“not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25).
“As much as He done for us, is it so hard for us to wake up for church?
Don’t forsake the gathering. We can learn together, we can pray together.” (1)
While the multitude of stars in the sky may exceed the grains of sand on Earth, the number of reasons that people devise to avoid going to church may be more numerous than both.
For example, some may find church boring. Others believe that going to church isn’t really necessary. Some choose to prioritize other events or activities over church attendance. Then there are those who avoid going to church because there are “too many hypocrites” there. Whatever the reason, one thing is certain: people have developed a seemingly endless array of reasons to avoid going to church.
So why is church important and why should Christians attend church regularly? We can answer those questions with a look at this passage from Hebrews 10:25. We can begin by noting that the word “church” is derived from a word that refers to a public assembly, especially one of a religious nature. While “the church” is sometimes used to identify the global Christian community, it is most often used to describe a local congregation that meets in a specific location.
In the New Testament era, this generally involved a group of Christians who met together for worship and teaching in a local home. That residence served as the host building for the “church” in that neighborhood. We can find evidence for this arrangement in the Biblical book of 1 Corinthians: “The churches in the province of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Priscilla greet you warmly in the Lord, and so does the church that meets at their house” (1 Corinthians 16:19 NIV).
We should also recognize that the concept of “church” was established by Jesus Himself. For example, Jesus used the term “my church” in the Gospel of Matthew. (Matthew 16:18). The New Testament book of Colossians also refers to Jesus as the head of the church (Colossians 1:18). Finally, the book of 1 Timothy refers to the church as “God’s church” in 1 Timothy 3:5 and even as “God’s household” in 1 Timothy 3:15.
With these things in mind, we can say that the church is an institution that has been established by God and is ultimately led by Christ. Therefore, we should not be surprised to read the exhortation given to us here in Hebrews 10:25.
(1) Cam, Raindrop (feat. Kadence), “The Platform” 2008 Doulos Records https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhcpzL6VQys