Is It Really So Important To Go To Church Every Sunday?

K. Runia. Trowel & Sword. October 1961.

Preamble: Prof. Runia begins this article by quoting statistics on the church attendance of all Australians in 1961. If these numbers were repeated in 2024 churches would be packed to overflowing and we would be living in a very different country today. Sadly, this is not the case and Prof. Runia points to diminishing church attendance as one of the main reasons for declining faith in this country. Now some may argue that this is a chicken and egg situation. Ie. Which come first. Declining faith or declining church attendance. Does it really matter? Ultimately both are true so the question should really be, “How can this decline be arrested?

Is It Really So Important To Go To Church Every Sunday?

STATISTICS

Although we should not over-estimate the value of statistics, but be careful in drawing conclusions (in particular with regard to spiritual matters), yet statistics can be quite revealing. In June of this year, people in all States of Australia were asked by a Gallup Poll to answer questions on their church attendance. The results indicate the following: Of all Australians only 27% attend church weekly, 48% occasionally and 25% never. For the major denominations the figures were: Roman Catholic: 54% (weekly), 32% (occasionally), 14% never.  Methodist 31,  45, 14. Presbyterian: 14, 55, 31.  Church of England: 13, 58, 29.

These figures are revealing, indeed!  It is striking, that even among the Roman Catholics the figures of weekly attendance are decreasing.  Even this Church seems to lose its firm hold on many of its members.  We would not be surprised if the 32% “occasionally” and the 14% “never” were mainly found  among the many Roman Catholic migrants who in the new country miss the moral support of the community of which they were part in their homeland.

Another striking and very sad feature is that the Presbyterian Church has almost equalled the Church of England in the number of occasional church – goers and even outnumbered this Church in nominal membership.  

Is it any wonder that in our day we see unbelief growing at such a rapid speed?  For there is a very close connection between Church attendance and unbelief.

HEIDELBERG CATECHISM

For proof of this thesis we would point to Lord’s Day 25 of the Heidelberg Catechism. In Question 65 we read: “Since, then, we are made partakers of Christ and all His benefits by faith only, whence comes this faith?”

In the preceding Lord’s Days the Catechism has time and again mentioned the word faith.  In Lord’s Day 7 it dealt  with the question: What is true faith?  In the Lord’s Days 8 – 22 it dealt with the contents of faith.  In Lord’s Day 23it taught the Pauline doctrine of justification by faith alone. In Lord’s Day 24 it said that true sanctification is only possible in a life of faith.

But – whence comes this faith?

Answer: From the Holy Spirit, who works it in our heart BY THE PREACHING OF THE HOLY GOSPEL.

Faith is God’s work!  It is not a human achievement, but a precious gift of God the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:3).  But the Holy Spirit does not give it us immediately, but mediately – namely, by the preaching of the Gospel. A very clear illustration of this is found in the story of LYDIA (Acts 16: 11-15). In verse 14 we read: “The Lord opened her heart to give heed to what was said by Paul”.

There you clearly see the connection between preaching and the origin of faith.  During the preaching of the Gospel the Spirit opens her heart and she embraces the message given by the Apostle.     

In this connection we have to emphasise the word “PREACHING”.  Many people say: We need not go to Church, we can just as well read the BIBLE AT HOME.  Now we do not deny at all that the same miracle can happen by reading the Bible. The Bible is also preaching; it is the written preaching of the prophets and apostles, which is the basis of all other preaching.  Indeed, many people have come to faith in Christ by reading this written preaching. In many prisons or concentration camps of the last war men and women have found Jesus Christ as their Saviour by reading the Bible (sometimes even a few leaves from a Bible!) in the solitude of their cell.

Yet God has given His Gospel first of all to be preached by the living voices of His servants. “Go into all the world and PREACH THE GOSPEL to the whole creation (Mark 16:15).  “Go therefore and make disciple of all nations, baptising them, TEACHING them …“ (Matt. 28:19, 20). ”You are WITNESSES of these things.” (Luke 24:48).   “You shall be my WITNESSES in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).  “Preach the word, be instant in season and out of season … ” (II Tim. 4:2). ETC.

Where do we find this preaching first of all today?  IN THE CHURCH SERVICES on Sunday!  There the word is preached.  There the glorious Gospel is proclaimed!, There salvation is offered to sinners!  There the Holy Spirit performs the miracle of opening hearts!

If we want OUR CHILDREN to be true believers, where should we bring them? To the services on Sunday!  It is not enough to have our children baptised.  We have to bring them also to that mighty means of grace: the proclamation of the Gospel. In fact, baptism is nothing else than a sign and seal to that Gospel!

If WE OURSELVES are not sure of our own faith, if we are seeking for the miracle of the Spirit to happen to us, let us go to the place where we may expect it!  If Lydia (I speak from the human point of view) had not come to the regular place of worship, the miracle would not have happened to her!

Once again, is it any wonder that UNBELIEF is SO RAPIDLY GROWING in our country?  People do not come to the place, where the Holy Spirit may be expected to open their hearts.  They do not bring their children there, and although these children have perhaps been baptised they grow up as unbelievers.  For baptism alone cannot save a child.  Baptism itself does not produce faith.  Baptism is sign and seal of the promise of the Covenant which is proclaimed in the preaching and has to be accepted in faith.

SPIRITUAL FOOD

But not only for the beginning of faith we have to go to church, but also for the feeding of our faith.  Faith is not like a jewel, which, once given, retains its shine and value, whether you use it regularly or hide it in a jewel-box in a safe.  Faith is like a plant.  It is a living organism. It needs light and heat and moisture, otherwise it will die. Faith can only thrive, when it is regularly fed with the living water of the Gospel, when the sun of God’s favour as proclaimed in the Gospel shines on it.

If we do not attend the church services regularly, our faith will necessarily suffer and wither.  For we are sinning against one of the primary laws set by the heavenly Husbandman. We neglect the most important means ordained by Him

READING SERVICES

It is  perhaps a good opportunity here to insert a few  words ,about reading  services.   They do occur quite often in our Churches.   Now we all agree of course, that weprefer  a service conducted by a  minister!   We also agree, that the one elder  may be  a better “reader” than  the  other (just  as the one minister may be a “better^” preacher  than the other).

But  is  this sufficient reason to stay away from reading services?   Why actually do we go  to  Church?   To hear a man OR to  hear the ‘Word of  God? Do you in ordinary life refuse to eat because the cook is  not as good as you are used to?   I think your body could not stand that too often.  But your soul cannot either!!

Usually  the main trouble  is  that  we go  to  Church in  the  WRONG SPIRIT. We do not expect much.   And, of course, we do not  get  much!   If we get anything at all!   Sometimes people say:  When I  left  the Church I  was  just as cold as when I  entered it.    By these words they mean to  blame  the preacher or reader.   In actual fact, however, they blame  THEMSELVES! For they confess: I went in  the wrong spirit! I went without prayer, without expectation.   I went with  a  cold instead of a yearning heart.

THE FUTURE OF OUR REFORMED CHURCHES

Sometimes the question is asked:  Will  our Churches have a future in Australia and New Zealand?   The final answer is,  of course:  we do not know.   God alone knows.

Yet we may say:  If we, on our side, are FAITHFUL in  the  use  of  the  means of grace, GOD WILL BLESS US. He is  also faithful! We have His promise: “Where two or  three are gathered together in my name,  there am I in  the midst of them.” (Matt. 18:20).   This promise stands and will stand till the last day.   If we and our  children remain faithful in our church attendance, then the Lord will do His miracles in our midst.  He will open hearts, hearts of children and grownups,  and He will feed hungry souls, which come to Him for  their spiritual food.

K. Runia.

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