Nowadays, with technology, many follow our messages through social media or on some internet channel, where not only ours are available, but countless messages of Christian content for people to listen to, watch and consume. This is very good on one hand and bad on the other.

The good thing is that the Word of God with technology crosses borders, and reaches where the pastor, where the church cannot reach, and that is magnificent. God gave men wisdom to invent means of communication to accelerate the spread of the Gospel. Because one of the prophecies, one of the signs linked to the end of the world is that the Gospel will be preached to everyone, to every creature, everyone has a chance to hear the Word and the mass media allow this to happen.

The downside of this is that many Christians get comfortable with accessing this information and abandon the practice of going to church, which is part of the Christian faith. Even the Bible says that the closer we get to the end of time, the more we should emphasise us going to church.

And let us consider one another to stir up
love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24,25

We Christians should encourage one another to practice the Word of God. So, this incentive comes from this interaction. When you see a colleague, a brother of faith, being an example, you want to be an example too.

Why do many want to call their friends to watch Brazil’s games at home? Because the presence of friends there is different. Enjoying something with other people has a different value. What’s the fun of you yelling “Goal!” alone at home? It’s not fun.

This interaction with other people encourages. People understand that about football, college, school, about many other areas, but when it comes to the church, in terms of faith, people say: “I didn’t go to the service, but I watched it at home on Youtube ”. It is one thing for a person to participate in the service over the internet because they are unable to go to church for some reason, it is another thing for you to be able to go in person and choose to attend an online service. Well, you are letting a good thing turn bad for you

God hears prayers and is everywhere, but He has established the house of prayer for all peoples. God created the church for people to go to and strengthen one another.

The human being learns visually, learns by hearing, by seeing and by doing too. There is a form of teaching called kinaesthetic. All our faculties are involved in this learning and the church is the only one that offers this to the Christian.

Because it is there that you are focused on the Word, that you have the opportunity to leave your seat and go to the front of the Altar, and that you are with the warmth of the other brothers seeking God with intensity. It is there that the Holy Spirit uses the pastor according to who is present.

Did you know that many times we pastors prepare a message and when we go up to the altar God changes the message? We want to preach one thing and suddenly we are saying another.

Why does He change? Because God uses His servant according to who is there. Your going to church can change the pastor’s message. Then see how God honours the assembling together of people. Indeed, it was Jesus who said:

For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20

He wanted to reinforce with this that He will honour especially the people who gather because of Him.

So, if you left the habit of congregating, don’t fall into that devil’s trap, and don’t fall into the conversation of the unchurched, who don’t go to church and want to take others away. Don’t fall for it, cherish your faith. And don’t forget: the closer we get to those days, the more we must increase our attendance in God’s house.