"WHY CHURCH ATTENDANCE IS IN DECLINE" (An Article by Donny Meyer) ~ 12/9/25

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25)

The lack of church attendance in America is not due to having so much spiritual life in the soul that church attendance has become unnecessary. This is how our wandering generation likes to paint it. Many say, “I’m good spiritually. I do not need church, or so much church.” Sadly, even churches have bought into such nonsense. They say, “Our people are good spiritually. They do not need so much church.” This is altogether contrary to the truth! Our lack of church attendance in America is not due to having so much spiritual life but is actually due to the lack of true spiritual life in the soul. It is actually evidence of what is found in the heart.

Our lack of church attendance in America reveals a few things about us:

1. It reveals a lack of love for God. It is God who calls His saints to gather, and it is God’s promise that He is with His gathered people. While God promises to be with His gathered people, we are more concerned to be gathered elsewhere. We can spend precious time in God’s presence, we can hear from God through His word preached and learn from Him, we can sing our praises with the people God redeemed to the God who has purchased us with His blood but choose worldly things that are perishing over Him. Clearly revealing that we love other things over the Lord Himself.

2. It exposes a lack of love for God’s will. God commands His people to gather and is accomplishing His glorious work of redemption through the gathering of His people. Such work as the saving and sanctifying of His people, the revealing of His glory through the love His people have for one another, the work appointed for each member in His one body, etc. Instead of being concerned for God’s will, we show that we are more concerned for our own wants and wishes. We do not love God’s will but our own pleasures and desires.

3. It shows a general lack of love for the means that God has freely given for the salvation of our souls. While God alone saves sinners, He saves sinners through the means that He has graciously given. The church and all that is accompanied with her (the preaching of God’s word, the church ordinances, church discipline, the fellowship of the saints) is a large portion of God’s means provided to save our souls. Yet, many refuse the means and degrade them while professing to love God. The lack of use of God’s means clearly reveals our lack of love.

4. It clearly indicates a lack of love for God’s people. The church is not a building but is God’s people. Paul says that Christ so loved the church that He gave Himself up for her. The scriptures say that God the Father loves the church so much that He gave His only begotten Son for her. Yet so many professing Christians want nothing to do with her. Clearly evidencing that there is either a lack of godly love or no love at all for the people whom God loves!

It’s best not to be deceived but rather to be honest with ourselves. Our lack of church attendance in America is not due to having a thriving spiritual life but, quite the opposite, it is due to having little to no spiritual life at all. True spiritual life is seen in the fulfillment of God’s will in the lives of His people. We can know for certain the will of God through His word that He has freely given us and also by the Holy life that His Son has lived before our eyes in the Scriptures. True spiritual life in the soul is seen by way of love for God and obedience to His will!