Landerneau, France, a small town in France, has finally landed in the headlines. After trying twice before, their invitation to Smurfs to come to their fair city has landed them in the Guinness World Records for the largest gathering of blue people. The 3,076 who gathered broke the old record of 2,762 who met in Germany in 2019.
“Blue people?” you may ask. “The Smurfs” was a cartoon series that was popular from 1981 in the U.S. They made their first appearance in Belgium in 1958, and children everywhere connected with the loveable characters. The Saturday morning cartoon series was discontinued on NBC in 1990, but people obviously haven’t forgotten their Smurfs. A movie by that name will open in July of this year.
A video of the gathering showed Smurf fans dressed in outfits that match the cartoon characters, and their faces painted blue. They seemed to be having a good time, but I had to ask myself: What benefit was gained from the time and energy spent? A record was established, but for how long?
The Bible has much to say about gatherings. In the Old Testament we learn of annual feasts the Jews were to observe. Deuteronomy 16:16 states, “Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord your God in the place which He chooses …” That “place” was Jerusalem, and thousands would gather for those three feasts.
In the New Testament, gatherings are commanded of Christians: “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” (Hebrews 10:25). Why was it so important to come together? Look at the previous verse: “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works” (Hebrews 10:24). In our assemblies, Christians are taught, encouraged, and made stronger.
Luke gives an example of such a gathering in Acts 20:7: “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread …” Bible scholars agree that this was a Sunday gathering for the purpose of worship. To “break bread” was to observe the Lord’s Supper (see Luke 22:19). Yes, there was meaning behind these times for Christians. Their bond with Christ became stronger as they remembered His sacrifice for their salvation.
Simply attending a Christian worship service won’t make one stronger, however. We must fully engage if we hope to benefit from such times. “What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding” (1 Corinthians 14:15).
This coming Sunday there will be a gathering of Christians at 2722 E. Oakland Avenue in Johnson City, TN. Will we set any records? That would be nice, but it’s not our aim. Our aim is to more fully develop meaning in our lives and to understand more clearly the will of our God. Come join us!
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2025, Timothy D. Hall