A NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION

Making a proactive decision about your church attendance can yield significant spiritual benefits. The Bible emphasizes the importance of Christians gathering together to support each other’s growth. Hebrews 10:25 encourages us, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another.” Whether it’s a formal church service or an informal small-group meeting, gathering isn’t about adhering to a strict rule; it’s about embracing a vital opportunity for spiritual development. We never know when God might move powerfully in a gathering where two or three or more are gathered together in Christ’s name (Matthew 18:20), touching our hearts and transforming us from within. If we adopt a casual attitude and think, “It’s raining today, so I won’t go to my small group,” or “we’re on vacation, we don’t need to go to worship,” we risk missing out on God’s potential work in our lives.

I’ll admit that throughout my life I have attended numerous church services and small groups where it seemed nothing extraordinary was happening within me. However, I’ve also experienced moments in similar settings where my heart was profoundly changed, or as John Wesley testified “strangely warmed,” and my life was turned around. There’s no way to predict when God will choose to use a gathering of His people, the teaching of His Word, corporate worship, or personal testimonies to impact us uniquely and powerfully. Only by deciding in advance to consistently join with other Christians can we ensure we’re in the right place at the right time to receive God’s gifts of grace, guidance and growth. Now that’s a New Year’s Resolution worth making and keeping. 

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson, SOUND BITES Ministry

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