The slow days of summer are in the books. As evening temperatures begin to cool, hints of autumn are emerging. Alongside such whispers of fall come the gale-force winds of the family calendar: school, sports, and extracurricular activities. Excitement rises alongside tension as children settle into a new school year and parents try to piece together what often feels like an impossible jigsaw puzzle, schedule-wise.
I remember those days well, as I homeschooled four children involved in many activities. Between school, practice, lessons, and social events, autumn felt overwhelming. I am eternally grateful that my husband and I drew a firm line: church was non-negotiable.
Making Church a Priority
May I encourage you to resist the urge to skip church in order to participate in sports, social gatherings, theme parks, or even to catch up on sleep? As a pastor’s wife, I have seen many families in their struggles to prioritize church attendance amidst other commitments.
A verbal commitment to attend church regularly, and then doing so, will help anchor your family spiritually and hold you accountable to each other. Discuss with your children the beautiful truth that Jesus Christ died for his people so that we might be made right with God! Show them what a privilege, delight, and duty it is to prioritize gathering with God’s people each week.
Church Attendance Keeps Us on the Wise Path
We remind our children that God teaches us to number our days so we might gain a heart of wisdom (Ps. 90:12). And wisdom will always place our feet (and our calendars) on the path of faithful obedience to God’s Word, which instructs us not to forsake the gathering. This is for the good of our souls, which require regular nourishment. Verbal explanations will help your children understand why faithful church attendance matters.
So yes, anchor your family in God’s house, first. Cheerfully mark your family calendar with “Church” each Sunday, plus any midweek gathering you plan to attend. Remember you are gifting your sons and daughters a godly heritage, a robust dose of spiritual discipline that will long infuse and shape their lives.
Church Attendance Points Us to the Greatest Joy
This doesn’t mean church is the only event on your weekly calendar. Some of my favorite memories as a parent took place during the bustling fall season. Our sons played football, and those Friday night games were spectacular. While the weekly practices were hectic and tiring, my husband and I recognized our sons’ gifts. We also knew that football would build their character, strength, leadership, and resilience.
We didn’t skip church, and we enjoyed football to the hilt.
Trust God to give you the grace to discern your calendar. While each family is unique and will choose different commitments, every Christian family should prioritize commitment to their local church. Fill your calendar by beginning with the end in mind: The Lord is our portion. This can be easy to forget during the fall season, when so many good and important events vie for our attention. But when we gaze at eternity and remember that Christ is our hope, joy, and our Redeemer, we will be happy to give him the first fruits of our calendar.
Church Attendance Reminds Us of Our Limitations
God is good and kind, and Scripture tells us that he remembers we are dust; human beings who cannot possibly do it all, nor should we try. Rather, rejoice and revel in the mercy and invitation of Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.” We are not invincible, but finite beings of flesh and bone, who require the rest, encouragement, and nourishment found in church each Sunday.
It is difficult to be still and meditate on God if we live frenzied, overcommitted lives. As Pastor Kevin DeYoung said, “Just remember the most serious threats are spiritual. When we are crazy busy, we put our souls at risk. The challenge is not merely to make a few bad habits go away. The challenge is to not let our spiritual lives slip away.”1
When we are tempted to jump headlong into every fall event, may we pause and consider Ephesians 5:15-16, which helps us to refocus: “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” Satan delights in pulling people away from church and into all sorts of busy, worldly chaos. Fight him by obeying God; refusing to forsake the gathering.
This autumn, I encourage you to pray for strength to resist the pressure to overstuff your family’s days and remember that as busy seasons come and go, our hope and rest are bound up in Jesus Christ. Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness. Teach your children the importance of church commitment modeled with love and joy.
God With You is a 52-week chronological devotional for teenagers that explores God’s story in Scripture. It’s a great resource for family devotions, helping teenagers experience Jesus as the lifter of their burdens and the source of their rest and hope.
- Kevin DeYoung, Crazy Busy (Crossway, 2013), 26.
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