Skip to content
06/03/2025
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
Your Hometown News

Your Hometown News

𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝘂𝗳𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝟮𝟰/𝟳 – 𝟯𝟲𝟱

Connect with Us

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
Primary Menu
  • Home
  • Discover Hennessey
  • Community Calendar
  • NEWS
    • News Page
    • Digital Newspaper
    • Town Trustees Meetings
    • Announcements
      • Births
      • Engagements & Wedding Announcements
    • School
      • School Scoop
      • Eagle Athletics
      • School Board Meetings
    • Main Street Spotlight
    • OKSeasoned Sisters
    • Transitions
  • Main Street Hennessey
    • Business Listings
    • Eats
    • Shop
    • Stay
    • Enjoy
  • Obituaries
  • Digital Media
    • Digital Newspaper
    • DIGITAL NEWSPAPER Sign-up
    • Newspaper Archives
    • Spotlight Reel
    • Podcast
    • AAH Show
    • Board of Trustee Meetings
    • School Board Meetings
  • Moving Here
    • Church
    • RENTALS
    • Real Estate
    • Groups and Organizations
    • HEALTH AND FITNESS
    • Hennessey Schools
  • Contact Us
  • HENNESSEY POST NEWSPAPER
  • Home
  • 2024
  • November
  • 8
  • The Simple Obedience of Showing Up

The Simple Obedience of Showing Up

-Drew McElhaney

Over the past 25 years in America, an estimated 40 million adults have stopped going to church, marking the largest religious shift in the history of our nation. That’s the latest research from Jim Davis and Michael Graham in their 2023 book, “The Great Dechurching.” The potential reasons for this flight are legion: the rise of unbelief, the decline of cultural Christianity, pastor scandals, the COVID pandemic, increased political tension, youth sports, church hurt, distrust of institutions, widespread religious apathy, and the list goes on. Whatever the case, the trend is clear: many Americans, even confessed Christians, no longer value attending church. 

It is a common sentiment that one can have a thriving relationship with God apart from involvement in a local church. And though I would never claim that church attendance is necessary for salvation, I would contend that the Bible holds a much higher view of the Church than many believers. Open the pages of Scripture and you will discover that God has always been about forming a people for Himself – not just isolated individuals. In the Old Testament, this was the nation of Israel – God’s chosen people. In the New Testament, this God-formed community is found in the Church. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus proclaims that He is the one who will build His church. In Acts 2:46, the Church is portrayed as a group devoted to one another, meeting daily for worship and fellowship. In Ephesians 4:11-13 and 1 Corinthians 12, the Church is the body of Christ in which each individual part is essential for the growth of the whole. In Hebrews 10:24-25, the Church is a gathering that ought not be forsaken by the faithful. In 1 Timothy and Titus, Paul gives instructions for appointing proper church leadership. In Revelation 2-3, local churches are addressed, commended, and corrected by the resurrected Christ. In Ephesians 5:25-26, the Church is the bride of Christ, whom He loves and makes holy. 

The manifold witness of Scripture is that the Church is valued by God. As such, Christians should not be eager to jettison a commitment to a local body of believers. Surely, we Christians often get church wrong. We’re not as loving as we ought to be, we can be careless in speech and action, we sin and fall short. We are all works in progress. And yet, at her best, the Church is also a bastion of gospel truth, a hospital for the broken, a haven for the hurting, and a training ground for the saints. The Church was established by God for His glory and our good. 

Dear reader, perhaps these words find you churchless. Maybe your experience with church has been poor. I simply want to offer you an encouragement. Try church again. There are many good churches in Hennessey and the surrounding towns. Find a place where you can call home. Commit yourself to the Lord and to those people – and watch what God can do through the simple obedience of showing up. 

About The Author

admin

See author's posts

Continue Reading

Previous: Where are they now? Renee (Vaverka) Curry
Next: Hennessey Flower Shop

  • 140 US Highway 81, Hennessey, Oklahoma 73742, United States Phone 405-853-2597 Email farmerselectric@gmail.com
  • prairiequilt(500 × 500 px)
  • rotatorr_h
  • familycaferotator
  • LOGO FOR ROTATOR
  • Cimarron for rotator
  • csb500
  • cordry
  • pioneer
  • thurmond - 1
  • interbank rotator
  • eaglewireline4rotator
  • ORCO
  • turkey creekgolf4rotator
  • 81grilllogo
  • Stefanie smith (500 × 500 px)
  • black diamond (500 × 500 px)
  • cl grooming
  • cabral500
  • choate4rotator
  • quickpumprotator
  • hennessey metal building
  • Freedom Lawns LLC 405-853-5299 freedomlawnscontact@gmail.com
  • kingsrental rotator
  • redlevebc
  • conceptBC
  • gails500-2
  • Jims welding rotator
  • bullisl500-2
  • eaglemart500-2
  • garrison-resized
  • goldenchick
  • hennessey nursing & rehab
  • heritagepharm rotator
  • farmbureau-resized
  • painterins500-2
  • sweetspot500 × 500 px)
  • rayco500
  • hnsymerc4rotator
  • ROOSTERS4rotator
  • sjheating4rotator
  • tovar4rotator
  • Turkey Creek Mercantile
  • scissortails rotator
  • jordanair500 × 500 px)
  • hennesseyprocessingrotator
  • legacy500-2
  • bison4rotator
  • hannplummer
  • lippard rotator
  • honeyco4 rotator
  • royalsigns
  • hennessey septic
  • abidinghome500 × 500 px)
  • Taggart
  • eagle propane
  • Chris Fuksa BC
  • Liberty Lift Solutions, LLC 1340 South Main Hennessey, OK 73742 405-446-7759 Email Josh.pitts@libertylift.com libertylift.com
  • seaboardbc-1
  • integrisrotator
  • Turkey Creek Kennels & Outdoors (500 × 500 px)
  • icare
  • laser works-2
  • Jacksons
  • Hartzell_s 500 x 500
  • hennesseyprint-1
  • chalk bc (1200 x 1200 px)
  • xr:d:DAGB9ZaOdXY:9,j:1603705831614861963,t:24040921
  • xr:d:DAGBlAeE8iQ:8,j:6324603728086559004,t:24040520
  • 431960054_122105410106230682_6791444811851322282_n
  • xr:d:DAGBlAeE8iQ:6,j:8660846034623577771,t:24040520
  • Antonio Logo
  • pego services-2
  • eagle eye rotator
  • k&b auto detailing
  • 4T’s Family Market
  • xr:d:DAFY5MiRpKc:125,j:4007082624,t:23022016
    xr:d:DAFY5MiRpKc:125,j:4007082624,t:23022016
  • CG welding for rotator
  • 7B for rotator-2
  • Beards and Bouron 572-217-1363 109 S Main Street, Hennessey, Ok

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
Copyright © 2017 All rights reserved.