Worshipping While on Vacation

By Kyle Pope

As you travel from place to place the next time you’re on vacation think about some reasons it is important to take the time to find a faithful group of Christians to worship with while you are away.

It encourages other Christians.  All over the world Christians struggle with faithfulness, both as individuals and as congregations.  Especially in smaller congregations, it can offer a real “shot in the arm” to brethren to meet those who love the Lord from other places.

It teaches our children.  Taking the time to find a local church to worship with teaches our children who travel with us that while vacations may be fun there is also a place for the Lord in our times of relaxation.

It teaches those who are with us.  Often vacations involve time with friends or family who do not share our faith.  It can have a strong impact on those we love to see us happily and anxiously set aside our entertainment for awhile to focus on spiritual things.

It edifies us.  Brethren in other places are doing great work. They have great insights, energy and zeal.  Learning from their strengths and weaknesses can help us better serve the congregation we work with and (in some cases) be more thankful for what we have.

It pleases the Lord.  When the Lord instructs us in Hebrews 10:24,25 to “...consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (NKJV), He is talking about the way we should live our lives all year round.  We should never adopt a mentality that looks for the “minimum daily requirements” that fulfills these instructions.  While worship on the Lord’s day with the local church where we regularly worship is important, that is not all that Hebrews 10:24, 25 addresses.  Mid-week studies, gospel meetings in the area, and worship services in other places, are all assemblies of God’s people striving to grow.  We must remember that fellowship with the Lord means that we have fellowship with His people, whether locally or in other places (I John 1:1-4).