Loneliness and Church Attendance

 October 2, 2024

Wednesday

I recently read an article that said that people are lonelier than ever. This article connected their absence at church services with loneliness. Honestly, I find that this is a bit of a stretch because I can't see how they could have derived this connection given the evidence before them. This seems a little post hoc ergo prompter hoc (after this therefore because of this). While I can't know that their conclusion is true, I can see how it could be true.

People are created with a physical being, soul and spirit. Each of these components are nourished through interaction with others. When speaking of the lack of physical touch:

. . . orphaned infants exposed to the bleakest of conditions in eastern European institutions exhibited impaired growth and cognitive development, as well as an elevated incidence of serious infections and attachment disorders. (Frank DA, Klass PE, Earls F, Eisenberg L. Infants and young children in orphanages: One view from pediatrics and child psychiatry. Pediatrics. 1996;97:569–78. [PubMed]

When it comes to the soul which is the seat of our emotions"

The absence of emotional stimulation can have detrimental effects on an individual’s mental and emotional well-being. Prolonged periods of emotional numbness or lack of emotional arousal can lead to:

1. Depression: A common consequence of inadequate emotional stimulation, depression can manifest as feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and detachment.
2. Anxiety: The inability to cope with emotional stimuli can result in increased anxiety levels, as individuals may feel overwhelmed by their internal emotional state.
3. Boredom: A lack of emotional stimulation can lead to feelings of monotony and ennui, as individuals crave more engaging and meaningful experiences.
4. Cognitive decline: Inadequate emotional stimulation has been linked to reduced cognitive function, including decreased problem-solving abilities and memory retention.

The lack of spiritual stimulation brought about from interaction with others may not have such a scientific conclusion but the spiritual nature of who we are reveals that it is necessary for true intimacy and fellowship between Christians.

The Apostle Paul wrote that believers should not marry non-believers because there could be no true fellowship between them.

2 Corinthians 6:14-15 (ESV) ¹⁴  Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? ¹⁵  What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?

The very fact that a couple cannot have a deep spiritual relationship if one of them is not a believer is an indication of the distance people keep between themselves and others when they are not in church attendance. Thus, loneliness in the absent believers makes lots of sense.

Personally, I believe that you can't get a solid spiritual relationship online even though our services are online. They may encourage someone to come to church but these online presences will not substitute for actual attendance. That is why I said from the beginning: We are physical church with an online presence rather than an online church with a physical presence. Our focus is on what is best for people rather than how we can enlarge our attendance by counting those who are watching online.

So, I say, "Come to church every chance you get!"