Only 30% out of 70% of US citizens who identify themselves as Christian attend church regularly. The numbers may surprise you, as many Christians don’t go to church very often for various reasons. The biggest reason is that they view it as expendable; you get the choice of taking it or leaving it. At the same time, others may not have churches close by. Christians may also claim that church is not the only place where you find God, as he lives within our heart, and is present everywhere.
If you view the word of God, you might get your answers to “Do I have to go to church?”. While you can worship the beloved God with convenience, here are some reasons why a faithful Christian needs to go to church regularly.
To Be the Example of Jesus
Some followers of Christ may say they’ve heard everything before, and there’s no need for them to go to church anymore due to this reason. Imagine if Jesus had not attended church every week, would he be able to know things he knew. To be a good follower of Jesus, your priority should be to follow in his footsteps. Jesus, being the son of God, attended a service on every Sabbath day and was never found absent from church. Hence, to please God, you must attend church.
If you wish to follow the path of Jesus, read “Think, Act, Be like Jesus: Becoming a New Person in Christ” by Randy Frazee, as it will help you grasp the vision of Christian life.
To Follow the Bible
Millions of Christian Americans have either given up on church entirely or put it on the back burner. The number of people going to church has reduced, but the problem did exist 2000 years ago as well during early Christianity. As times passed, Christians became lazy and contended in their life, and in their views, they did not need church anymore. But in the Bible, the verse Hebrews 10:25 reads, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing.” Having that said, God’s words prioritize meeting together with the church.
Do you want to read Bible stories to your children and help them learn about the importance of attending church? “Follow Me: Bible Stories for Young Children” by Liesbeth Van Binsbergen is a great read for young kids.
To Give and Get
Bible encourages Christians to encourage loving each other and contribute to the community and society. Those who follow Jesus must never become selfish and only think about their own needs. They should think about other followers first and help them participate in the local assembly. In church attendance, faithfulness motivates others to be part of good deeds and promote religious events. Christianity is all about thinking beyond “Jesus and me” and includes others in the society in this relationship with God. When you attend churches, you get to participate in events and even volunteer to restore your faith.
Adam Grant’s renowned book “Give and Take: Why Helping Others Drives Our Success” may help you realize the importance of luck, talent, hard work, and passion as some of the components that drive success in life. It will introduce you to the idea of giving and taking to get you started with the journey of giving back to get back.
God’s might is seen as a loving parent who can protect and love us when we live a life according to Him and submit to Him completely. God’s power is the same in both cases. Just the relationship between us impacts our different reactions. God’s mercy is shown to us when we confess our faults.
To Benefit from Community
The church needs you, and this is a fact we cannot deny. However, you also need it just as much. The church community needs your compassion, kindness, teaching, service, encouragement, and love. On the other hand, you also need the same to be a faithful Christian. You might miss out on encouragement and love in your spiritual journey if you don’t attend church.
If you’re still not sure why you need to go to church, read “Why to Go to Church?: A Little Book of Guidance” can help you decide whether you should spend your weekend in a place of worship or somewhere else.
To Have a Healthy Marriage and Parenthood
A statistic you may have heard is that Christians, as compared to non-Christians, have the same divorce rate. That statistic is misleading as the survey doesn’t include the participants attending church. Other studies interestingly revealed around 35% less divorce rate among couples who prioritized church.
Church attendance is essential for a healthy marital relationship and a better relationship with kids. As you teach your children to love, care, and be compassionate for the community, you strengthen your relationship with them and with each other. Children will learn to know about Christ and shape their character accordingly. It will eventually develop compassion to serve people and God.
“Building Relationship: It’s About MORE Than Going to Church” by Danielle Fennell is the book you need to help you understand the benefits and importance of developing and strengthening relationships with God.
Our Final Thoughts
To answer “do all Christians need to go to church?” we must say, Yes, of course! Many times, it is mentioned in the Bible as God has instructed His followers to do so.
Church brings you closer to God, and it is advised to attend it regularly to replenish your faith. There are times when you feel distant from God, and your faith seems distorted. In such situations, going to church and standing along with other followers and believers of Christ is the best way to move forward.
However, suppose there are genuine issues that keep you away from attending live church, such as law and order situation, health concerns, and unavailability of good churches in the region. In that case, you can always opt for an online worship service that is introduced specifically for this purpose.
Our connection with God automatically alters when we embrace Him as our savior. We have a deep reverence and affection for God, who has shown us who we are and what we are capable of. The degree to which you fear or revere God is a function of your connection with Him.
