It’s better that way. But back to the fire.

To hasten the fire’s demise, I split the one remaining log in half and spread the coals around the pit.  As I watch the fire die, I am reminded of an important spiritual reality. Separating the coals is much like a believer neglecting gathering with the church.  At that point, two detrimental things happen.  The believer experiences a slow and initially imperceptible loss of spiritual fervor.  Additionally, the church suffers a loss of effectiveness because a “body part” is missing.

I’ve heard the argument from some.  “I don’t have to go to church to be a Christian.”  I understand the myriad of reasons people give for not going to church.  Churches have been responsible for causing some people serious emotional and spiritual pain.  I also understand that the current narrative about COVID makes many fearful of attending church.  And I realize that some people have some real-life obstacles that provide a challenge for church attendance.

But those who justify staying away from church stand in stark contradiction to God’s instruction to us in the Bible.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:24-25

The Church Suffers

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ….If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

1 Corinthians 12:12, 26-27

Church is neither a place nor an event.  Church is a collection of believers who come together for at least 3 reasons.  First, they collective learn from God’s Word and grow in their faith.  Second, they join together to take the Kingdom of God to their community and beyond. But a third and very important reason is to support, encourage, and hold each other accountable in their Christian journey.

God designed the local church to be an organic collection of diverse gifts and strengths.  Then, God directs believers to a particular church for their good and for the benefit of the church.  So, when a believer neglects church participation, they deprive the church of what God wants to provide through them.  It’s a selfish choice when you think about it.   The decision to neglect church places the individual’s desires above the good of the body.

The Believer Cools

In the Hebrews passage above, we see that believers have the opportunity and responsibility “to stir up one another to love and good works.”  When a believer isolates himself from the church, he misses the benefit of being inspired by others’ Christian experience.  With Holy Spirit inspired wisdom, Solomon writes,

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Two believers whose lives are interwoven with a relationship with Jesus constitute the threefold cord of which Solomon writes. Two believers walking with the Lord are stronger together than individually.  But the converse is true as well.  A believer who chooses to walk alone is spiritually vulnerable.  Like a coal separated from the fire cools more rapidly, so also an isolated believer’s spiritual vitality slowly wanes.

A Humble Plea

To the young parents who feel they are too busy with life, work, and kids’ activities – don’t let your fire die.  Come back to church.

To the young adult who just got out of the habit of church attendance – don’t let your fire die.  Come back to church.

To the believer concerned about the spread of COVID – don’t let your fire die.  Come back to church.

To anyone who for any reason has been neglecting church attendance – don’t let your fire die.  Come back to church.

We are stronger with you here.  You burn hotter when you are with us.  Don’t let either fire die.