25Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
There is something that happens when we gather together as believers that changes everything in our lives. We are not alone. We are responsible to other people for our lives, our conduct and our witness. We are not islands. We cannot just do our own thing. But there is a trend, especially in the West, to disconnect from the organized, denominational churches. People are becoming consumers of church, accepting and rejecting the content, without ever really connecting. The come, sit, watch, talk, drink coffee, text, tune out and leave. They might never say a meaningful word to anyone, certainly are not connected to the body, and really don’t have any investment in what happens in the lives of those who attend. They are just as comfortable at the movies as they are at Church. If Church had popcorn, it would be perfect! Oh, wait, some do! Unfortunately, some churches have adopted this model of ministry. They say, “at least they might get something” out of the “service.” I am afraid that what people get is that Jesus is just something to be chosen off a shelf, used and discarded. He doesn’t have to be consumed, digested, and He certainly isn’t going to mess with my comfortable life. He is something I do for my kids, or career, or instead of sleeping in. But our text tells us that we must resist this kind of shallow life. We need to be vitally connected to each other. And our connection will become even more important in the future.
The Arnold Journey 