Church Attendance

Open with prayer

Review Bible memorization verses:

Struggles from this past week, and/or areas of expected upcoming struggle.

Review: What are some things you’ve learned in your Bible reading this week?

Accountability for Being in Church. As an individual. As a member of my family. As a leader of my family.

Hebrews 10:25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.

Is there any more specific relevance in this verse for today than there was at any other time in the past?

Mt 18:20. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.

Should this affect our attitudes while gathered together for “church,” and should this affect our attitude about “if” we gather?

Col 3:14–16. 14 Above all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body, and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with gratefulness in your hearts to God.

What do these verses teach us about the remedy for broken attitudes about the status of the church today?

Ac 2:42–47. 42 And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers. 43 And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles.

44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were dividing them up with all, as anyone might have need. 46 And daily devoting themselves with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart,

47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number daily those who were being saved.

How should we feel about the distinctions of the First Century Church, and the Church today? Should that affect anything?

Eph 4:11–16. 11 And He Himself gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the full knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming, 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, that is Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being joined and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the properly measured working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

Identify the Church here. (v12 the body of Christ). Examine how the church is described, and see where you fit, and how.

Ro 12:4–8. 4 For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another, 6 but having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: whether prophecy, in agreement with the faith; 7 or service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with generosity; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Lk 4:14–16. 14 And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. 15 And He was teaching in their synagogues, being glorified by all. 16 And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up, and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read.

What in these verses demonstrates faithfulness to gathering? We can follow Christ’s example.

Ephesians 5:23-25 “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”

If Christ is the bridegroom, and the church it His bride, what should our actions be toward the bride of Christ – that He loved – and for whom He gave Himself up for?

Should we not be devoted to purifying and sanctifying the bride in preparation for the return of the Bridegroom, that He might be pleased with the love for which He is soon returning?

What are the reasons we should regularly attend church?

What does it accomplish for us?

What does it accomplish for others?

How does it honor God?

What does failing to attend church do?

When is it acceptable to not attend church?

New Bible memory verse for the week:

Hebrews 10:25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.

Close with prayer