Hebrews 10:25"... 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."



Paul wrote this in a letter when he felt that many christians were beginning to forgo gathering and worshiping in a congregation. I imagine church attendance was slipping. To be honest, church can sometimes be a grind, especially for me as I attend a church where the pastor's sermons are totally in Mandarin and I only understand about half of what's being said but Christ said that He is the head and church is the body and for me to feel that I'm part of that body, attending church every Sunday without fail is a must.



Going to church is more than just listening to sermons. Even though my understanding of what's being said is limited, I feel a certain sense of unity and power by being in a group of likewise believers. When we sing hymns, I just hum along to the melodies but I know GOD appreciates anyone who joins in in rejoicing and glorifying HIM through song. When the pastor leads us in prayer, I pray my own thoughts but due to being in a group situation, I tend to pray less selfishly. Church also gives me the opportunity to tithe.



By attending church, we increase the spreading of the Word. which is one of GOD's main purposes for us. As an American but living in China, I am proof of GOD and Jesus' Word spreading across cultures. Even in a world that seems consumed by greed and evil, Jesus is growing and being part of that growth is comforting.



Sure, it may seem that there better things to do on a sunny Sunday morning but in fact, church os the best place to be as it pleases GOD. And after each service, I feel invigorated and more prepared to face the challenges of the upcoming week.