March 24, 2026 - Good Morning! It’s Tuesday, March 24.
On March 24, 1930, the very first church service was broadcast on television. It didn’t draw many viewers. The problem was, back then, only a few hundred Americans even had TVs. But from small acorns mighty oaks grow. Almost a hundred years later, 97% of U.S. households have a television, and even most small churches have some kind of broadcast presence.
Do you watch worship services from home? Statistics show that about 25% of us regularly do. Those figures exploded during the pandemic, as did the number of churches that stream online. Watching from home has always been a blessing for older believers, unable to attend in person. When news first broke about the Nancy Guthrie case, reports were that her church had called her family when she didn’t show up for service. But then that news was clarified to say that she had not shown up at a nearby friend’s home, where she watched her church’s service on television.
Watching church from home can certainly be a blessing. But it’s not the same as being there. It’s like comparing the experience of viewing a baseball game on TV with actually sitting in the bleachers surrounded by other fans. Like comparing watching a movie alone in your living room to seeing it in a crowded theater. Attending church in person is, of course, an act of obedience, a discipline of faith. But it’s also food for the soul. Standing with our church family to sing a song of praise is a moment that stirs our hearts. Joining a chorus of “amens” when the preacher proclaims a truth from the Word is an inspiration for our minds. Sharing a hug during the welcome time is a blessing for our spirits. The writer of Hebrews put it like this.
“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward 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.”
Meet you back here tomorrow,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
