Young Adults and Church Attendance
CHURCH ATTENDANCE IS A NECESSARY PART OF THE FAITH JOURNEY
Is church attendance a necessary component of life for a young adult? Is it a valid
indicator of an individual’s healthy spirituality? Should churches be concerned about the lack of attendance of young adults? The answers are emphatically yes.
Participating in a faith community is a basic component of the life of a follower of Jesus Christ. In the American context, this is most commonly seen through involvement in local church life. Scripture indicates that participation in church life is a vital part of the development of a follower of Jesus Christ. (I John 1:3; Acts 20:7; Hebrews 10:25). In this article, I will define what the church is from Scripture, show how Scripture uses figurative language that has community dimension to describe church, identify the pattern of God’s people gathering together for worship and discipleship, and how Scripture presupposes a church setting for spiritual practices. This study of scripture validates the claim that participation in church life is a necessary part of the faith journey of young adults.
Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church.” We use the term “church” to refer to a physical structure where believers meet, a local group of believers (church), and all believers worldwide (Church). Scripture’s use of the word church is more nuanced and specific. Wayne Grudem in his Systematic Theology defines Church as “the community of all true believers for all time.” [1]
The word church originated from the Greek word kuriakos which means “belonging to the Lord.” While kuriakos is only used twice in the New Testament (1 Cor. 11:20 and Rev. 1:10), it became significant in early Christianity as the designation for the places(church) where the Church gathered. [2]
The Church is the embodiment of the Kingdom of God on the Earth, while a church is a specific subset of believers who identify together because of proximity and affinity.
Scripture uses several words to describe the gathering of believers for spiritual expression and worship. Jesus’ declaration in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church...” is the first of over one-hundred uses of the word ekklesia to describe the people of God. Ekklesia is a compound word from the preposition ek meaning “out” and the verb kaleo meaning “to call.” This denoted the ekklesia as a group of individuals called out or assembled for a specific purpose. While there are examples of secular uses, the majority of the New Testament uses of this term have a sacred application referring to those whom God has called out of the world of sin into the fellowship of Christ. [3] This word is also used to describe the people gathered to worship and serve the Lord. In the Septuagint (LXX) ekklesia was used to translate the Hebrew word qahal as assembly, convocation or congregation. The Bible’s use of qahal and the LXX’s use of ekklesia point to gatherings of individuals coming together for religious purposes. As mentioned earlier kuriakos, “the people belonging to the Lord” also refers to this church.
Paul wrote his letters to a visible group who were together in community:
“to the church of God which is at Corinth” (1 Cor. 1:2);
“to the church of the Thessalonians” (1 Thess. 1:1);
“to Philemon...and Apphia...and Archippus...and the church in your house” (Philemon 1-2). [4]
Paul’s use of ekklessia and kuriakos indicates that he viewed these as specific visible groups who gathered together. These visible groups ranged from a small group of people meeting in private homes (Romans 16:5) to the larger groups of believers meeting together referenced above. Paul Minear identifies as many as eighty different New Testament terms used to establish the meaning and purpose of the church. [5] Many of these images reflect a community dimension such as the “Body of Christ” (1 Cor. 12; Romans 12:5), the “people of God” (Lev. 26:12; 2 Cor. 6:6; Deut. 10:15; 1 Peter 2:9-10), or the “temple of the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor. 3:11). Ephesians 2:19-22 describes the church as a temple or house consisting of individual members making up individual parts of a greater whole. Jesus describes His relationship to the disciples as His family (Mark 3:34-35). Bodies, people, temples and families create an image of interdependent members existing together.
A careful observation of Scripture reveals a pattern of God’s people gathering together for the purpose of worship and discipleship. In the Old Testament this takes place during prescribed, ritualistic worship, as well as occasional gatherings for specific purposes. In Genesis 4:1-5, the first family worshipped together at an altar, each son bringing a sacrifice. In Genesis 9, God communicates His covenant to both Noah and his sons. In Genesis 35, Jacob and his family built an altar to the Lord. The Tent of Meeting and the Tabernacle during the Exodus were where Moses and the children of Israel interacted with God. The Temple established under Solomon’s reign, became a dominant religious image in the life of Israel. The Temple was the location of the ark of the covenant - the representation of God’s presence in Israel. Sacrifices of atonement, worship and thanksgiving took place in the Temple. Israelites from across the region were required to travel to the Temple in Jerusalem. In addition, the synagogue became an important part of the life of a Jewish believer. The synagogue was a place where the Torah was read (Luke 4:16-21), and instruction was given by a speaker (John 6:59; Acts 13:13-52). It was Paul’s custom to use a synagogue as a base for his ministry in new communities.
The New Testament church gathered together on the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:2). In Acts 20:7, Paul gathers together with the believers for communion and preaching. Acts 2, Acts 4 and Acts 15 all refer to Christians gathering together. In these meetings, they pray together, solve challenges, receive teaching and contribute their own resources for the good of the church. Paul in 1 Corinthians 11 – 14 gives us instructions on how believers are to worship together through communion and the proper use of the gifts of the Spirit. One of Paul’s clearest statements about the gathering of Christians together is found in 1 Corinthians 14:26, “Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.”
In addition to the above examples, Hebrews 10:23 – 25 says, “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” The writer warns against neglecting meeting together. The benefit of gathering together is that it enables believers to motivate one another and affirm each other in holding tightly to the hope we have in God. Participation in church life is not just a good idea for followers of Jesus, it is a matter of obedience. Scripture gives instructions to Christians to be active in gatherings of believers. The writer of Hebrews does not give a caveat to the young adult years. While this pericope does not specifically address young adult church attendance, it does address the young adult situation in regard to church life participation. Even though some young adults have given up meeting together, let us encourage young adults to meet together. From the first family, through the teaching of Paul a pattern of God’s people gathering together for religious purposes is clear.
Scripture does not give specific guidelines on the exact composition or functions of these gatherings, but we can see the importance of participating in these faith communities from other portions of Scripture. It presupposes a community setting (the local church) for many of the instructions it gives believers and how they relate to each other. These include church leadership, church discipline, the use of gifts of the Spirit, the ordinances of the church, prayer for each other and ministry to each other.
Paul establishes a clear leadership structure for how a local community of believers should operate. In Ephesians 4:12 and 1 Timothy 3:1-12, Paul identifies teachers, pastors, elders and deacons who seem to all have a leadership role in a local community of believers. Their leadership takes place in the context of the gathering. Jesus teaches in Matthew 18, that the church should be involved in church discipline. An offending brother who will not reconcile must be brought to the church. Paul echoes this teaching in 1 Corinthians 5:1-13. In 1 Corinthians 12 – 14, Ephesians 4 and in Romans 12, Paul lists the gifts of the Spirit that are to be at work in the church. Many of these gifts must be expressed or actualized in community. For example, the gift of prophecy, gift of helps, gift of service, gift of teaching, gift of leadership and the gift of administration all presuppose a community dynamic for expression. [6] The local church is the community of believers where these gifts take place. The ordinances of the church, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, both occur when believers gather together.
Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:8, “In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God...” James 5:13-15 indicates that the church would be the place where elders would pray for those who are sick. We are to encourage one another (1Thess. 4:18, NIV), comfort one another (2 Cor. 1:3,4), and bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2). While these can be done individually, they are better facilitated in a group setting.
In conclusion, Scripture explicitly and implicitly states the importance of an individual participating in church life, uses group images to describe the church, and presupposes a corporate gathering for many of the spiritual practices commanded in Scripture. From this we can argue the importance of church attendance and participation. We cannot excuse a pulling away from the church during the young adult years. While working at a Christian liberal arts college in the Midwest, it was my responsibility to work with students who were in crisis, or facing academic or behavioral issues. Without exception, every student I counseled with indicated that in the weeks surrounding their discipline issues, their church attendance had decreased. Whether this lack of attendance was a cause or an effect, the association between life crisis and lack of church attendance still remained. Faith that is not practiced is lost. Participation in a local body of believers is a foundational component of being a part of the body of Christ. While its expression may vary by denomination or background, participation in fellowship with other believers is important. The abandonment of participation in church life is usually the precursor to an abandonment of faith.
After studying the Biblical imperatives and models for church participation in the life of the believer and answering the question as to whether or not young adult retention is a problem for the church, I make the following observations. First, religious expression or practice (church attendance, involvement in a faith group, corporate prayer) is a good indicator of internal faith as well as necessary part of the faith development of all Christians. Secondly, over two-thirds of young adults who made decisions for Jesus Christ in student ministry are no longer serving Christ in the context of a local church one-year after high school graduation. When these things happen, young adults drift in their faith commitment. At the very time they are attempting to define their values and ideals for the rest of their lives, they are absent from the faith community that can best help them answer these questions.
Footnotes:
[1] Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology : An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (Leicester, England Grand Rapids, Mich.: Inter-Varsity Press ;Zondervan Pub. House, 1994)., 853.
[2] Stanley M. Horton, Systematic Theology, Rev. ed. (Springfield, MO: Logion Press, 1995)., 527.
[3] Ephesians 2:19.
[4] Grudem., 856.
[5] Paul Sevier Minear, Images of the Church in the New Testament (Philadelphia,: Westminster Press, 1960). 173.
[6] Romans 12:6 -8; 1 Cor. 12:10 -28; Ephesians 4:11.