After a full house and a well attended day at church this Sunday, I thought I would make a list of the main excuses I have heard over the years as to why Christians “do not” come to church. Thus, this is not meant to be a list for “non-believers” or “non-Christians.” However, my hope and prayer is that Christians who miss church either in summer months or because of excuses below will see the immaturity in these reasons and make God a priority. In other words, to “put God first,” Matthew 6:33.
Top Twelve Excuses:
12. I couldn’t get all the kids ready in time.
11. My tummy hurts and I have a head ache.
10. I’m running too late, I might as well just not go at all.
9. I stayed up too late Saturday night and overslept.
8. I have guests coming over and I have to prepare a meal.
7. My kids have an activity this Sunday- soccer, baseball, etc.
6. I am too tired after a busy week, I need some “down time.”
5. The weather is bad, I need to stay in.
4. The weather is good, I need to get outside early.
3. I was thinking about going next week.
2. I am upset with someone in the church.
1. I’m going through something right now and I just need to take some time off going to church.
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If you have ever used any of these excuses, please repent and ask God to change your heart. Put God first and make gathering together with the Body of Christ a top priority. Also, for those who may feel “church” is an option. Imagine someone saying to me, “Joe, I really want to be your friend, but I don’t like your wife and I don’t want to be around her.” Do you think we would still be friends?
The Bible speaks of the church as the “Bride of Christ” in Ephesians 5:25. Thus, when we reject the church it is the same as a person rejecting a man’s wife. Therefore, we are called to love and honor the church as we do Christ.
I pray this blog encourages you to be faithful to the church* you are apart of and if you are not actively in a church- to join one asap. In closing, here are some good verses to encourage you to be faithful to church and grow in community.
Acts 2:46-47, “Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their numberdaily those who were being saved.”
Hebrews 10:25, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
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*By church, I mean a “solid Bible believing Holy Ghost filled evangelical church.” If you live outside of Chicago, click here to find a good church in your area.
