by Perry Hall<\/p>\n
“Attendance” is a biblical topic (Hebrews 10:25), but how we approach attendance is not always biblical!<\/p>\n
I have visited congregations where Sunday morning attendance was almost matched on Sunday nights. Usually, these are smaller groups. However, I have also seen larger groups that were very impressive.\u00a0On the opposite side, I have seen attendance drop from past the 100’s to barely reaching the 20’s!<\/p>\n
For various reasons, some congregations cancel Sunday night service, which is scriptural and only contrary to tradition. Nothing in the Bible requires two services. Some cancel because of the lack of attendance. That is an indicator of something saddening. Some find different ways of meeting on Sunday mornings to accommodate their autonomous needs.<\/p>\n
One wrong way to increase attendance is to make it equivalent to the Law of God – “If you don’t attend, you sin.” Another wrong way is to appeal to the fleshly senses – “Entertain them, and they will come.”<\/p>\n
The right ways to increase attendance need a biblical focus.<\/p>\n
Let’s begin where too many forget. Does a congregation have an obligation to make services meaningful? “Everything is to be done for building up<\/em>” (I Corinthians 14:26). “Having church” for the sake of “having church” is ritualism. As one who regularly stands before the congregation, I bear a great responsibility. This is one reason I appreciate the classes based on the topics you request. I also appreciate the efforts many put forth, whether by serving or encouraging.<\/p>\n Now, let’s look at the individual. Does the individual have a responsibility to make services meaningful? Are we setting our priorities right? Putting God first includes our calendars! I will use the same Scripture again since individuals use their gifts for others: “Everything is to be done for building up<\/em>” (I Corinthians 14:26).<\/p>\n Congregations should be challenged to give purpose to our meetings. Notice I didn’t say, “Give people a reason to come. ” That’s because people should challenge themselves to see how active their response to God’s grace is. Attendance is not the <\/b>indicator of faithfulness, but wanting to be built up and to build up is a proper response to grace.<\/p>\n Come because Jesus came.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Perry Hall “Attendance” is a biblical topic (Hebrews 10:25), but how we approach attendance is not always biblical! I have visited congregations where Sunday morning attendance was almost matched on Sunday nights. Usually, these are smaller groups. However, I have also seen larger groups that were very impressive.\u00a0On the opposite side, I have seen…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[356],"class_list":["post-69017","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-attendance"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":89868,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/the-problem-with-an-attendance-problem\/","url_meta":{"origin":69017,"position":0},"title":"The Problem with an \u201cAttendance Problem\u201d","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 29, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"by Joey Sparks Worship attendance can be a sensitive issue for Christians. Some are satisfied with coming only on Sunday mornings. Or Sunday evenings. Or for long enough to take the Lord's Supper. Some are content with worshiping only on holidays. Some are only at the local assembly when facing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":61287,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/notes-on-attendance\/","url_meta":{"origin":69017,"position":1},"title":"Notes on Attendance","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 9, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Acts 2:42 Acts 9:26 I Corinthians 5:4 I Corinthians 11:17-18 Hebrews 10:25-26","rel":"","context":"In "Notes"","block_context":{"text":"Notes","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/notes\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":18352,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-poor-attendance-actually-a-sin\/","url_meta":{"origin":69017,"position":2},"title":"Is poor attendance actually a sin?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 9, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Brother, I was edified by what I read in this article:\u00a0Telling Members They are Sinning in Deliberately Missing Church. Bob does a good job listing some of the excuses some brethren use to justify missing church assemblies. He shows that those who rely on these excuses reveal carnality and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":8953,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/is-it-a-sin-not-to-attend-wednesday-night-bible-study\/","url_meta":{"origin":69017,"position":3},"title":"Is it a sin not to attend Wednesday night Bible study?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 9, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I'm a member of the church have been all my life. I was wondering how important you think Wednesday night services are? Some people don't think you have to go on Wednesday night, some say when the Bible says not to forsake the assembly it means Sunday morning. I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":47553,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/am-i-wrong-to-let-small-group-meetings-bother-me\/","url_meta":{"origin":69017,"position":4},"title":"Am I wrong to let small group meetings bother me?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 27, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hi, The congregation where we are members is now having a \"small group\" meet separately on some Sunday nights while we still have a worship service at the building. It is designed for young families as some way to grow that group. This practice is being pushed by a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1403,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/does-the-command-to-forsake-not-the-assembling-of-ourselves-together-apply-only-to-sunday-worship\/","url_meta":{"origin":69017,"position":5},"title":"Does the command to “forsake not the assembling of ourselves together” apply only to Sunday worship?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"July 4, 2005","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: In our Bible study at church, the statement was made that if elders schedule a meeting, then it would be a sin for one to 'forsake the assembly\" if one could have attended. 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