“…then choose for yourselves this day…” (Joshua 24:15 NIV)
The Pew Research Center shared some statistics discovered in an examination of the current operation of houses of worship after the pandemic. Let’s look at just a couple of their findings that surfaced in the organization’s research and consider some implications I was led to make.
Finding: Sixty-seven percent of American adults who attend religious services are going back for in-person worship. Implication: Thirty-three percent of American adults who attend religious services are not going back for in person worship. There are two groups. What group do you belong to?
Finding: Two-thirds of self-described regular attenders have attended worship services physically in the last month. Implication: One-third of self-described regular attenders have not attended worship services physically in the last month. Again, there are two groups. What group do you belong to?
Now that you have answered the question, asked twice, “What group do you belong to?” – exempting those who have conditions that will not allow one to attend regular, in-person service, answer one more question. If you do not find yourself in the higher numbers reported on the findings, when will you be included in the findings? The choice is not up to me, but you. I lack the personal power to eliminate your excuses, exterminate your explanations, or extinguish your empty rationalizations that are used to justify your lack of church attendance. Only you can do so. I can only exhort you in love to examine your response to the question. In any case, I love you and I am sure your local church will welcome you with open arms or show understanding for every good, legitimate reason for not coming back to in-person services. Have a great Tuesday and ponder on these words. Do some decision-making! Don’t wait until Saturday to think about “church.” Choose for yourself on this day. Let the Lord establish your steps. Oh, do some evangelizing too and forward this to some people you know who have developed the habit of not coming to church. Might I just add that I am filled with thanksgiving for the testimony of those who gathered at my church on Sunday, merely by their present. Listen! They ranged from under 1-year-old to 100 years old! Thank you in advance for your reaching out to others! Be blessed!
“In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” (Proverbs 16:99 NIV)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King