I recently received a magazine called The Voice of the Martyrs. It is a collection of stories and information from areas across the world where Christianity is persecuted. In it was the story of the way religious freedoms were destroyed in Cuba.
When Fidel Castro came to power, he first banned the construction of new church buildings. His advisors believed that limiting future growth of the church would effectively bring about its slow and quiet death. After all – if you’re not growing, you’re dying right?
That plan didn’t work. People who wanted to continue to worship, study, and grow, realized that church buildings were nice-but not necessary. Home-based churches began springing up across the country and the number of folks who claimed Christianity continued to grow. Castro wanted to do something to curb the enthusiasm and growth of these people, so he enacted Resolution 46 in April 2005. Among other things, he forbade churches from assembling more than three times per week.
If our President enacted Resolution 46-would it affect the church at Burns?
If the regulation limited worship assemblies to no more than twice weekly, would it affect you?
It’s true that the Bible doesn’t give a command with a number of required weekly church meetings. It is also true that it does give an example:
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. … Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47 NIV)
Do you think they would have noticed Resolution 46?