Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. – Hebrews 10:25, KJV

On March 25, 2014, the Barna Group reported the following:

• What, if anything, helps Americans grow in their faith? When Barna Group asked, people offered a variety of answers—prayer, family or friends, reading the Bible, having children—but church did not even crack the top-10 list.
• While half (49%) say it [church attendance] is “somewhat” or “very” important, the other 51% say it is “not too” or “not at all” important.
• Millennials (those 30 and under) stand out as least likely to value church attendance; only two in 10 believe it is important. And more than one-third of Millennial young adults (35%) take an anti-church stance.
• Elders (those over 68) are the most likely (40%) to view church attendance as “very” important, compared to one-quarter (24%) who deem it “not at all” important. Boomers (ages 49—67) and Gen Xers (ages 30—48) fall in the middle of these polar opposites.
• Overall church attendance has dipped from 43% in 2004 to 36% today.
• Regular attenders used to be people who went to church three or more weekends each month—or even several times a week. Now people who show up once every four to six weeks consider themselves regular churchgoers.
• Although people cite their primary reasons for attending church as growing closer to God and learning more about him, Barna Group finds such closeness is a rare occurrence. Fewer than two out of 10 churchgoers feel close to God on even a monthly basis. Additionally, while almost two-thirds of those who value church attendance go to learn more about God, fewer than one in 10 (6%) who have ever been to church say they learned something about God or Jesus the last time they attended. In fact, the majority of people (61%) say they did not gain any significant or new insights regarding faith when they last attended.

Taken together, Barna Group’s research leads to an obvious conclusion: the Christian church in America is dying. The question is, “Why?”

There are many reasons “why,” and addressing them all is outside the scope of this post.  However, there is a fundamental reason for the exodus that I do wish to address: people have forgotten what the biblical purpose of church is. As Hebrews 10:24-25, Amplified Bible (AMP) explains:

24 And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities,

25 Not forsaking or neglecting to assemble together [as believers], as is the habit of some people, but admonishing (warning, urging, and encouraging) one another, and all the more faithfully as you see the day approaching.

Contained within these two verses are the two main reasons for church involvement: accountability and service to others.

Although those who participated in Barna’s survey cited their primary reasons for attending church as growing closer to God and learning more about Him, they missed the mark by citing these as their primary reasons. Yes, we should learn more about God and draw closer to Him by attending church. But the real work of building a relationship with God occurs daily, by yourself, praying to God, reading His Word, and meditating on His truths. No amount of church attendance – even in churches with the greatest of Bible teachers – can replace such one-on-one time with God. The main benefits of church attendance are what the Bible says they are: holding each other accountable to righteous living, dealing with sin when it overcomes us, and finding ways to encourage each other through loving acts of service. When we cease to attend church, we disengage ourselves from our accountability partners, making sin more likely in our lives. When we cease to attend church, we lose out on opportunities to serve those in need, making selfishness more prevalent in our attitudes. When sin and selfishness abound, you can bet that your relationship with God will suffer, for He will become little more than a distant novelty to you rather than the Lord of your life that He ought to be.

Will church disappoint you? Sure. Churches are made up of people, and people disappoint. But don’t let the failure of man discourage you from benefitting from God’s purposes for church. Find a body of believers where Christian love abounds, engage in it, and be prepared to encounter the occasional disappointment. Then, keep on loving the accountability partners that God has drawn you to until He clearly directs you to find another body of believers to love.