This article was written for the next edition of the local Antrim, New Hampshire paper, The Limrik.
Although the pews have a habit of filling up just before church starts, summer activities definitely have meant it's less crowded during the Sunday services here at the Antrim Church of Christ. Luckily, e-mail, Facebook, and various other social media outlets mean that even though one family might be visiting Alaska, another member vacationing in Puerto Rico, and others camping in the great outdoors…the distance is only physical.
But, I think everyone who wouldn't be labeled "antisocial" agrees that nothing beats seeing somebody in person. We can try to enter the cyber-universe and escape reality, but reality is that whether God or evolution produced humans we are part of the physical cosmos, not just a bunch of zeros and ones instructing a CPU how to behave. Ask yourself, do you prefer an e-mail or a letter? A book you hold in your hands or one you read on the computer? Someone who posts "I'll pray for you" in your Google+ stream or a friend who sits down and petitions the Lord with you?
Back in June I preached a sermon called, "Because I Said So." In the spirit of David Letterman I gave the top ten reasons to attend church. Some are tongue-in-cheek, and others will only make sense if you are a Christian, but here they are:
10. Because I said so ("I" being God via Hebrews 10:24-25)
9. Because church potluck food has no calories
8. Maybelle (That is, because of the great people who are at church)
7. The day is drawing near (Please take a second look at Hebrews 10:24-25)
6. It's good for your back (You can't slump in a church pew)
5. We need you…you "complete" us (Check out 1 Corinthians 12:12-27)
4. Because it decreases the chance you'll have to go to the emergency room (It'll take too long to explain this one here :-))
3. If you go it alone, you will fail (Take a look at Proverbs 11:14; 15:22)
2. It is fire insurance (Matthew 16:18 says "the gates of hell shall not prevail against" the church)
1. Because, ultimately, all you have is Jesus and He is here
If you are interested, you can listen to the sermon (and see the sermon notes) on our web site, www.AntrimCOC.org. Even if you don't, please take a couple moments to consider how you prioritize your weekends. Antrim may be a small town, but within its boundaries are three churches who could bless you…and who would be blessed by you. Expand the boundaries a bit more, and your church-going options expand almost exponentially.
We miss you…