You might be wondering what does this particular blog have to do with The Collaborative or at the very least thinking this article seems to be a little out of our mainstream. At first glance you would be correct, however, upon closer examination the broader important themes begin to emerge as well as the relationship to matters of faith and work.
The human condition is wildly predictable when left to ourselves. For any of us with demanding jobs and lives, it does not take much to crowd out church attendance. This is especially true given the availability of online services or if we are currently frustrated with our own church experience. Of course, there is always the excuse of needing a weekend off and so we readily schedule leisure activities for Sunday with little thought of church. All of these circumstances often provide that nudge that becomes our tipping point for eliminating our commitments to gather with God’s people on Sunday mornings. I am embarrassed by my level of familiarity with these rationales because I have been guilty on all accounts at different points in my life. This has not been without a cost, and my soul reflects the deficits of having actively deprived myself of God’s blessing that is made available in and through the gathering of God’s people for worship.
My life experiences would concur with the point that Dr. Jim Denison, head of the Denison Forum, makes regarding our innate desire to worship and whether or not we bow to the Creator of Heaven and Earth. We bend a knee to something because we are built for worship. It also confirms that as life gets busier, stress builds, and the important things get crowded out, reminders, any reminders, are helpful in nudging us back to the church, back to a more balanced life.
In this short article below, Dr. Dension discusses the results of a recent study that scientifically proves what believers should already know that church attendance reduces stress. Enjoy the article and see you in church!
Why Going to Church Is Good For Your Health
(by Jim Denison)
New research indicates that church attendance reduces stress. Before I explain why, let’s survey some reasons we need the help.
According to an expert on radicalization, the latest terrorist attacks in Great Britain are “just the tip of the iceberg, and it’s an enormous iceberg.” British authorities are currently investigating 500 active terrorism plotters, 3,000 other persons of interest, and 20,000 others with links to militancy. UK security officials say the number of radicalized individuals has become unmanageable.
Shootings such as yesterday’s tragedy in Orlando seem to make the news daily. In addition to violence, consider the escalating moral challenges of our day. A Catholic farmer was recently barred from a municipal farmers market in Michigan because he stated on Facebook “his Catholic belief that marriage is a sacramental union between one man and one woman” and chose not to host a lesbian couple’s wedding at his orchard.
A transgender man is in the news because he stopped taking testosterone and is now pregnant. The Church of England will vote next month on whether to create an official “baptism-style” service to celebrate sex changes. A woman in San Diego says she is “objectum-sexual,” a person who is in love with an object. In her case, she says she married a train station in California.
Do you feel your stress level increase when you read the news?
