How important is "church"?

[jrLA]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

On another thread asking what we will be doing New Years eve, I said we'll be at a funeral. A couple that my wife grew up with, taught Sunday school, and never had a bad thing to say, were going to church LAST Sunday when they crashed at an intersection. The weather was horrible, but cursed be ye all if CHURCH is canceled! They were on their way when they were hit by another car. She died within the hour and he was seriously hurt but well enough to go home after 5 days -in time to plan his wifes funeral.
This has just made me furious the more I think about it because the folks at this church do not seem to feel one SHRED of guilt. No doubt the service will be filled with "The Lord called her home!" platitudes and no "maybe we should have canceled service" regrets.
All the other stories and debates I have been engaged in over the years have come flooding back. On other board there was a young wife having marital problems with an unsaved husband: She complained that he was only home 8-9 days a month (he was a truck driver) and 4-5 of those days were always Sundays to which SHE was never home because of church. She was steadfast in her belief that her "church family" was more important than her real family.
I'm also thinking of other discussions where family life was always pushed aside for continues church services -hell or high water.

Is holding a church service ahead of family (or even God) idolatry? How many other things, when placed ahead of the cross or loving your neighbor, also idolatry? I will let personal contemplation answer that question.

Very sorry for your loss. This is a tragic situation.

I must say however, having pastored I can give my take on this subject.

Scripture does tell us to 'forsake not the assembling of yourselves together..', in dealing with that it is important that people understand the importance of being in church. I was raised and believe as well as preach that you should be in church if you are at all able (not sick unto death or dead, working, etc.). Now, God does give us common since to know when we are to stay off of the roads and such. But, it has been stated that many who have had church canceled, find somewhere else to go even if the service was canceled for weather reasons.

I will say that if something happens in a service (someon gets sick, heart attack, etc.) The church should stop and pray, but then as much as possible try to proceed. (Have an usher help the person out, call 911, etc.) But, there are other folks in that service that may need something from God. What if that is their last chance to recieve something. While we need to be balanced and understanding, we also need to have church!