Church: Why Go?

I feel like I’ve already bitten off more than I can chew with the title.  In the interest of time and those more knowledgeable than I, I keep this as concise as possible.

Growing up, I went to church because I had to (immediate side note: although that was sometimes a drag, I don’t mean for that to sound negative and am thankful to have a family who kept me in attendance.)  Once I started driving before my senior year in high school and it was a Sunday where work didn’t interfere, going was my choice.  I often elected what my Small Groups Pastor refers to as “the competition”: sleep, television, and basic idleness.

Around my third year of college, I decided I wanted to go again.  I prayed a lot that Summer for God to take complete control of my life, but I don’t recall any of those prayers being specifically aimed at being in church.  However, in my time of growing closer to Him, I knew church needed to be a part of that.

But why?

This may be where you find yourself.  You may know or have a good idea that church needs to be a part of your life with God, but still don’t get it.  Or maybe you’ve been, but haven’t connected with anyone.  And why go back to church, the place, to be with the Church, the body of Christ, if there is no fellowship?  Maybe “the competition” just sounds better–if not the rest of the week, at least the night before or morning of.

All of these things have logic, but I suggest none of them should be your reason for staying away from church.  Even if you’re someone who prefers to catch a service on TV or have some sort of solo experience you call “church”–I said “solo,” so that does not include an online, interactive worship experience, and I said “prefers,” so that does not include those who are physically unable to be somewhere for that amount of time–this goes for you, too.

We need to go in church to be in corporate community with other believers and to hear God’s Word.  Even if you don’t talk to a soul on Sunday mornings (or Saturday nights… did you know many churches offer an early Saturday evening option, too?), you are still sharing the experience together.  Even if you read the Bible for two hours a day on your own, you are hearing from those who God has given a message for the greater body of believers.

There are a lot more reasons to go to church, and although I probably didn’t keep this super concise, I’ll leave you to search for sources more intelligent than I to discover them.

These are just some simple thoughts on why going to church on a regular basis is important to me.  I’ve been with “the competition,” and find I’m glorifying God more when I’m in His house worshiping Him with others.

Your thoughts on the importance of church?