{"id":4959,"date":"2019-04-28T09:00:31","date_gmt":"2019-04-28T14:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.barbdahlgren.com\/?p=4959"},"modified":"2019-02-27T20:14:56","modified_gmt":"2019-02-28T02:14:56","slug":"choose-to-make-church-meeting-together-a-priority","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/barbdahlgren.com\/?p=4959","title":{"rendered":"Choose to Make Church (Meeting Together) a Priority"},"content":{"rendered":"

Choices change our lives\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n

By Barbara Dahlgren<\/em><\/p>\n

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We do not lack for innovative churches today. In addition to the average denominational listings and their spin-offs, there are cowboy churches, coffee-drinking churches, and drive-in churches \u2013 just to name a few. There are small churches, house churches, neighborhood Bible studies, and megachurches. It\u2019s hard to believe one can\u2019t find a place to attend or meet with other believers.<\/p>\n

However, some are disillusioned with organized religion altogether. And rightly so! Pharisaical approaches to salvation have muddled the message of preaching Christ. People are no longer enamored with pomp and circumstance. They yearn for the substance of Christ-like teaching.<\/p>\n

Others feel they need a time of healing. Maybe they are sick and tired of people or need to do some private Bible study to decide where God is leading them.<\/p>\n

The majority just make up limitless excuses like \u201cI don\u2019t like the music,\u201d \u201cthe speakers are boring,\u201d \u201cthe parking is too difficult to find,\u201d \u201cmy spouse doesn\u2019t want to go,\u201d or \u201cthe pews are too hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

The most popular reason for not attending church is our busy lifestyle. Life is definitely busy! However, it\u2019s not too busy for watching football, shopping at the mall, playing video games, going to the movies, or surfing the internet. Church or meeting together with other believers is just not a priority.<\/p>\n

Should attending church or meeting together with other believers be a priority for Christians? After all, don\u2019t we have lots of T.V., radio, or internet options where we can be spiritually fed? It\u2019s true that these ministries offer a service, especially for those who are housebound or perhaps taking a respite to reevaluate where God is leading them. However, if one uses these programs as an alternative to actually spending time with other Christians, they may be isolating themselves and forfeiting what God intended.<\/p>\n

Here are some reasons some reasons why meeting together should be a priority:<\/p>\n