Statistics say that churches in North America have seen an overall drop in attendance of 16% to pre-pandemic levels. Less people see it as important to meet together as Christians. And of those who attend, their frequency has dropped. Whereas in the past church attendance was considered to be weekly, today many consider themselves attenders if they attend monthly.
What many fail to realize is that God designed all of us for relationship and community, not just for times of sorrow and pain but for times of joy. There’s an old proverb that goes like this—“Shared joy is double joy. Shared sorrow is half-sorrow.”
Community can be difficult many times. Arthur Burke put it this way: Community is where we can meet God, trusting Him to deliver His best gifts through people we wish He hadn’t made!
Whether it is Catch the Fire Ottawa, or another community, please heed the wisdom of Hebrews 10:24,25: And let us consider how we may spur one another on towards 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.
