When Covid hit, sadly many churches closed and people began “attending” online. It became comfortable and people got used to watching in their pjs or whatever. But it grieves me to know that many are continuing that habit. When I hear a Christian say, “I don’t have to go to church. I watch it online and worship that way. It’s just as good!” I say, “Oh, Really? Just as good?” What does the Bible say about that?

I am not a fan of live streaming or internet programs. For the shut-in, it’s great, but if we can get to a fellowship, we are supposed to! Actually, it’s a command, not “if I feel like it!”

Christ followers are the Church! The building is just a building! We, the Church or the Body of Christ, are commanded to assemble together.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 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. Hebrews 10:23-25 

The word assembling means to gather together for worship! Whatever the place — large or small building, a home, or down by the riverside — does not matter! We go to learn, to pray, to give, and to sing praises to our Lord together. This builds us up in our faith and encourages those around us too.

We must be careful not to fall into the trap of thinking we have it all together, that we don’t need to assemble with other believers. This kind of thinking is not only foolish but dangerous to the believer!

And He Himself (Jesus) gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13