You’ve probably heard the following statistics:
- Avoid riding in automobiles because
they’re responsible for 20 percent of all fatal accidents. - Don’t stay home because 17
percent of all fatal accidents occur in the home. - Avoid walking on streets or
sidewalks because 14 percent of all accidents occur to pedestrians. - And most of all stay out of
hospitals – they account for 32 percent of all deaths!
You’ll be pleased to learn that only .001% of all deaths
occur in worship services, and these are usually related to previous physical
disorders. Therefore, logic tells us that the safest place for you to be at any
given point in time is at church!
I say this tongue in cheek, because logic also tells you
that you have to walk, drive, or take public transportation to and from church,
so this adds a dimension of danger. However, many studies have validated that
people dedicated to regular church attendance increase the odds on living a
longer and healthier life than those who never attend church. I would suggest
there are a number of reasons for this.
Attending church regularly reminds us that we are part of
something much bigger than ourselves. We take some time to forget about our
personal problems and enjoy our relationship with God, receiving his Word and
Spirit in our worship. We are renewed in our faith, hope and love for God and
for each other. We, collectively, are the body of Christ, dedicated to sharing
his love and his life with others. And finally, we’re reminded that we have a
purpose – to love others and to make disciples.
I believe the author of the book of Hebrews understood this when
he wrote:
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward
love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit
of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day
approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25)
I’ve always heard that regular exercise, healthy eating
habits and proper amount of sleep were the top three life-sustaining
activities. To that, I can now add attending church.