"Instead of gathering in God’s name theoretically, people need to come together with the firm purpose of invoking His living presence in the Temple of Meditation. Those who do so will find themselves actually experiencing the blessing of the Divine Presence.
There is a great need for meditation groups, organized with the express and only purpose of knowing God. Group meditation is like a castle which protects spiritual novices as well as veteran meditators against the besieging armies of delusion. Meditating together increases the degree of Self-realization of each member of the group, by the law of invisible vibratory exchange of spiritual magnetism.
Group meditation, with emphasis on the shared practice of scientific techniques of meditation, should be the principle activity of every church, temple, synagogue, and mosque in the world. Group meditation helps to establish more firmly in Self-realization the gains made during the individual’s meditations at home.
The news of God-realization spreads of itself. If congregations everywhere take up this practice, it will create a new awakening in religion. People then will of their own initiative seek out the churches. It will no longer be necessary to attract them by the efforts of professional religious entertainers."
-Paramhansa Yogananda 1933