A brief article about the importance of being faithful in attending church. Five reasons why your SEAT is important.
FAITHFULNESS IN ATTENDANCE
"We must not abandon our practice of meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but rather, we must encourage each other. . .". Hebrews 10:25.
Your faithfulness in attending the regularly scheduled times for assembling worship will have a positive impact on the work of the ministry of this church. Five things to remember:
YOUR SEAT IS A SEAT OF WITNESS
It is important to the unsaved. We must keep in mind that the church is not a select circle for the immaculate, but a place where the unsaved come in. Your seat in church, when filled by you, will have an abiding and powerful influence on the lost. An empty church gives an impression of deadness. A half-filled church gives the appearance of sickness. When we are in our seats, a positive image is communicated. What do they see when they enter our worship services? The churches steeple is not the only thing that points people to heaven! You make a contribution by being in your seat.
YOUR SEAT IS A SEAT OF ENCOURAGEMENT
It is important for fellow believers. We are co-laborers together in the ministry of this church. We are all on the team, and the team is called the Friendship Bible Church. Paul says, "We are the Body of Christ, and each member is a part of that body" (1 Corinthians 12:27). Although he is speaking about the Universal Church, this holds true about the Local Church. Everybody is needed. In Hebrews 10:25 Paul is talking about one of how every believer can be an encouragement to one another. He says, "Do not abandon our practice of assembling ourselves together...."Your seat in church is important because it will be an encouragement to other believers. Will you be an encouragement or a discouragement? A church that is filled will do much to promote an atmosphere of joyful worship. We will sing better, pray better, and serve the Lord better when we all are present and accounted for.
YOUR SEAT IS A SEAT OF EXAMPLE
Your attendance is a factor you must not take lightly. Others will follow your footsteps easier than they will follow your advice. We owe everyone an example to follow, especially our children. Someone said, "A Christian will be a Blot or a Blessing. A Blank he cannot be." Each member must assume personal responsibility for his own seat in this church because his absence will have a detrimental effect on others, whether he intends it or not. What kind of example are you going to be setting?
YOUR SEAT IS A SEAT OF SUPPORT
Your seat is also important to the Pastor. We ought to keep in mind that your Pastor is a man and as a man, he will greatly be encouraged when you support him by attending the services. How do you support him? You guessed it! By being in your seat. It is very difficult to present the Word of God in an empty auditorium. Are you going to be a blessing to your pastor or are you going to be a source of disappointment? You should consider these things very seriously before you decide to become a member of a church.
YOUR SEAT IS A SEAT OF BLESSING
Your seat is also important to you. As we assemble for worship, we will be personally blessed. This is blessing by association. In God's plan, this category of blessing will be received by us when we associate ourselves with certain things such as prayer, serving the Lord, and attendance at worship. It is during this time that we learn about God and grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. The resultant blessing is spiritual growth. This is the way of God. We can grow by no other means. We can be blessed in other ways, but we cannot grow in other ways.
TO DEMONSTRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF YOUR SEAT YOU MUST BE IN IT!