By Lamont H. Fuchs, Ed.D.
Scripture references: Leviticus 19:30, Romans 3:18, Proverbs 1:7, Heb 12:28, Matthew 22:36-38, 1 Peter 3:15, Isaiah 40:8, Romans 1:21, Revelation 19:5, Ecclesiaties 7:10, Revelation 4:11
Heb 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.” NIV
Here’s a joke that doesn’t seem funny anymore. You might hear an occasional testimony about the speaker’s severe drug problem in his youth. The story goes that while they were very young, their mama drug them to church on Sunday and Wednesday, and every other day the church doors were open. An old joke, really, but there was much truth in it for many of us boomers. The church today is very optional, and it seems for some that it’s the last resort because it is too easy to find an excuse. Church service doesn’t command respect or reverence once maintained in society. In my opinion, we need to reculture our community of Christians to think otherwise (Heb 10:24-25). Many facets exist in this loss of desire to attend church and observe reverence for our Lord and the designated sanctuary. We are the church; I get it. Where we worship our Lord as a congregation is more than just a building or address. Some readers here will not like this commentary, but everyone needs to hear it. If the shoe fits…test yourself.
Have we lost our awe, honor, and respect for God? Is the church auditorium still considered the sanctuary? Do we follow the first commandment from God? I believe this is the downfall of our churches and extends to our society because we no longer put God first with respect and honor. A church sanctuary is a place of prayer and worship. Protecting the atmosphere that brings the Spirit of God into the midst of a congregation is paramount to moving people into God’s presence.
I miss the old church I grew up in. I often reminisce about the olden days when most of this country went to church. Sunday school, Sunday morning services, singing the Doxology of praise, spirit-filled worship, partaking of the elements in the Lord’s Supper, and Sunday night services. I miss Wednesday night prayer meetings, religious holiday programs, youth-night participation, revivals, and special music and speaker events. Full-page announcement bulletins and especially traditional gospel music from the hymnals. I miss full choirs and frequent special music from soloists, duets, trios, and men’s barbershop quartets; those were great times. If you still have all that, you are blessed. If not, maybe you reminisce as I do. Cherish those things and fight to keep them.
What happened to people’s participation? Did we get too busy with the world and its programs? Or did we just get lazy? Chipped away bit by bit, we see Christianity being left behind in the lives of our members, schools, and society in general. The result is dwindling churches with too few people who sustain them with more than a checkbook. Satan seems to be winning, and time is on his side. We know the truth. Satan is a loser, and God controls time.
I miss preachers who were jealous to keep their pulpits. I miss the days when people went to church because their church family was there. There were no excuses to dismiss a night or Sunday because of a holiday. I swallowed hard when I read a phone-delivered text message from the church, canceling service. I remember that a deacon would conduct service when the pastor was out due to illness or another event.
During a service filled with one announcement after another, we might hear there will be no service on Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, so everyone can spend time with their family. I think, “The church is their family!” Do you have church on Christmas Day, regardless of what day it falls? Or Christmas Eve? We used to. That is when we did our youth programs, and that is when we did our choir cantatas. That is when we greeted and gifted friends and family, and gave little kids gift bags of food, oranges, apples, and even a tiny toy. I miss those memorable times and the blessings from the fellowship of believers.
