A friend told me recently, Janet and I need to treat our time at the gym like a doctor’s appointment. I agreed. Her reasoning was obvious; we’d been missing and like most people it’s easy to make excuses, but don’t usually miss doctor’s appointments.

As I reflected on this, I thought about some of the advantages I’ve experienced working out at the gym. I can work out at home, but going to the gym brings some added benefits.   At the Gym…

1. I have people (some who I don’t even know) who encourage me to stay with it.
2. People show me when I’m doing a movement wrong, and spot me when I need help.
3. I set a good example for others just by being there consistently.
4. There’s a sense of belonging (we all want & need) even though all the people there are really different.
5. Even though I may not want to go, I’m always glad I did.
6. I feel better, sleep better & feel better about myself knowing I did something healthy and good for me.
7. I like the fact that I honor Christ by striving to keep my body (His home) healthy.
8. Hopefully, I’ll encourage someone who’s not connected with a trainer or gym to start working on their own physical health.
9. I stretch my physical muscles and am challenged to grow.

Let me take this a step further now. I also reflected on the fact that maybe (using my friend’s analogy) we ought to treat church like a doctor’s appointment. I can (and do) spend time with God alone (at home and elsewhere), but participating in my local church brings some added benefits. At Church…

1. I have people (some who I don’t even know) who encourage me to stay with it, and grow in my relationship with God.
2. People love me enough to point out mistakes or when I’m doing something wrong, and spot me when I need help.
3. I set a good example for others just by being there consistently.
4. There’s a sense of belonging (we all want & need) even though all the people there are really different. In fact – I love the fact there are so many different people at my church.
5. Even though I may not want to go, I’m always glad I did.
6. I feel better, knowing I did something healthy and good for me.
7. I like the fact that I honor Christ and His Word when I’m engaged with a local church and pursuing Him together with my church family.
8. Hopefully, I’ll encourage someone who’s not connected with a church make a decision to get connected (and be a part of them making a connection with Christ).
9. I stretch my spiritual muscles and am challenged to grow.

As I was reflecting on this concept, a few key passages came to mind. There are many others related to the importance of the local church, but these are the ones that came to my mind.

²⁴ Let us think about each other and help each other to show love and do good deeds.²⁵ You should not stay away from the church meetings, as some are doing, but you should meet together and encourage each other. Do this even more as you see the day coming. Hebrews 10:24-25 NCV

⁸ Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is valuable in every way, because it promises life both for the present and for the future. I Timothy 4:8 GNT

⁷ Now here is what I am trying to say: All of you together are the one body of Christ, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27 TLB

²⁵ For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her Ephesians 5:25 NLT

Actually, I have to admit a different analogy would work better for me since I don’t like goin