The corporate gathering is to be a time of worship to the glory of God. As we worship together with gifted saints, we are fed, strengthened, transformed, encouraged, and equipped. That’s why the gathering exists. As the word of God is read, sang, prayed, pondered, and preached, God administers his care. So, to suggest avoiding the gathering because of a trial is counter-productive. Corporate worship is intended to bring care in suffering. 

A wise man once said, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). The “many,” “tribulations,” and “must” combine to make life really, really hard at times. Pain seems to crash upon its victims with inhumane force. It comes in all forms—physical, spiritual, relational, some excruciating combination. There are times when it just seems impossible to continue another moment.

Thankfully however, we have a loving God who is sovereign over suffering. He’s not pushing buttons from a distance, but intimately walking through it with us. What a great thing it is to have the Lord as our shepherd. He cares for us, not by always sparing us from sorrow, but leading us through it. He binds us up through various means; the word of God, prayer, corporate worship.

But, what about when a trial reaches a new level of difficulty? What about when the spiritual and emotional pain seems too crippling to be at church? Certainly there are situations like this. What should we do?

Beth Moore, a highly influential evangelical, said this on mother’s day:

On the one hand, the advice is understandable. In some seasons of suffering, it seems impossible to do anything. There are certain things which feel as if doing them would only plunge the knife deeper.

But on the other hand, this kind of thinking backfires. It’s hazardous. It can create damage and propagate error. I assume that the intention of the advice was to help and a bless. But the stay-home suggestion can communicate several consequential errors. Here are a few for consideration:

1. God’s means of grace are insufficient for certain struggles.

The corporate gathering is to be a time of worship to the glory of God. As we worship together with gifted saints, we are fed, strengthened, transformed, encouraged, and equipped. That’s why the gathering exists. As the word of God is read, sang, prayed, pondered, and preached, God administers his care. So, to suggest avoiding the gathering because of a trial is counter-productive. Corporate worship is intended to bring care in suffering. It might feel impossible to gather; too painful. But our God knows. And he desires to care for us precisely throughcorporate worship. So, to avoid church due to the pain of a trial is akin to avoiding eating due to the pain of hunger.

To suggest sidestepping corporate worship in a trial is to suggest that God’s means of grace are insufficient in suffering.

2. Certain struggles permit disobedience.

Hebrews 10:25 teaches, “[N]ot forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.” Again, God greatly desires to care for his people. That’s one reason why gathering is a command. He knows what he is doing.

The context of this command in Hebrews is insightful. The letter was written a few years into the Neronian persecution. History records that Nero was ruthless in his approach to Christians. So, the original recipients of the letter were suffering. Pressure to deny the faith was cranking up. Some had already lost their homes and lands simply for confessing Christ (Heb. 10:34). Others endured reproach and affliction (Heb. 10:33). Shedding of blood was imminent. Even so, the writer of Hebrews, carried by the loving Holy Spirit, says, in effect, “I still want you to gather corporately for worship. I know it is so hard. But avoid the temptation to stay home.”

To advise avoiding corporate worship in suffering is to suggest that disobedience to God is permissible when life gets hard.

3. The body of Christ is unhelpful for trials.

One thing I love about corporate worship is that it is the time of the week where the entire body of Christ is present together. God has ordained that it be so. That’s one reason it is so important to him. He gets glory and delight when all of the body parts are present under the headship of Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:22-23).

Part of the reason God desires that we gather together—especially in seasons of suffering—is because he made the body of Christ for such times. Edification-care is precisely why God makes, gifts, and gathers the body of Christ.

“But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Cor. 12:7).

The Holy Spirit has outfitted every member of the body with capacities to do good for one another. Sundays are a key time to experience the Spirit’s good through the body.

“God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another” (1 Cor. 12:24–25).

With the entire local body present, the corporate gathering is the foremost time to receive God’s unifying care for one another.

“And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it” (1 Cor. 12:26).

When it comes to the pain of suffering, the body is God’s means to care for us. So, there is a sufficiency built into the New Testament kind of local church; a God-given sufficiency to minister to suffering through the gifted body.

To suggest forsaking the gathering in suffering is to suggest that the body of Christ is unhelpful in our trials.

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