Discussion Guide: The Domino Effect – Attending

Published November 13, 2024

Home In Case You Missed It Posts Discussion Guide: The Domino Effect – Attending

Exemple

Discussion Guide: The Domino Effect – Attending

PRAYER



Let’s begin by inviting God into our time together, asking Him to reveal His purpose, presence, and power in our lives. Let’s open our hearts to encounter Him and ask that this conversation would draw us closer to each other and to His purpose for us.

Does anyone have prayer requests, or would anyone like to share a moment where you’ve felt God moving in your life recently?

THE DOMINO EFFECT

Dreaming :: Attending

THIS WEEK


In the hustle of life, church can often feel like something we push aside when we’re busy. But in Hebrews 10:19-25, we’re invited to view church attendance as a decision that not only shapes our relationship with God but also profoundly impacts how we live, work, and interact in our communities. When our confidence is fully rooted in Jesus, the Holy Spirit empowers us to be present and make a lasting difference in the lives around us—starting with our commitment to gathering as a church.

Consider the following: What’s something that often competes with your priority to attend church? Why do you think it’s so easy to let other things take precedence?

How do you feel your faith grows or shifts when you regularly gather in community, whether on Sundays or during the week?

SCRIPTURE


Take a moment to read Hebrews 10:19-25 out loud and reflect quietly on this passage, considering how it speaks to the importance of consistent gathering and encouragement in our lives.

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,  by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.—Hebrews 10:19-25

RESEARCH STUDY

Studies, like one from Harvard University in 2021, reveal that consistent church attendance can lead to:

  • Healthier, longer marriages, particularly when spouses attend together.
  • Children with greater life purpose and resilience.
  • Lower risk of depression, anxiety, and loneliness.
  • Improved physical health, including a 26% reduction in mortality risk.

For those struggling with anxiety or depression, these studies suggest your struggles would likely be worse if you weren’t attending church.

This research echoes the call of Hebrews: that the decision to be present in church brings tangible benefits, not just to ourselves but to those around us.

Therefore, choosing a different path ultimately distances us from what most helps sustain our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health over time.

Do you find it challenging to commit to regular attendance? Why or why not?

Out of the four areas—mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health—where have you experienced the greatest impact from being part of a church community? Why do you think that is?

A CONFIDENCE TO DRAW NEAR

Hebrews 10:22 reminds us that when we place our faith in Jesus, we’re empowered to live in a new way that reflects His character. This transformation, known as sanctification, often takes place within community, where we’re gradually shaped over time.

Regular church attendance isn’t simply about fulfilling a duty (that’s just legalism and striving to earn our place with God)—it’s about becoming the church, using our time, talents, and treasures to embody Jesus, and allowing Him to draw us near as He shapes our hearts to reflect His love for others.

What in your life tends to pull you away from Jesus, leaving you feeling less confident or hopeful?

On the other hand, what helps draw you nearer to Him, increasing your confidence?

Is Jesus your daily priority, the One your heart is most drawn to?  Why or why not?

A CONFIDENCE TO HOLD

Read aloud:

The virtuous soul that is alone and without a master, is like a lone burning coal; it will grow colder rather than hotter. Those who fall alone remain alone in their fall, and they value their souls little since they entrust it to themselves alone. If you do not fear falling alone, do you presume that you will rise up alone? Consider how much more can be accomplished by two together than by one alone.” —John of the Cross, Dark Night of the Soul


Hebrews 10:23 encourages us to hold tightly to our hope in Jesus, especially when distractions tempt us to skip or quit attending church altogether as a way to meet our needs. Only Jesus can truly meet our needs.

When we shift our focus from Him, we risk losing confidence in Christ, His church, and even our identity in Him. Without Jesus at the center, our brokenness can ultimately lead to hurt and disappointment, impacting both ourselves and others.

If you’re a believer, what challenges your confidence in Jesus or tempts you to prioritize other things?

How does staying connected to church and Christian community encourage you to hold onto hope, even in tough times?

If you’re not a believer, what holds you back from embracing Jesus as your hope?

Have you ever felt hurt by a church, to the point of stepping away? What helped you to reconnect or heal?

A CONFIDENCE TO CONSIDER

In Hebrews 10:24-25, we’re reminded that our faith isn’t just personal—it’s a call to love others through community, serving and spurring each other on to do good. Being present in a church community stretches us to love across differences, uniting us in a common purpose that impacts not just us, but generations to come.

What can we achieve together as a church that we could never accomplish on our own?

How does investing in something bigger than ourselves (time, emotions, resources) expand the impact of our individual lives?

What do you love most about being part of Mosaic Church?

CLOSING THOUGHT

As we reflect on this week’s discussion, we recognize that regular church attendance is more than just a habit—it’s a powerful choice that shapes both our relationship with Jesus and our community. The impact of being present, both spiritually and physically, reaches far beyond ourselves, influencing our emotional, mental, physical, and relational health.

Hebrews 10 encourages us that gathering together not only strengthens our confidence in Jesus, but also empowers us to hold fast to our hope, support each other, and live out God’s calling as a unified body. As Thabiti Anyabwile writes in The Local Church:

We desperately need the church for love, for maturity and preparedness, for spiritual care. It is arrogant, rebellious, self-reliant, God-indicting pride to conclude that the church is an optional extra to the Christian life. We need everything God designs for us. Everything. To reject what God designs for His glory and our good is spiritual suicide. To reject the church is to take your own spiritual life.”

Let’s close by praying for Mosaic Church. Thank God for this community, for the people He has gathered here, and for the work we do together to bless Fort Worth. Pray that we would continue to encourage one another in love and good works, always remaining confident and faithful to Jesus’ call to meet and grow together.

Ready to Connect?

Get timely updates to your inbox, and join us on mission making disciples of Jesus where we live, work, and play.

Worship. Community. Mission.

📖 Start Next Steps...

X