Church Services and the Truant Congregation

 *10th April 2019* 

I do go to church, I do appreciate their role in fact I can not downplay the importance of the church nor do I seek to do so.

I do not qualify myself fit enough to give criticism on this matter considering the sensitivity of the subject and my own imperfection as a Christian.

Therefore, constructive or destructive, the criticism is barely an attack but rather a commentary on my observation of service culture.

There are people who attend the service like going to heaven depends on it, they are wrong.

It matters to God more how well you treat your neighbor than how much you yell "Jesus" in praise and worship.

It matters to God how compassionate you are than how punctual or how active you are in church.

Am sure the two paragraphs above cut across all religions in the world.

James 1

26: If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, his religion is vain.

27: Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

A clergyman might say, it's misleading to quote the scriptures in part and not wholesomely...

Well, of course I agree service attendance is extremely important, it feeds the soul ... But how do you explain;

• The absenteseem of many.

•The switching from one church to another by many.

•The preference for televangelism by many.

• The slip into slumber during service.

Where is the disconnect?

Truth is, in my extremely debatable opinion of course, the church is taking more than it is giving, but the truth of that depends on where you are sitting.

The church is disconnected from the realities of the "would be" congregation.

In a depressed nation, the church needs to step up.

In a corrupt nation, the church needs to step up.

In a truant congregation, the church needs to step up.

The role of the Church, the Mosque and all other religiously-affiliated leaderships is not just to preach and qoute scriptures or take care of the societies spiritual health, but also to help take care of the mental and general well being of the society, and to do that they must step outside themselves and start giving more than they are receiving.

Same goes to all those who believe in God.

We are spiritual beings going through a human condition, not vice versa.

Depression has us shark-faced.