What are appropriate reasons for missing church?

Answer

Many individuals possess an incorrect or unscriptural comprehension of church attendance. Some individuals’ perspective on church attendance leans towards legalism – they feel obligated to attend every service or gathering, fearing divine retribution if they don’t. Missing a Sunday morning service for any reason can trigger feelings of guilt in some individuals. Regrettably, certain churches exacerbate this guilt by exerting excessive pressure on their members. While apathy towards church or a deliberate avoidance of it may signal a spiritual issue, it’s crucial to recognize that the depth of one’s relationship with God isn’t determined by their frequency of church attendance. God’s affection for His children isn’t contingent on the number of formal services they attend.

There’s no question that Christians, disciples of Jesus Christ, should participate in church gatherings. It should be the aspiration of every Christian to engage in corporate worship (Ephesians 5:19-20), to commune with and uplift fellow believers “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”, (1 Thessalonians 5:11), and to receive instruction from God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Faith is cultivated through hearing the Word “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”, (Romans 10:17). Additionally, congregating with other believers is a directive (Hebrews 10:24-25); we really need each other. Just as God loves a cheerful giver “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”, (2 Corinthians 9:7), so He is pleased with a genuinely cheerful church attendee.

Church attendance should be a priority in the Christian life. Being committed to one’s local church is crucial. What then are valid reasons for missing church? It’s impossible to provide a list that fits everyone. Naturally, it’s acceptable to miss church when one is ill. However, in other situations, the key factors are your attitude and motivation. If one’s reason for missing church is to better serve the Lord elsewhere, to meet genuine needs, or to fulfill a God-ordained responsibility, then there is nothing wrong with missing a church service. For instance, an on-call policeman cannot be expected to ignore a call to be present in the pew. But if one’s reason for missing church is to indulge in the lust of the flesh, to pursue selfish goals, or to simply avoid Christian fellowship, then there is an issue.

Each situation must be assessed individually and honestly. Is it ever acceptable to miss church to attend a sporting event? Yes, depending on one’s motivation and attitude. What about missing church while on vacation? Again, it depends on one’s motivation and attitude. We want to steer clear of legalism; we are not saved by church attendance but by grace. Nevertheless, a Christian should have a desire to attend church to learn about the greatness of God’s gift of salvation, to discover how to become more like Christ, and to have opportunities to serve others.

When evaluating our reasons for missing church, we should also consider our motives for attending church. Do we go to church to make ourselves seem spiritual? To network with potential business contacts?

Do we attend church out of a sense of obligation? Or do we go because of the legalistic belief that the more we show up at church, the more we please God? It is a fact that many individuals attend church regularly but lack a meaningful relationship with the Lord. If your church attendance consists of merely sitting through the service feeling bored and disengaged during the singing and sermon, and then leaving right after it ends, you might as well have skipped church altogether, as you did not benefit from it and did not contribute anything to it.

We should desire to go to church to connect with others who have also encountered the incredible grace of Jesus Christ. We should make an effort not to miss church, whenever feasible, because we understand the significance of hearing God’s Word, applying it to our lives, and sharing it with others. We should attend church, not to earn spiritual brownie points, but because we have a genuine love for God, His people, and His Word. Every believer should strive to attend church consistently. However, missing church for a valid reason is not a sin or something that should evoke feelings of guilt.

When you skip (do not attend) church, do you long for it? If you do, it indicates a strong connection with the church. If not, it suggests that you may need to reassess your choice of church and/or level of involvement. God knows our hearts. Merely attending every service does not impress God. His desire is to edify us in Christ, and in this era, He does so primarily through the local church.