If ever there is a time to relax, sleep in or put your feet up and enjoy a lazy Sunday morning without worrying about going to church, it’s when you’re on holiday, right? Away from the usual hussle and bussle routine of arriving early, setting out chairs and getting things ready, it’s tempting to do just that.
This summer, I’ve been away with my family and had the decision to make as to what to do come Sunday morning. We’d looked around at possible churches to visit in the area, but each seemed a compromise in some way. Do you drive 30 miles to find a church that might cater for every need – gospel preaching, worship style, family-friendly – or do you stay local and “risk” what you might find?
There were a few churches nearby that were affiliated to the FIEC – as our own church is – and having grown up in a small, conservative church, I remember how encouraging it can be to have families visit.
I had two verses going through my head:
24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24-25
11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
“Okay, we’re going to go to the local baptist chapel for two reasons,” I explained,
First, church is supposed to be about encouraging others; not about what we can get out of it, but what we can give. We can cope with one Sunday in the year where it’s not what we’re used to. Besides, we’re a family of six and that’s going to make a huge difference to them.
Second, it’s just 5 minutes down the road, which means you won’t have to get up at the crack of dawn and we can be back at the cottage quickly afterwards and not have to spend an hour in the car.”
I figured that my second point would probably be the one to win them over, even if they didn’t fully appreciate my primary reasoning.
So, off we went to the local church. And I’m so glad we did.
The church was lovely. It was just as small and not-like-ours as I expected, but as warm and welcoming as I prayed it would be and could possibly have hoped for. We heard a good, easily grasped and understood gospel message and enjoyed a chance for my children to be reminded that not all churches are the same. Besides inflating their numbers for the week, I really do hope we were an encouragement to them too.
So please don’t look at your holiday as an opportunity to skip church. Take it as an opportunity to encourage another, perhaps much smaller, perhaps very different church with your presence.