The Vital Link Between Church Attendance and Faith

By Michael Kelley - Posted at Outreach Magazine:

To persevere in the faith, we cannot abandon the church.
Sometimes when you read the Bible, you get caught on a single verse. Sometimes a single word. You read it, and you’re hung up—you can’t move on. Maybe it’s because that word strikes an emotional chord. Maybe that word stirs up and stokes your affections. Maybe you just sense that this small section requires further reflection.

That’s an OK thing. Scripture is not meant to be rushed through, but instead to be thought deeply upon. Savored. Cherished.

And yet, it’s helpful even in those moments to zoom out after a time and remember a few other details. It’s important to remember, for example, who wrote the book to begin with. And who the book was originally intended for. And it’s important to remember the overall purpose or main idea of that particular book of the Bible. Here are a couple of examples (all up for debate I’m sure):

• Genesis is about who God is, and who we are in light of who he is.
• Luke is about a Savior who came to seek and to save the lost.
• Acts is about the Spirit-empowered church fulfilling its mission.

One more example, for the purpose of this article, is the book of Hebrews. So what is Hebrews mainly about? Well, it’s about faith—we see the “Faith Hall of Fame” in Hebrews 11. And it’s about the power and primacy of God’s Word as seen in Hebrews 4.

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