The Importance of Fellowship

I try to make it a point to attend both Sunday Services at Huntsville United Methodist Church in Huntsville, Missouri as well as Wednesday night Bible Study. I feel worship and studying with others helps reinforce my faith. Many times I forget how Christians are to behave. I fail to forgive people or to love them as Jesus told us to do. I find it all too easy to hate those that have wronged the ones I love. Attending services reminds me of what I should be doing.  But in this day and age, many have made the church second to family outings, vacations, school activities, or sports. Guaranteed on the day after high school prom or a day when some sports tournament is going on church attendance will be lower. For many people Church is something they attend when nothing else is going on. This is not how it should be. Only once have I not attended Church in the past year because something else was happening, and that was to help a friend move. All other times I have missed I was too ill to attend.

So why has Church become secondary to other things? That is anyone's guess. Personally, I always try to make time for Church. I have turned down invitations to do other things so I could attend. It therefore mystifies me why someone would not attend church.  I have had late Saturday nights when I did not get in until the wee hours and still got up and attended Church. And I have turned down invitations to do other things as they were happening when I should be in Church. To me, the most important activity of the week is fellowship with my Church family. This is what the Bible has to say on fellowship:

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)

For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them. (Matthew 18:20)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ( Colossians 3:16)

Whether one chooses to attend Church or not is his or her own choice, but the Bible is clear on the importance of fellowship. Being with our Church family makes us stronger in our faith in my opinion. It lifts us up when we are down. It inspires us. It gives us food for thought. And I think it makes us better Christians