It’s the newest sensation that’s sweeping the nation.

I call it “The AttenDance”.

Here’s how you do it:

You go to church a couple Sunday’s a month,

and on the other weeks, you don’t.

On those off weeks, you dance around to 101 different activities.

Watching the kids do sports.  Or watching the NFL.

Grocery shopping.  Or sleeping in after a jam-packed Saturday.

Visiting family outside of town.  Or getting caught up on housework.

The AttenDance may look different depending on who does it, but more and more active Christians are trying it out.

The result:  Average worship attendance numbers are dropping almost everywhere.   (Giving may be down, too.)

With so many Christians — even self-professed active and committed Christians– missing so much time in worship, the change I wonder most about is to the vitality of Sunday morning.

What happens when we’re not all together in one place?

You know, like at Pentecost?

The Bible tells us that the disciples were all together in one place–filled with the Holy Spirit, dancing around.

Was Pentecost a reward for perfect attendance?

Will the Holy Spirit still come to us even if some of us are dancing off somewhere else?

Of course!  Jesus said, “Where 2 or 3 are gathered”…right?

Absolutely.

Okay.  We all have real-world and spiritual priorities to reconcile in our own ways.

We live in a busy world, and Sundays have become just as busy as other days.

Does that mean The AttenDance will stick around or is it just the latest fad?

I really don’t know.

Some will say we need to “come back to church”.

Others will say we need to “change with the times.”

I say, let us never forget

that wherever we find ourselves on a Sunday morning…

We’re together in Spirit.

 

Have a great week,

 

Mitch