The gospel meeting is around the corner. Do you plan to attend? I will. In fact, I never missed a gospel meeting in my entire Christian life. It is not me to miss a single night of a gospel meeting. I always made it a point to attend, not just one night, but all the nights of past gospel meetings. And, I am not making an exception for the coming one.
Reasons I Attend Gospel Meetings
1. I am a Christian. Many things that I did and am still doing is for the simple reason that I am a Christian. I know my duties and responsibilities as a Christian. I know what God expects of me as a Christian. And, one thing I know He expects of me is that I show up for gospel meetings (Hebrews 10:25).
2. I am a member of this spiritual family. Because I am a member of the spiritual family that organizes the gospel meeting, I will support its good work. I will support everything that this family is doing. Healthy families live together, laugh together, play together, and work together. “For we are labourers together with God” (1 Corinthians 3:9).
3. I love God. Because I love God, I want to do all things that please Him. It is not what the church expects. It is not what others expect. It is not what the elders expect. But it is what God Almighty expects. It is His approval that I am seeking. “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10, ESV).
4. I want to encourage the organizers. It takes planning and money to organize a gospel meeting. I know the organizers will be encouraged by my participation. I do not want to disappoint them, also the elders, preachers, members, and visitors. I want to show my support for the good work. “Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa, who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persis, which laboured much in the Lord” (Romans 16:12).
5. I want to encourage the members. A full house is an encouragement. It is people that make an event great and successful. The new converts will be encouraged by my presence. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works” (Hebrews 10:24).
6. I want to encourage visitors. Think about this: “If church members do not attend the gospel meeting, why should the visitors attend it?” What will they think when they enter an empty hall? “But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13).
7. I want to encourage the preacher. No one likes to preach to empty seats. The empty seats discourage the preacher. I want to encourage the preacher through my presence. He will feel good seeing me. “But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus” (2 Corinthians 7:6).
8. I want to be a good example to others. I am concerned about my influence. God wants me to be a good influence. God wants me to glow. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).
9. I am concerned about the church’s reputation. What will the preacher think about the church if he sees so many empty seats? He will think this is not a spiritual church, that this is a church not concerned with saving souls. He will be thinking the members are worldly. “I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead” (Revelation 3:1).
10. I want to be encouraged. The gospel meeting benefits me for two reasons:
(i) I am reminded about my salvation and the sacrifice of my Lord for me.
(ii) I want to learn how to teach the gospel of salvation from the preacher.
11. I want to submit to the elders. The elders have announced and called on the church to attend the gospel meeting. I want to submit to the authority of the elders. “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves” (Hebrews 13:17).
12. I want to grow. The Word of God will be preached and I want to listen to it. I know the gospel message will benefit me and help me to grow. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2).
13. I want to obey God’s command to assemble with the saints. God has commanded me to assemble whenever the saints are gathered. I dare not go against God’s commandments. “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry” (1 Samuel 2:23).
14. I want to follow the good examples of those who attend. God wants me to follow good examples. “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).
15. I do not want to be numbered with the worldly. Some never attend gospel meetings. I do not want to be labelled with them. “Be not deceived: Evil companionships corrupt good morals” (1 Corinthians 15:33).
16. I want to flee temptations. Not attending gospel meetings and other church services increases my chance of straying away from the path of righteousness. I want to stay on the good path of righteousness. “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls” (Jeremiah 6:16).
17. I want to get my priorities right. I do not want the world to cloud my life. I want to seek spiritual things first. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).
18. I want to help my children go to heaven. My children are looking at me. They might not listen to everything I said but they will follow the things I do. “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4).
19. I want to be spiritually strong. It is a well-known fact that we grow more when we are together than alone. When I assemble with like-minded Christians, I grow more spiritually than when I am all by myself. I learn from each other. I am motivated, inspired, and encouraged by the fellowship with the saints. I become spiritually stronger. “And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart” (Acts 2:46).
20. I want to go to heaven. On Judgment Day, I want to hear this commendation from my Lord: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matthew 25:21).