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Have you heard the joke that’s going around about the man who was waiting his turn on Judgment Day? He was standing at the end of a vast multitude of people when he heard a great commotion at the head of the line, near the pearly gates. As the noise gradually made its way down the line the man anxiously asked those in front of him, “What is it? What’s it all about?” Soon those in front joyfully passed the word back: “They’re not counting Wednesday nights! They’re not counting Wednesday nights!”
We chuckle with recognition at that joke, mainly because we know some who would be relieved to hear such news. In every congregation there are those whose spiritual thirst is easily quenched by an hour on Sunday morning and thus they rarely, if ever, participate in any of the other services of the church.
The joke reflects a mindset that occasionally becomes explicit when I am asked: “How many times do I have to come?” Even though the question may be sincerely asked, I would suggest that such an attitude betrays a mistaken, perhaps even legalistic, approach to church attendance.
If you are a once-a-week Christian (or a once-in-a-while attender), and you are wondering how you would fare on Judgment Day, I would suggest that the real issue to consider is priorities, not performance. As you decide whether you will return for Sunday night worship or Wednesday night Bible study, ask yourself this question: What will I be doing tonight INSTEAD OF worshiping God?
If your alternative is more pressing or urgent than meeting with your brothers and sisters to worship God, then by all means, don’t come to church. In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus pictured the priest and the Levite passing by the beaten and dying traveler, presumably on their way to Jerusalem to worship (Luke 10:30-37). Their example reminds us that church attendance by itself is worthless if we are not willing to live right before God and with others (Jeremiah 7:1-11), so if you are needed to care for a sick neighbor or friend, skip the assembly.
On the other hand, if you consistently look for excuses to miss the fellowship of your brothers and sisters, only to find yourself sitting at home watching trivial television programs, you need to stop fooling yourself and rearrange your priorities (Matthew 6:33).
We don’t attend any worship service or Bible class in order to “punch our ticket”: we come to encourage others and be encouraged by them (Hebrews 10:24-25): we attend to grow spiritually because church is a place where we are encouraged to be less like the world and more like Christ (2 Corinthians 3:12-18); and most of all, we assemble to offer praise to our God with reverence and awe (Hebrews 12:28-29). My worship, like my giving, is to be the expression of a grateful heart (Colossians 3:15-17), not a grudging duty to fulfill.
So, do Wednesday nights count? That depends. They do if you are hungry and thirsty for righteousness (Matthew 5:6); they do if you, like the earliest disciples, are “devoted to the apostles teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer” (Acts 2:42); and they do if you are looking for a place where you and your family will be encouraged to be less worldly and more spiritual. This congregation offers one of the richest and most comprehensive programs of Bible study, fellowship, and outreach on Sunday and Wednesday nights of any church I know. Where will you be this Sunday night?
-Dan Williams College Avenue Church of Christ El Dorado, Arkansas |
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