Last time we began looking at the issue of attending church services. We saw that people go to church for various reasons, legitimate and illegitimate. Some Christians don’t even go to church at all. They flagrantly disobey the command of the Lord not to forsake the assembling of believers.

Church meetings are no ordinary meetings so we need to get it right. Each time there is a church service God sets out to do certain specific things. There is always a divine agenda for every church service. There is a divine package not just for the corporate body but also for individuals in the service. No church service is ordinary.

“Church attendance is as vital to a disciple as a transfusion of rich, healthy blood to a sick man.” Dwight L. Moody.

To get the best of any church service we must do certain things:

• We must value the importance of church service and position ourselves well to get the best out of the service. This will involve adequate preparation to attend church services. The major preparation is to pray for the service and all those who will be engaged in running the service.  You don›t want to sacrifice your precious time to a church service that contributes nothing to you or facilitate the purpose of the meeting. We must pray for the service to fulfill its purpose. Prayer is the fuel that powers an effective church service.

• Our attitude must be right. Even though we might meet in a physical building we are engaging in spiritual exercises. Everything is spiritual . . . the worship, the offering, the message etc.  Once we see church as natural we miss the true essence of church. Far too many Christians do not benefit from church because they approach church as natural.

• We must arrive in church on time. It’s a sig of disrespect ad dishpour to God to arrive I church late. If a church service is 9.00am God is set at that time ad to keep him waitig or to arrive late is tatamout to dishomour.

• We must be expectant to receive at the service. If we see church as a spiritual place it will help us benefit from it better. Our minds must be alert and our spirit must be sensitive. Expectancy is vital. Nothing worthwhile is ever received without expectation. We must be expectant to receive from the service. God always makes provision for our needs at every service and He expects us never to leave a church service the way we came. Every service puts certain things on offer . . . instructions, directives, healing, answers, solutions, encouragement etc.

• We must avoid distraction and concentrate throughout the service. A major weapon of the devil to steal our blessings is distraction so we must watch out. Our minds must be fixed on whatever is going on. If we have to use our phones it must be a tool and not a distraction to worship.

• We must decide to take action from what we hear. Only doers of the word are blessed and not just hearers. The church is a school where we get spiritual education. we must have action plans based on whatever we hear in church.

• “The Church is not a gallery for the better exhibition of eminent Christians, but a school for the education of imperfect ones.”  Henry Ward Beecher.

We must obey every instruction given including obeying the ushers. There is unquantifiable blessing in obedience. If we are willing and obedient we shall eat the good of the land.

Attending church should never be a routine or an exercise that yields no benefits but a life-changing  encounter every time.

charismokola @yahoo.com