Excuses for Skipping Church

Now that we are officially a full month into the new year, some have probably completed the annual cycle of making a New Year's resolution and then breaking it. Without a doubt, some resolved to attend a church regularly this year, but due to the same empty traditions and sleepy sermons, you're looking for a way out. After serving in vocational ministry for 22 years, I’ve heard many excuses offered as to why people choose not to go to church. Some of them might sound like they have some merit, but others have launched me into laughter. One of my favorites was the family of five who all stayed home to wipe an infant’s runny nose. With that many people wiping it, I wonder if he had a nose left on his face. Another favorite excuse I heard, came from a fisherman who said that he had to go fishing, because his wife had a cold and they certainly could not go to church!

I recently came across a list by Mike Herman of Glen Ellyn, IL who took the excuses people use for not going to church and applied them to “10 Reasons Not to Bathe:” 1) I was forced to bathe as a child. 2) People who make soap are only after your money. 3) I only wash on special occasions like Christmas and Easter. 4) People who wash are hypocrites—they think they are cleaner than everyone else. 5) There are so many different kinds of soap that I can't decide which one is best. 6) I used to wash, but it got boring, so I stopped. 7) None of my friends wash. 8) The bathroom is never warm enough in the winter or cool enough in the summer. 9) I'll start washing when I get older and dirtier. And 10) I can't spare the time.

Another list of excuses was developed by Mike and Amy Nappa entitled, “Why I stopped going to ball games:” 1) Whenever I go to a game, they ask for money. 2) The other fans don't care about me. 3) The seats are too hard. 4) The coach never visits me. 5) The referee makes calls I don't agree with. 6) Some of the games go into overtime and make me late for dinner. 7) The band plays songs I don't know. 8) I have other things to do at game time. 9) My parents took me to too many games when I was growing up. 10) I know more than the coaches do. 11) I can be just as good a fan at the lake. Finally, 12) I won't take my kids to a game either. They must choose for themselves which teams to follow. It is funny how pathetic these excuses sound when applied to neglecting a bath or boycotting a ball game, yet people rationalize these same excuses every week as legitimate reasons to skip church.

The truth is that excuses are easy to make! In Proverbs 26:13 (NLT), Solomon pokes fun at those who make lame excuses. He says, “The lazy person is full of excuses, saying “I can’t go outside because there might be a lion on the road.” I challenge you to eliminate your excuses and get involved in a good, active and growing local church in your community. The Bible says the day is coming when every man will be held personally accountable before God and will be left without an excuse.